Giving Money To Charity

[nailit]

Where does it go?

Had a girlfriend some years ago who wouldn't give to certain charities such as The British Heart Foundation or Cancer Research because the money went towards animal experiment research (she was an animal rights kind of gal...I met her while working for the RSPCA)
I also knew someone who used to work for Shelter and said that she'd never give them anything because she knew how much was spent on executives's jollies in top hotels etc while on so called 'business' and my sister who works for the NHS has said the same about the 'higher ups' in the Douglas MacMillan and will not give them anything.

I was accosted by 3 different chuggers today (thought it must be getting close to christmas by the 3rd) and didnt give anything purely because I realised that I didnt have a clue as to where that money would go (executive jollies, animal experiments etc). Last week I gave a quid to a beggar. It probably went on drink, cigs or drugs, I dont care what he spent it on as that beggar could have been me but the difference was that the beggar made no pretence that it was for a "noble" cause.

Just wondered what other ABers views were about giving to charities....do you know (or care) where your donated money goes?

[wolf63]

Much has been done in recent years to try and decrease the amount spent on admin in various charities. Many execs are paid big money but with that comes much stress and responsibility.

I give money each month to the Cats Protection local branch and volunteer two afternoons per week in a charity Book shop. I try to stick to the two charities because it can become expensive to give to all that I believe in.

[Psybbo]

Hi Nailit, good to see you. I did contribute to a charity but they passed my details on so then I was inundated with phone calls and mail. The phone calls were annoying because, not only could you tell it was a call centre but waiting for an emergency call, just upsetting. I tend to contribute with cash now. Sorry to hear that about McMillan

[nailit]

Thats anoying Psibs, my old mum gets phone calls (and post) almost everyday from charities, presumebly because my (desceased) dad donated regularly to certain charites.
Wolf, we have a local cats charity shop that I will donate to if I dont buy anything (but I usually do as they have a great selection of books, my passion)

Just seems that the bigger a charity becomes the more of a business it becomes and loses its original intent.

[DaisyNonna]

Why does RSPCA spend so much on legal fees and then say they cannot cope with all the animals brought to them?

[237SJ]

Theres a bit of information about a few charities here http://www.smallcharitydirectory.co.uk/what-percentage-of-donations-go-to-charity

[nailit]

Daisy, Having worked for the RSPCA and knowing personaly many inspectors I can only say that they spend a lot on legal fees because trying to get a conviction isnt cheap. I know a few on this site have issues with them but they have finite funds and the inspectors I knew often worked hard and were sometimes traumetised by their cases. (I remember once seeing the carcas of a dog that had died with several broken bones and ciggarette burns on its body....it took a lot of time and MONEY to get that case prosecuted) The RSPCA aint perfect but I would still rather give donations to them than some other charities.

[nailit]

thanks for the link 237, will have a look

[Georgiesmum]

I think a local lady in my area has the right idea. she is a huge animal lover so she does boot sales and table top sales most weeks of the year from items that have been donated to her. That money is then used for anaimals to benefit.
and instead of just giving animal charity money she will ask them what they need, if for instance the hedgehog rescue say they need more cages. she will go with them and buy them cages. if the cat rescue needs more cat carriers and dried food she will go and get cat carriers for them and dried food and deliver it to them. Likewise the swan rescue charity.

That way she knew exactly where the money went and she had the goods to show for it.

[woofgang]

I give to charities via their websites and never seem to get junk mail or phone calls as result, although the actual charities I have donated to do write to me on occasion. I NEVER give to chuggers or door to door callers apart from to the Poppy Appeal and the Lifeboats, the caller in both cases is one of my neighbours. I am a bit dubious about Macmillan as I know for a fact that they sell services to the NHS so am not sure about how that fits with them presenting themselves as a charity open to all. My late DH couldn't access Macmillan as our NHS service purchases its community palliative care services from a different organisation. The service we got was very good so no complaints but it was made clear to us that we couldn't have Macmillan too because our NHS service purchased elsewhere.

[dave50]

It's better to support local charities in your area rather than the big anonymous ones.

[woofgang]

why dave? being local is no guarantee of efficiency or even honesty.

[maggiebee]

I think it very much depends on the charity. As some you will know I have been the Chairperson of Dundee Samaritans for 3 years. We receive no government funding or any from the central charity so we depend on the goodwill of trusts and individuals to operate - shaking cans etc. We have no paid employees, just 53 very dedicated volunteers and I can assure you there are no jollies although out of pocket expenses would be paid for train fares to attend meetings etc. Every penny is accounted for and our accounts are audited and presented to OSCR (equivalent of the Charities Commission in England) every year. Anyone can go online to view these. Sorry, don't want to just plug Samaritans, but just to point out all Charities are different.

[janbee]

I give to quite a lot of charities but never Oxfam or RSPCA and never ever ever to any chuggers.