Tuesday 20 December 2022

Eenie, meenie, miney, mo.


Charities are vying for our financial help all over the place at this time of year.

Over the past week or so I have been bombarded with 'begging letters'. I've been asked to give to Oxfam, Battersea Dogs Home, Cancer charities, The Salvation Army, Donkey charities, Syrian children, Yemeni children, Water supplies for Africa, Dog charities, Cat charities, Adopt a Tiger, Sight-savers, RSPCA, The Red Cross, UNICEF, Centre Point, Warmth for Horses, Medecins sans Frontières, Anti Human Trafficking, Ukrainian Christians, and saving Pangolins. I quite expect I've missed a few.

Like everyone I can't give to all of them, I simply don't have the funds. I could, of course, give a small amount to each of them, but I think it's preferable to give a decent amount to just one or two that appeal more than the others, but how does one choose? 

I've always supported Medecins sans Frontières, and will continue to do so, Lady M is a supporter of The Red Cross. Both charities do much the same work and will always go wherever they're needed.

It's not that I don't support the other charities, I will always pop a pound or two into a collection box for causes I believe in, but my major annual donation still goes to MSF. 

47 comments:

  1. I would have more sympathy with many of these charities if they actually appeared to care for their causes and not to create well remunerated bureaucracies. For this reason any charity giving that I do is almost always for very specific local causes - for example our local hospice.

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    1. Always look where their offices are located. If they're in Grosvenor Square, they get nowt. Huge internal salaries are another no no.

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  2. Please give generously to the Yorkshire Pudding Welfare Fund and help a Yorkshire Pudding to live in comfort, enjoying three square meals a day and a toasty home environment in the wintertime. Visit www.YPWF.com. Minimum donation £25. Thank you in anticipation of your kindness.

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  3. I've forgotten the next line to your title.

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    1. 'Catch a Tigger by his toe'.

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    2. At least, that's what my youngest was taught at Primary School.

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    3. I thought it was " catch a fishy" nowadays?

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    4. Maybe, if you live by the coast!

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  4. We haven't had any of those begging letters lately, we do get the occasional phone call, but I'm not able to donate and tell them very quickly so they don't waste their time and can move on to the next person.

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    1. I think they must be desperate here this year.

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  5. No charities here, just our local food bank. I'd prefer anyway to keep it close to home

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    1. I can picture your local Food Banks; Octopus tentacles, Feta cheese, Retsina, and Horta. Am I right?

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  6. I subscribe to a horse charity. Not because I care especially for horses but because my friend runs it and I know every single penny goes to the horses' welfare. Otherwise it's Crisis at Christmas.

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    1. I think that's as good a method as any. I used to give to Amnesty International until I discovered what they were spending my money on. I remember when David Miliband quit as an MP, and took the job running International Rescue in NY, his salary was £500,000. It took a lot of donations just to pay his salary, let alone all the others, etc.

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  7. I support local these days, our Hospice and the foodbank. P supports the Commando Veterans Organisation as his dad was a WWII Commando. The big charities somehow seem to be top heavy with expensive overheads.

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    1. It's good to find a charity that spends 100% of their donations on the cause they represent. Very few do.

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  8. For me its the Salvation Army branch in town. We have coffees and toasted teacakes in their shop/ cafe a couple of times a week. Very friendly place. I gave them my donation yesterday. They often just sit and talk to people who are looking for help and advice. You can see the work they do right in front of you.

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    1. They are usually very good, but they did recently find one of their big-wigs with his hand in the purse.

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  9. Money for NGO?
    80% for the organization, 20% for the poor.

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    1. Sadly that is so. Good organisations to work for, but don't expect much from them.

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  10. We don't get begging letters here, thank goodness, but of course see all the ads for those you've mentioned.
    I prefer to give to a local dog charity (the one my present dog was destined for) which is run by volunteers, and the Red Cross. All charities must be struggling this year, with so many people unable to find spare cash.
    Am I the only one who would prefer not to receive a load of promotional material and updates on something I've sponsored or donated to? I'd rather all the money went to animals/humans etc.

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    1. Once you give to any charity, they won't let you forget. I suppose it's good 'marketing', but it's also very annoying.

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  11. Medicins sans frontiers is my charity too Cro and I also support John (Going Gently)'s Hoepice when I can. I think it is best to give - say- £20 to one charity than 20 x £1 to 20 charities.

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    1. That's my attitude too. One good lump sum, and that's it.

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  12. I thought we were talking 100s not 20 quid. My view on charity giving is that it is kept to oneself, and you don't go talking about it.

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    1. This is really about how to choose who to give to, not how much.

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    2. I think it can easily get out of hand on blogs. I have not seen it here on this one today but I have in the past seen it like a form of bragging, "look at me" type thing of "I give this" and "I give that" and "I always do this that and the other". I find that makes me want to vomit. I was brought up that it was private matter and not something to look for pats on the back for and a badge.

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    3. That's exactly why I didn't mention such things.

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    4. Rachel makes a valid point. The preening that goes on is sickening. Not least in blogland - and I understand that you, Cro, were only talking about being spoilt for choice. After all few of us have the wherewithal of Zuckerman, Gates or the Duchy's King. By the way, what's got into Elon Musk since acquiring Twitter. All of a titter.

      Like Rachel I can't bear the look at me, look at me, look at me. Aren't I just amazing. Well, we all know who I am talking about and I make no apologies for it. I'll even donate him a litter box for his aging cat - with a little tag reminding him that charity starts at home.

      U

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    5. I do wish people wouldn't mention 'sums of money'. As I said, I don't have vast amounts of spare cash; I'm not on a train drivers salary. You'd probably be very shocked to learn of my annual spending budget.

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  13. This year, all my donations go to Ukraine - either to the Red Cross which helps there or to the local organisations who help the many refugees who live in our region.
    Hilde in Germany

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    1. Ukraine certainly needs our help at the moment. I just cannot understand what Putin thinks he's doing.

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  14. I have my favorite charities as well. I like to look at their balance sheets before donating. Many have lots of overhead and the overhead expenses seem to absorb funds excessively.These charities I avoid.

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    1. Some charities seem to be established for the financial benefit of the founders.

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  15. My mailbox has been filled with similar letters. I give moderate amounts to a few charities throughout the year, and then make one large donation to my favorite local organization for Christmas. I'd rather make a difference to one charity whose work I can see.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. I agree. It's simply that matter of how one chooses just one charity that is the difficult bit.

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  16. If I could give on the scale of Bill Gates - yes, I would give to any organisation and suck up the cost of logistics (let's be fair, charities do need to be managed, do have overheads and the CEO needs to eat too).

    However, I have such a dim view of charities - not least because they let governing bodies off the hook, plastering over their failings - that I only give person to person, regardless of the time of year. Cutting out the middleman as it were.

    U

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    1. You paint an ideal picture. If only we could all 'cut out the middleman', sadly they're welded to their chairs, and live very privileged lives; unlike those who they pretend to be helping.

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  17. The charity you mention is one of my favorites. Most years I give a small donation to them and donate to a local food bank as well. I agree with Rachel that giving should be done quietly and discreetly, without looking for accolades for it.

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    1. I agree 100%, which is why no mention was made of 'money'. This is simply a question of how one decides.

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  18. We agree with MSF and Red Cross like you, and our county cancer support charity. We donate to the Shelter charity shop too. Everyone needs a home

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  19. It is still best to say nothing but I note nobody who commented except Ursula took my point. My point was not about amounts of money, it was about the whole subject of giving. You just keep quiet about it and don't shout about it.

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    1. Indeed Rachel..it is a very personal thing

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