Charities

Doozer · **Charities**

I keep getting address labels from various charitable organizations and although we donate yearly to the Canadian Cancer Society as well as partipate in the Run for the Cure, I feel so guilty receiving these labels and not contributing.

This year our focus has shifted from big charitable causes to more personal ones: friends in need, family in need and local community charity drives.

Do you donate regularly to a charity? Which one is it and why?

Doozer · 10-13-2006, 06:39 PM

southern_belle_mommie · 10-13-2006, 06:43 PM

We give to this small one... and prolly always will. You can watch the video on this page and it will expain, be sure to have a Kleenex

http://www.cayleeshope.com/

stacia · 10-13-2006, 06:47 PM

I give to March of Dimes, and a couple small local women's and children's centers regularly and of course toys for tots at christmas every year, Lupus foundation, Breast Cancer Foundation on occasion. I give goods (ie stuff but not money) to good will, salvation army, Lupus Foundation and shelters every year also

Nikmom · 10-13-2006, 06:47 PM

You know, that is a sore subject with me. I get stuff too, and I did not solicit it in any way. So if I want to use the stuff, I do, if I don't I throw it away. I don't have a lot to send to charity, so one thing I do is quilt with a group from my church. We give the quilts away, or if we don't, we do a silent auction at church. The money is given away, some local, some within the US, and some outside of the country. We do pretty well. Within our church it is time, talent, and treasure, without an emphasis on one or the other. So, I wouldn't feel guilty at all. It is not right for a charity to decide for you where your limited funds should go.

Doozer · 10-13-2006, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikmom

You know, that is a sore subject with me. I get stuff too, and I did not solicit it in any way. So if I want to use the stuff, I do, if I don't I throw it away. I don't have a lot to send to charity, so one thing I do is quilt with a group from my church. We give the quilts away, or if we don't, we do a silent auction at church. The money is given away, some local, some within the US, and some outside of the country. We do pretty well. Within our church it is time, talent, and treasure, without an emphasis on one or the other. So, I wouldn't feel guilty at all. It is not right for a charity to decide for you where your limited funds should go.

What a great philosophy!! I agree with it 100%

Doozer · 10-13-2006, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stacia

I give to March of Dimes, and a couple small local women's and children's centers regularly and of course toys for tots at christmas every year, Lupus foundation, Breast Cancer Foundation on occasion. I give goods (ie stuff but not money) to good will, salvation army, Lupus Foundation and shelters every year also

How could I forget these two charities? I give to them before and after every move!!!

Doozer · 10-13-2006, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southern_belle_mommie

We give to this small one... and prolly always will. You can watch the video on this page and it will expain, be sure to have a Kleenex

http://www.cayleeshope.com/

She is a doll. Thanks for sharing (love her hair!!!)

Cheesecake Lady · 10-13-2006, 07:51 PM

Every year I try to mix it up and like you I help friends or family in need or with requests. Annually we will give to American Cancer Foundation since the disease has taken loved ones from both my DH and my families. We also give to a police organization for families of fallen officers.

We also have a rule in our house that if a child comes to the door selling something we will buy (unless it is a fundraiser that our kids are also selling). If it is a child that can not tell us the organization they are selling for (other than a LOCAL school) or if it is a company that drops off kids/young adults into a neighborhood we will tell them to leave information and come back. I got burned with magazine sales this way and we will not give to non legit companies/charities.

As far as the address lables, I have gotten many in the past because we had previously donated to their organization and it was a way for them to solicite again. I didn't feel guilty using the lables since I had contributed to their cause. I have not gotten any labels recently.

stephpook · 10-13-2006, 10:00 PM

I do use the address labels the charitable organizations send out, and no, I don't feel guily about using them even though I don't send a donation. As someone else said, I didn't ask to be solicited. It almost seems worse to throw them away anyway because then you're wasting their money. In the past I kind of felt bad about it until I realized that no one person can contribute to every charity.

We give regularly to charities that are meaningful to us as a family (Care Net, Mission of Mercy, etc) and then occasionally to other charities as the opportunity arises (i.e. the Red Cross after 9/11, Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army after the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, etc.) or in memory of a friend (the Walk to D'Feet ALS, Johns Hopkins breast cancer research, etc.). And of course we also donate household goods to Goodwill, the Vietnam Veterans of America, and the Purple Heart. We also have the opportunity to do some charitable work through our church each year with the homeless and providing Christmas gifts to needy children.