How do you feel about organizations that go from "helping resolve a problem" to "being in the business of helping to resolve a problem"? How do you personally define a charitable or non-profit organization? Have you ever been ripped-off by one? Have you ever felt that "guilt loading" was just part of a sales pitch? Do these organizations, who have so much at stake, really have a vested interest in solving the problem? What will they do then? Go look for another job? Do you feel that some of this stuff is self-perpetuating? When does "the need to educate the public about___________" become self-serving propaganda and a marketing campaign?

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Answers

Well, I'm more wary of huge charitable foundations - the ones who generally act as umbrella organizations. While I'm sure 99.9% of their funds are going in the right direction, they're run much like corporations and occasionally you hear of top people being caught skimming. Then again, a few years ago some guy here in Toronto who was supposedly running a food bank got caught selling his stock(?!) There's corruption in any type of endeavour - the good thing here is that the government more closely monitors charities/non-profits (ideally). I also really hate that some groups have kids selling chocolates to "help in training youth for employment" (really means that they get a cut of the earnings but nothing more). Ah, I guess I'm wary of everyone.

I'm not sure about charities/organizations perpetuating their own causes though (having visions of a secret arm of the Heart & Stroke foundation luring children into trying cigarettes - gotta keep those cases of lung cancer up!).

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

I used to run a soup kitchen, until I sold all my stock!

ba-da-boom (groan... sorry)

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Two of my really good friends work in non-profit, taking less money than they could make elsewhere and putting in plenty of overtime hours, simply because they believe in what they're doing. They both are involved with helping welfare women return to work, by tutoring them in job search and interview skills, and providing them with "working woman's wardrobe" clothes and shoes. They've seen such positive results from their work (although some negative things pop up, too... such as trouble with funding, or, of course, the occasional person who is just going through the motions but has no desire to get off welfare and find a job), and I admire their dedication.

But I'm a pretty cynical bitch were the general blanket of non-profit is concerned. My friends' organizations are small and controlled... but the larger organizations seem to get into all sorts of trouble with not being able to track where their funds're going to, etc. I don't give money to someone with a cup at the airport, claiming I'm helping Jesus's Children, and I'm never surprised when charities like this are revealed to be terrorist groups in disguise (as happened recently at LAX).

I strongly believe that the public needs to be educated and we need to be more positive and tolerant, in general, about helping our fellow citizens... but I'm also bitter enough to think that it ain't all that simple to do....

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

You're right, Dwanollah. In fact, we're taking a hard look at some groups and organizations and we're finding out stuff that makes me uncomfortable. Examples: "Say No To Drugs" campaign is continuing even though research shows that children given the lectures are more knowledgeable about drugs and usage and are MORE LIKELY to experiment than before education on the subject. The Drug Seizure Laws, which allow police to keep money, cars, computers, land anything seized has destroyed the incentive of many under-funded police and sheriff departments to actually win the war on drugs. The American economy would take a hit to the tune of $5 Billion and thousands of people would be out of work if drugs vanished tomorrow. Some Minority groups are reporting an increase in racial incidents when, in fact, race-based acts of all kinds are on the decrease. Jackson's group has staff members who make $75,000 a year in salaries and receive millions in grants every year and have a vested interest in magnifying racial incidents and exaggerating statistics. Animal Shelter directors who depend on volunteer workers for grunt work but haul down salaries they wouldn't make in the private sector. And we've only scratched the surface.

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

I don't really give to organizations unless I feel strongly about the problem and chances are, if I feel strongly about it, I've done some research. So, I like to think I cover my ass and don't pport "charities" that are really just in the business of bureaucracy. I believe that there is a need for umbrella organizations, just because the smaller organizations they represent are so damned bad at organizing and don't have the moola to market (and marketing can be important, people don't want to give to something they've never heard of). BUT, I usually define charitable organizations by how much of the money they take in actually goes towards helping, not just running the office.

Paul, your soup pun crackered me up. (Gosh yall, I am so sorry!!)

-- Anonymous, March 07, 2001

Hmm. Well, I work at a non-profit organization, and I wouldn't do it if I thought it was an organization full of crooks or bureaucrats. Because I see the results of our work every day, I know that we're doing some good. If people think we're self-serving or self- perpetuating, all they really have to do is come down for a visit and see what's going on.

I don't know... maybe it's just because I grew up poor as shit, but I feel like a lot of non-profits really do go about "helping resolve a problem." Maybe I'm just lucky to live in that sort of town, though.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

I'm not sure the March of Dimes does anything besides send me mailing labels every other week. If I never moved, and sent out 10 letters a day, I still wouldn't run out of mailing labels.

But I think there are plenty of good organizations out there. You have to pick and choose. I volunteer with a group that provides clothing for homeless women who need something to wear to a job interview- after they get the job, we give them two more outfits, and another one after 6 months. We don't raise as much money as we try to collect clothes, and you can see exactly where it's going. But there's an organization I'll refrain from naming that a lot of gals I know are involved in that seems to be much more oriented towards socializing than any sort of helping, which I think is idiotic. If you want to have a social club, fine, have a social club, but don't call it charity.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

Last year I worked on a United Way campaign, and the local office supports a lot of groups that don't have the resources to go out and get a lot of money, like a group that drives senior citizens to their doctors appointments, Amazement Square, which is an after-school outreach center that has activites and classes for underpriviledged kids, or the local volunteer fire and rescue departments. A lot of people brought up the head of UW who skimmed money, but that was many years ago and that guy is in jail, and about 1% of the money they raise actually goes to the national office. About 10% of the money they raise goes to UW employee's salaries and overhead costs.

What I found out about groups like the Lung or Heart Association is that most of the money goes to research and not to helping out people who have problems now.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

The problem is that a lot of the small, community programs that actually have an impact don't have the resources to advertise their good works and publicize their needs. That's where we try to help out by doing a story, or donating free advertising space. The bigger the outfit, the more distanced they become from their origins. The best ones I've seen are "store front" type operations that are in daily contact with the communities they serve. And you're right about the "social/society" thing. Too many worthy causes are usurped by drones who get their pictures taken and attend benefits and do little else.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

And Gwen...this thread wasn't directed at your outfit. I'm sure ya'll do a great job.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

I only donate through the Combined Federal Campaign as all organizations must apply to be included and information is given to all federal employess as to what the organization does and what percentage goes to overhead. If the overhead is too high (18%, I think) or does not meet strict guidelines, the charity is not included in the list of participants.

I will not give to the bucket beggers here - people who stand in the street with buckets marked "for mentally handicapped children" taking donations from cars. No indication of who these people are or what organization they represent. I do not give to phone solicitors, mail requests, or door-to-door requests.

I will donate to the Shriner's Hospital and other Masonic charities such as Dentistry for the Handicapped as I know where that money goes (100% care provided for the Shiners Hospital, including transportation needs; 100% dental care for handicapped children who have no other insurance or medicare coverage). Volunteers also provide transporation help and other services to the families as needed. Go Masons, Shriners, Kentucy Colonels, and M.O.V.P.E.R.!!!!

-- Anonymous, March 08, 2001

I give money to feminist organizations and environmental organizations. I usually check them out online beforehand and try to figure out what they've done in, say, the last year that was useful. I'm more inclined to give to ones like the National Wildlife Federation that send me a magazine that keeps me aware of what I *personally* can do to help out -- I'd rather be involved, even at the letter-writing level, than just give money. Besides, I don't have all that much money to give.

I hate organizations that get my name from some "she sent us money, she's a sucker" mailing list and then send me ten thousand garish address labels. Look, if I fucking wanted address labels with primary-colored hands touching each other or worse, pastel flowers and birdhouses, don't you think I would have just gone to goddamned Hallmark and purchased said atrocities myself? That said, I do give money to organizations that send me Christmas cards with polar bears on them.

I've just realized I'm totally random in how I go about this. Oh well. At least I help with local stuff, and I know that does some good.

Anyone else not give to United Way because they don't know what the hell it does?

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001

Eva, have you seen the United Way commercials where someone asks people what UW does, and nobody knows? I've just started seeing them in the last month or so. At least they realize what is going on and is trying to change that.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2001

I worked for a "storefront" non-profit in the San Francisco Bay Area for a couple of years, and I loved the attitude of the place and the people involved. There was a core group that really felt that if we worked 12 hour days 6 days a week, we would make a difference. Of course, burn-out sets in, and then you have to figure out another way of doing it -- or keep hiring an endless supply of fresh employees with a sick work ethic. And, it's easy to fall into the trap of designing your programs to fit the current funding cycle, to include the trendy buzzwords in your brochures. Living on a budget that expires from year to year is pretty stressful, especially when you see that there is a lot of work still to be done. I used to wonder, Bubba, if folks in social services needed poverty to exist so that they'd have a job -- but now I see the problems of poverty, racism and sexism as so entrenched in our culture that I don't think we'll get to the point where the social workers are out there recruiting folks for the welfare rolls. There seems to be an endless supply.

I do think that small non-profits can be great in that they know their clientele, but the management can be lame, albeit well-intended. Maybe UW and the other big, corporate types give out management consultation as part of their support for small non-profits, I haven't been in the business for a while. Lately, since I'm unemployed, I just donate time where I think it might hellp -- write letters for Amnesty International (because when I worked in human rights in South America, I KNEW what a huge difference AI could make)and also, I'll leaflet for the local church-y, left-y, social justice oriented groups around here. My daughter, now 2 1/2, still likes to chant "NEW NAME, SAME SHAME!!" whenever we mention South America (she gets it confused with the School of the Americas -- her first protest!) Of course, she'll rebel and grow up to be a Republican ...

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2001