BS: Charities

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Helen
Date: 10 Dec 25 - 10:38 AM

I get a couple of thank you letters a year from Amnesty International, with a summary of some of the work they have done and the work they hope to achieve.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Dec 25 - 10:24 AM

Ahhhh, thanks Sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Helen
Date: 08 Dec 25 - 10:31 PM

Also, when I donate to one of the charities online there is a request to pay a small fee - a couple of dollars only - to cover the admin costs. I'm happy to do that because I know that the full amount of my donation will go to the charity.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Dec 25 - 10:17 PM

Dave - the sum mentioned could be sufficient to do something specific - one of our charities mentions a similarly small amount that can provide a certain number of meals.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Vincent Jones
Date: 08 Dec 25 - 09:47 PM

I give monthly payments to several charities.

One day I received a letter from one of them, UNICEF.

It contained a card and a few words saying thank you for my contributions. No request for a special appeal, or information about a donation webpage. Just a thank you.

Almost before I could stop myself I was online, sending them twenty quid.

Happen there's a lesson there.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: meself
Date: 08 Dec 25 - 08:56 PM

"The charities that appear on the grocery store payment screens are a bad choice since the store keeps 50% or more." Where did you get that?

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 08 Dec 25 - 05:53 PM

The homelessness charity, Crisis, are running a series of ads asking for a donation of £29.80

I find that really odd for some reason.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Dec 25 - 03:55 PM

There are charity rating services that assist donors in making these decisions, often rating a charity based primarily on the percentage of revenue that goes toward administrative expenses. “It’s not completely fair … but some programs or services may be more labor-intensive than others, and they may still be doing really wonderful work. Just using that number alone is not fair between organizations.”

“If you see 50% of all money coming in is going toward administrative expenses, you could fairly easily say that is too much. 20% might be OK. … My view — and people will differ with this — even if it’s above 20%, donors just need to ask more questions. This doesn’t mean the organization is bad in and of itself. There may be a good reason why like advertising nationally. The charities that appear on the grocery store payment screens are a bad choice since the store keeps 50% or more.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Mr Red
Date: 08 Dec 25 - 03:27 PM

I regularly find usable items on the footpath &/or towpath of our local canal. A bit of cleaning up or laundering then take them to a Charity shop. The US equivalent might be a Thrift shop, run by charities.

My preferred charity is "Help for Heros" - supporting ex soldiers etc - let's face it: when the government can't cope - who ya gonna call?

It is being said that these charity shops may not be as numerous soon, the rental barely allows for profit. And I am pondering: will the next recession, overdue IMNSHO, increase sales or reduce donations, or both?

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Dec 25 - 04:38 PM

Every few months I gather things that can be used by teachers and students and donate them to a local foundation that collects (in particular) discarded arts and crafts things. They also have stuff for school theater arts, so building sets, costume design, and more. But they can also put good use to office supplies, organizers, chairs, files, etc. so the mix is quite varied. Strategic use of decluttered stuff. The object is to have a warehouse full of the materials that school teachers can shop for free. They also have a small gift shop to sell some things for revenue.

Last summer I took in an antique cast iron sewing machine that had been serviced and didn't sell on eBay (the foundation teaches sewing every week, and most of sewing is straight seams forward and reverse. This machine does that). My next appointment will be to take over a bunch of surplus durable electronics cases like laptop and camera bags, along with small shelving. If I don't find new homes for all of the 2026 calendars that charities have sent as inducement to subscribe I'll send them over.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Dec 25 - 03:33 PM

speaking of signs - a friend just sent me a collection of pics/memes - one shows a door with a sign KEYS UNDER MAT - sitting on the mat are 3 very elegant dogs - Dobermans!

I checked the spelling & found this in wikipedia - It was originally bred in Thuringia in about 1890 by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Helen
Date: 07 Dec 25 - 12:13 PM

A few years ago I made the mistake of responding to a chugger (never heard that word before - thanks!) and then regretted it, especially sharing my bank account details and then getting repeated mail and email contacts from the charity. It was an indigenous literacy project, which is why I started donating a year or so later to a more credible project after I gave the first one the flick.

I have said this before in other threads, but a few years ago I was very surprised to see on my bank statement that I had ordered something from Pizza Hut and a chocolate shop in Atlanta, Georgia!! (I live in Oz.) It was a credit card skimming scam and I found out some time later that it was connected to an online transaction from a reputable US music shop which I have dealt with for decades, and which had unfortunately been hacked. (Note: the last time I went to Pizza Hut was about 40 years ago so that made me very alert when I read it.)

When I phoned my bank the very helpful phone contact person gave me an excellent safety tip for online transactions. She suggested setting up a separate account solely for online transactions and to transfer money in only when I was about to make a transaction. The idea is that there is not enough money in that account most of the time for any dodgy transactions to make a big impact, so in effect it is a kind of ghost account. In an email exchange with the music shop owner, I also told her about that suggestion.

Regarding door knocking charity people, many years ago a government department sent letters to everyone in Oz with some stickers to put on the front door, "No doorknockers please". I stuck one on the front door and have had excellent success with it except for two occasions.

One day the doorbell rang and there were two sheepish looking young men about to walk out the gate. They had obviously seen the sticker after they rang the doorbell. I think they were worried that I would yell at them but I stayed polite.

The second incident was a few months ago when a young man wanted to sign us up for a renewable energy offer. When I pointed to the sticker and asked if he had seen it, he very brazenly said that yes, he had seen it but it looked old so he ignored it. After we sent him politely on his way I made up two more stickers and stuck them prominently on the door to avoid further "confusion".

One of the good results of those stickers is that we don't get the well-meaning Christians from a particular church which I won't name, knocking on the door and asking if we have found Jesus. :-D

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 07 Dec 25 - 05:40 AM

I support three charities with modest monthly donations, and others by being a member of their organisation paying an annual membership fee. We subscribe to “Radio Times” - a weekly magazine which covers all the TV and radio programmes for the coming week: within the wrapper there are anything from 2 to 6 charity appeals, meaning that acres of forest goes in the bin, usually unread! This level of waste grieves me somewhat.
Anyone who comes to the door with an iPad, wanting me to sign up my bank details gets told politely where to go.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Dec 25 - 06:18 AM

As if by magic 2 young and very enthusiastic charity reps came to the door yesterday! I suppose they are not chuggers as door to door is mot really mugging. Churglers maybe? :-D

Anyhow, I told them what I said above about not subscribing and they went away.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Dec 25 - 01:56 PM

It is indeed, Stilly. I am happy to give to charities on the assumption that they will do their best for those that they support but helping someone personally is a blessing in itself. It need not be financial help either!

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Dec 25 - 11:31 AM

I wouldn't have figured out that portmanteau word on my own, Dave. When I was a young teen there was a charitable group that would have kids collect money for them, standing on sidewalks downtown or at a couple of the large department stores at the top of their parking lots - and now I can't honestly say I know that they were legitimate. No one did much research on those groups in the late 1960s. (Out of curiosity I Googled my town and the name of the group and find a piece from 2014 in my hometown newspaper, looking back 50 years to the kids collecting for that group in 1964. I came along a few years later.)

The old truism "charity begins at home" is best understood when you live in a place where you actually know your neighbors and understand who needs help. Making the effort to keep up with the neighbors is important.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Dec 25 - 04:02 AM

Not as prolific Doug but still going around here

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 03 Dec 25 - 03:44 AM

Are chuggers still out there? A few years ago, it didn't seem possible to go into town without being accosted by a young person representing some good cause or other but I haven't seen any for quite a wnile. I still see smartly dressed middle-aged people in the warmth of the indoor shopping centre but they are normally trying to get me to switch energy supplier.

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Dec 25 - 02:40 AM

Chugger is a combination of CHarity and mUGGER. Someone doing a hard sell of signing up for regular charity donations to passing strangers in the street. Often in supermarkets too. Often intimidating - particularly to the vulnerable.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: meself
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 08:48 PM

Just an FYI: in Canada, "chugger" has in recent years emerged as a particularly nasty racial epithet on-line, and in the real world, presumably (I don't travel in circles in which it would be used).

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 08:41 PM

"chugger" - never heard of that. How does that work?

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 06:34 PM

me, too! I give when I want to, & ignore the plastic smiles & 'friendly' greetings of chuggers (lovely hat! I like your purple outfit ...) Strangers admiring my colour choice are a different matter, we have a little chat.

I also avoid people with petitions - even if I support the cause, I'm not giving someone on the street my address.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 06:09 PM

I avoid the ones who want me to sign up for a regular donation like the plague. I find 'chuggers' on the high street particulary obnoxious. I give to some charities on an ad hoc and anonymous basis.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 05:25 PM

I have half a dozen or so big charities I donate regularly to (I also donate to other causes irregularly) & only accept emails from the major organisations & they don't send pressies!

Once upon a time I asked one not to waste money by posting reports at the same time as I changed my email address & received a Standard Reply saying how sad (my words not their's) they were & they had cut me from their subscription lists but I could re-register any time, love & kisses etc. SIGH ... They are an international charity that does lotsa' good stuff but I do have another similar UN agency on my list.

Several decades ago I was supporting a big national charity that works with kids when they sent me an annual report or similar at the same time as I received a parcel of crap from an organisation I'd never heard of - both had the same reference no. on their labels, FUME - so I emailed the big charity & pointed this out & received a similar Standard Reply that did not mention the ref no. ... bye bye big charity. Crap that was donatable or recyclable went into the appropriate bag I & the rest went into landfill.

Those of us of a suitable age will remember sending or watching colleagues send data entry cards to THE COMPUTER at Head Office with fierce notes not to Bend, Fold or stab?, (can't remember the exact word but google knew it - Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate, where's bend?) & one day I bent & folded (did I stab???) some cards I received - never got any again! GRRRR - don't mess with me!

I have a friend on a smaller income who has supported an assortment of charities on a list she keeps. Some of these mobs send her crap even tho her donations are small. We both wonder if her donations cover the cost of the crap she receives, which she asks not to receive to no avail - weird. Personally I'd delete that/those organisations from my list

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 05:15 PM

Helen, you remind me of a couple more I didn't list. And there are regular local places that always send donation envelopes that go in the recycle bin.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Helen
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 04:16 PM

I donate to a few charities, usually a chunk of money once or twice a year for each. They include the local domestic violence refuge, the Indigenous Literacy Fund (as an ex-English teacher and ex-librarian, that seems appropriate), the Fred Hollows Foundation (eye operations in poorer areas of the world), some charities for homeless people, and also for the last few decades I have donated monthly to Amnesty International.

Most of the messages I receive are via email, but I have been getting regular mail from one of the more recent charities I donated to and I'll be contacting them to ask them to stop wasting good money on paper, printing and postage.

Subject: RE: BS: Charities
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 03:33 PM

I know the sensation you're speaking of. There is no way I will ever use all of the mailing return labels I'm sent, I don't typically use the "From the desk of" pads except for my shopping list.

This year I made like a bandit with the gorgeous four-color offset calendars sent by many environmental groups. I have a couple hanging behind December 2025 ready to go in a few weeks, and a stack of a half-dozen or more that I'll tuck into holiday shipping for family.

I know why this happened. I supported some good causes this year with, as you say, modest donations. And they sell their mailing lists. I have a stack of renewals to send in to a few I choose to continue to support (ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Freedom From Religion, The Planetary Society, The Carter Center, League of Women Voters, Mobilize). In return, a lot of the high-end environmental groups send calendars hoping I'll donate. I always have a feeling that any modest amount I donate will be sucked up by the marketing and postage costs.

Subject: BS: Charities
From: meself
Date: 02 Dec 25 - 02:48 PM

This may surprise you, but I am not a wealthy man. However, I do like to do my bit for the various charities that make their appeals to me, which is usually by mail, so I send off piddling amounts to them once or twice a year with the hope that it will at least defray the cost of postage for all those paper appeals, and notepads, and stickers, and cards they send me. And every piddling amount I send seems to generate more appeals from more charities .... I was sending out some of those piddling amounts this morning and I got wondering if it might not be more productive to send just one substantial amount to one "favourite charity" rather than piddling, piffling amounts to dozens .... Anyone else ever given that any thought?