Donating money, toys, etc.

Do you donate?

  • Always/Whenever I have the chance!

    Votes: 3 25.0%

  • Sometimes

    Votes: 8 66.7%

  • Never

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • Total voters
    12
Scarlet

Scarlet

*wobbles*
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May 26, 2007
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Have you ever donated something to an organization? Have you ever handed over some money to go to a certain group? Ever donated toys during Christmas?

As for me... I'm a cheap bastard. I can only think of one time I've ever donated money which was a few dollars to Korean war veterans. I felt really bad since the Korean war is known as the forgotten war, and veterans have been getting screwed over lately.

Yesterday, when I was buying tickets to see a movie, the cashier asked me if I wanted to donate a dollar to the children's cancer society (something like that). I said no. The girl behind me said: "I probably won't donate a dollar but it's still so sad." Yes it is sad, but I wonder where the money really goes to...
 
I'm a cheap bastard too. Only time I've ever donated is when I was little and my mom would donate my clothes I'd outgrown to charities, and that really wasn't of my own accord so it doesn't count.

I don't think I've ever donated anything when a cashier has asked me about it. I think my standard reply is "ehh...not today" so I don't sound too heartless. Ugh, and I seriously HATE those bastards with the Salvation Army that hang around supermarkets during Christmas season, I try to avoid them like the plague.

But yeah...I do wonder where the money goes. You always hear stories about donation supplies and money never going where they need to. A few months ago there was something on the news about how some retail company (Sears maybe? I can't remember) was claiming that they'd donate a percentage of what you payed to some charity...and the actual charity had NO idea, the company had just been saying that as a gimmick to get people to spend more.
 
I've taken clothing I've grown out of to the Salvation Army on several occasions. My mom donated most of my old toys from back in the day to the Salvation Army as well, I believe. It's not like I need 'em or anything...

Other than that, I can only think of the times I've dropped spare cash into the collection buckets around Christmas time.
 
Yeah I've donated some money and toys, usually something that has to do with children-related though. I've even considered sponsoring a child from another country, but I held back from that one for some reason. I don't know, I guess I wanted to research more on that particular organization first before giving out money monthly to someone I most likely won't even meet. I even got a letter giving out the information of that child (she lives in the Philippines) and what kind of environment she lives in, stating how many siblings she has, the state of their lifestyle, etc. But I had to deny for two reason: one, I was very skeptical, and two, I could barely afford it back then. :wacky:

So yes, sponsoring is a little different from actually donating a few bucks. I can toss a dollar or two (usually 20 dollars is the limit) carelessly and just hope that it does go to that organization and not some gimmick.
 
The most I've ever done was give away old clothes at a donation bin that's set up year-round (I'm probably gonna be doing that some time soon as well).

A few times I gave food to a food drive, but that's it really.

I'm cheap too, so I don't like giving away money. I feel guilty for turning down people who ask, but I also feel bad for giving money away, thinking about the stuff I could've bought that I myself needed.

Like, I don't have a job or anything; if I get money, it's usually on special occasions from family and they always tell me to spend it on something for myself.

Gah, I feel bad either way >__<
 
My mom donated old clothes as well. We use to drop them at those drop boxes near supermarkets. Where else would a ton of old out grown clothes go? We don't live near family who wants it. Might as well donate the clothes to children and people who need it.

I heard a lot of corrupt things about churches and where the donation money goes. Like the people who work there use it for their own expenses. That happened to the church I use to go to. One of the fathers, and one of the sisters used the collection money after mass. They use the money for their personal use.
 
My best friend locally became the President of a school club called "Together Against Genocide,' which raised thousands of dollars to help the relief effort in Darfur. So, I gave her a good amount of money for it when I could.
 
I've also heard plenty of stories pertaining to churches that use donation money and items for their own benefit. As a matter of fact, one of the local churches around where I live is being investigated for conducting charity events and lying about where the money is headed.

I'm sure God's proud.
 
Yeah, clothes donation are pretty common, and I've donated so many clothes that belonged to me and my daughter. Food drive is also up there on my list. The last time I donated was a few months ago at my daycare center (food drive).

I've refused a few people as well when they asked me if I wanted to donate...but it wasn't like I was feeling cheap or anything. Usually I just don't have the money (even a dollar) to spare or I needed that money for something else. If I don't have anything to give, then I won't have anything to give, simple as that. But yeah, usually I try to help out just a little if I do have the money, but like I said, it depends on the organization and if I seriously think it can benefit that certain group.

Since we're kinda on topic, I'll mention that the best feeling I've really had that relates to giving money away was last year (during a vacation back in California) when I spotted an old lady digging through a dumpster at the back of a fast food building. I was in the passenger seat and I told my husband to pull over near her as I wanted to give her 20 dollars. She was really surprised and it just made me feel good inside.

Another time was several years ago...a family (without the dad, of course) was at a Wal-Mart parking lot and I guess they got kicked out of their house, so they had their belongings in their car. They were asking for money, so my husband and I treated them to Jack-in-the-Box for dinner. I hate refusing a family in need...so yeah, I guess you could say that I'm not cheap when it comes to these things.

But I really should start watching how much I spend money sometimes. =/
 
I usually donate money to those Santa Claus' outside of shops and stuff. I usually only give small pocket change so it's really no big loss in my opinion.

I don't think we've ever donated any old clothes or toys to the Salvation Army or anything. But I am skeptical towards these things because, as it's already been said, you have no idea where your stuff is going. Of course, its more likely clothes actually go to needy families whilst money and toys...well, you never know.
 
Somethimg like 89c from every dollar donated goes to the charity company. Which is necessary.

Although I find the idea of donating old toys condescending. When parents tell their children to eat their food because there is children starving in africa, is incredibly patronising. Starving children in africa don't want left over scraps of dinner. Especially when millions of tonnes of grain are destroyed each year by governments to keep prices artificially high.
I'm a cheap bastard too, if I had money I probably would donate some, but not significant amounts. It's tragic that there are so many people worse off than me, I just don't feel that I should have to support them.
 
I used to have a direct debit set up for some charity, action for blind people it was. Id say I was doing a good deed but the guy that knocked on my door was fit so.....

Anyway, I have donated like food and toys when I was in school and shit. I also throw money in the collection tins every now and then. I like the ones that give you badges :wacky:

I also get my poppy every year, infact I always end up getting several poppies because I lose mine and I hate being poppiless :gasp:

I have a shed load of baby clothes I keep intend on taking to a charity shop and I even threw a load in the bin because I couldn't be arsed carrying said bin liner full of toys and clothes....

Meh, Im sure Il get round to it eventually
 
My family routinely gives money, clothes and toys (etc.) to the Salvation Army here in Australia, and I personally donate money to the Leukaemia Foundation...

I also participate in certain charity events and stuff, like fun runs occaisionally, I've done the shave for a cure and I always buy the little bits and bobs they have for sale to support things... I.e. Poppies, Pens, Badges etc.
 
I find it quite hard to avoid donating money or stuff, even if it's just a few pennies. I usually do it without realising it, most shop counters have charity boxes and whenever I get a few pennies change I just put in the boxes as a reflex... And around Christmas and Lent there are SCIAF boxes everywhere (Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund), and we get given millions of them by the school and church, so I just keep them in my house and give them back when they're full of coppers.

I sometimes make those shoeboxes aswell, around Christmastime when the school collects shoeboxes with toys/food/toiletries and send them away. I never feel that they actually make any difference though, I just do it anyway. =/

Oh and I sometimes give old clothes/books to charity shops, mainly because they just clutter otherwise. >_>

I've never actually called into any of those charities which advertise on tv asking you to donate 'just £2 a month' though, I don't really go out of my way to donate stuff. Besides, I always wonder how much money they put into making those adverts anyway...
 
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We usually let old clothes and toys and the like build up in the attic and then give it away to one of those charities that put one of those donation bags through the front door. We do that about once or twice a year to save the hassle of having to dig it all out so regularly.
 
Oh...I didn't think of those bag efforts, I get them through the door al the time...I just use them as bin-liners

I'l bear that in mind next time I get one... although I could be selfish and flog it all on ebay.....
 
D: Jess, I'm disappointed in you. I always give a dollar when they ask! I really like doing charity stuff. I used to be a Girl Scout, so I always worked on boxing food for the homeless and stuff like that xp I also always give away old toys, books, and clothes to the Salvation Army. I'm also in Benefaction at school and am on the e-board of the school's St. Judes group. We organize an event to raise money for children with catastrophic illnesses, mainly cancer. :/ Everyone should donate to St. Judes. They do really good work!!
 
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