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Thread: Exploitation...

  1. #1
    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
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    Default Exploitation...

    I went into Bed, Bath, and Beyond today to get some rugs, etc. At the check-out counter, I saw a sign that said, "Support our Troops". I read on and it said, "For $1.99, we will send $1 to the Support our Troops fund." At first, I thought that was great...but then I thought about it for a second and got mad. Isn't that just exploitative? The cashier told me that the other $0.99 was for "processing the contribution." Needless to say, I didn't donate...but is it just me, or does anyone else find that absurd and exploitative?

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    Featured Member Wwanderer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    I agree completely...totally outrageous. But the surprising part is that they admitted it; you have to be really careful about that sort of thing when donating money. A lot of charitable organizations have been discovered to deliver shockingly small fractions of the donations they receive to the intended recipients; the rest ends up going into the often extremely generous salaries, benefits and "business expenses" of those running the organization. There was a huge scandal a number of years back when one of the best known, famous charities in the country (but I can't remember which one...and should not guess) was discovered to be spending well under a third (or some such crazy number) of its funds on recipients of its charitable services. Since then a lot of people do their homework rather carefully before making donations, and many of the organizations are at pains to report how small their "overhead" rates are (hopefully truthfully). I think that there may also be more govt monitoring and such now.

    -Ww
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    God/dess gypsy_girlchild's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    I live in a town where we were hit pretty bad by the Hurrican Gaston.. It tore up our downtown horribly, well we had a "relief" fund started that people could donate to to help out the businesses that had been flooded or so we thought.
    It turns out that the money goes to the Red Cross and none to anyone that was affected by the hurricane, there were ruined homes and businesses totally milions of dollars.. Now I could understand the Red Cross getting part of it if people were wounded or dying, but I'm pretty sure none of that happened.
    So, isn't that a bit misleading? A relief fund that was started in downtown would be thought to help those affected by the flood. Who would have thought that even the Red Cross uses fine print?
    Please don't lick me, it tickles..



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    God/dess Silverback's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    A portion of virtually all charitable donations goes to the operating expenses of the organization, but 50% is pretty damn rediculous. I remember seeing a breakdown by organization at some point, but I can't seem to find it now.

    Not giving, in that case, was a wise choice.
    "He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!"

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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Yes, I agree and after reading that I would be prevented from giving my donation. I know the people that help run then with all their time should be compensated but thats alot of compensation from just that one donation and to think about all the other donations.
    I would just find a better place to give my donation.
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    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
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    Member Cleo C.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    I think in any situation it takes money to make money but we should all be careful to spot scams.

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    Featured Member scorpio's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    the CEO of United Way makes over 500K per year.



    But then again, a charity of that size needs to be run by a real executive and not some volenteer...

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    God/dess Rhiannon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Yeah, Venus. I completely feel the same way about that. I'm not going to donate to some organization or wherever if my FULL contribution isn't going for what I intended it to. I'm not going to support the CEO of the freaking company, only those who I choose to.

    Blech.

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    Senior Member Fuschia's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    I feel the same about those ribbon stickers/magnets they sell at the DMV. I don't want to support the DMV! They're so pushy about selling them, too...

    Fuschia

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    God/dess doc-catfish's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    I generally don't like to make charity donations "on the fly", (i.e. handing a dollar to some on the street volunteer, or through charity boxes at retail stores). You never really know where that money is going. Two exceptions that I grant to this rule are the Salvation Army kettles and the Fill The Boot campaign the firefighters run for muscular distrophy.

    I give absolutely nothing to those specifically seek me out to solicit funds, whether it be door to door, over the phone, or via e-mail. I'm sure many of those solicitations are legit, but I find those methods intrusive and annoying. Not to mention that there are too many scam artists going that route.

    For me, the preferred way to donate is to (on my own terms and at my own convienence) mail a check to the charity or go to the charities website and do it online.

    If one wants to evaluate the specifics of a charity, or how much of their donation ends up getting swallowed by administrative expenses. The following website would be a good resource.

    http://www.give.org/reports/index.asp
    Former SCJ now in rehab.

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    Featured Member Muyaha's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    this sounds so bad... but this is the main reason why I the only donation I make is to Good Will and then probably half of my clothes or stuff actually make it to people who really need them. Other than that I do not donate money.

    I may have many faults, but being wrong ain't one of them.

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    Featured Member CrescentLuna's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    doc-catfish, I was just reading an article about how charities that hire people to collect donations see so little of the money! It's terrible, you may get more people if someone directly calls and askes, but the donations the 'collecting' company keeps are insane.
    "I still have my name
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    Featured Member cottoncandy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    That's wrong them keeping so much of the money that's supposed to go to the troops. I was thinking something similar the other day when I was looking at the groceries I bought. A box of General Mills (Green Giant) frozen veggies that had a sign that said save box tops for your school. It didn't even say how much goes to the school on the box-you have to visit their website for that. I think it's about $.05 for every $2 box of food. Pitiful

    On the upside though Paul Newman salad dressing says all profits go to charity and they've given $150 million to charity since 1982.

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    Banned BigGreenMnM's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Quote Originally Posted by Muyaha
    this sounds so bad... but this is the main reason why I the only donation I make is to Good Will
    I have seen the list and breakdown mentioned before,goodwill was at the top of the offenders list im afraid.Pure criminals hiding behind the poor IMO.

    Give blood.

  18. #15
    God/dess Jenny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Charities of any kind of scale have to be run by someone. People have to be paid to run the phones, count the money, keep the books, etc. How will any money at all get anywhere if the organizations aren't organized? I appreciate that it seems like it sucks, but it is a necessity. 50% is not actually too bad. There is no major charitable organization that gives 100% of your donation to the recipients of the charity. There are always administrative costs that have to be covered.
    I have taught that the sky in all its zones is mortal and its substance was formed by a process of birth

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    Featured Member Wwanderer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    The link already posted by d-c (http://www.give.org/) is excellent; it gives a list of all national scale charities and detailed information on how much of their money they "deliver" to intended recipients vs paying their fulltime staff or using to raise more money, as well as other details of how they are organized, what they do and so forth. There is also some sort of "industry standard" or guideline which, among other things, dings any org that delivers less than 65% of its funds to the intended recipients.

    I think that the only way to make sure that 100% of your donation goes to the needy is to give it directly such a person or family yourself, someone you have identified personally. I know some thoughtful people who do exactly that, but of course, it is not practical if you want to help tsunami victims in Asia, starving children in Africa and so forth. It may well be the best form of "local charity" though.

    -Ww
    "At this moment what more need we seek?
    As the Truth eternally reveals itself,
    This very place is the Lotus Land of Purity,
    This very body is the Body of the Buddha."
    - Zazen Wasan

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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Quote Originally Posted by Fuschia
    I feel the same about those ribbon stickers/magnets they sell at the DMV. I don't want to support the DMV! They're so pushy about selling them, too...

    Fuschia
    Holy crap! That's where they come from?! Everyone and their mother has one and I felt so out of the loop not even knowing where to get one. Not like I'd ever put one on my car...



    Because there ain't no tits on the radio

  22. #18
    God/dess tiamaria's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    thats bullshit

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    Member BrittanyDC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    As a Navy Veteran I can't even understand why we even need to donate money to the military really...if you want to donate to someone it should be to the disabled veterans not the military who get paid every 1st and 15th with benefits and the fact that most of our country's money is spent on the military...and war.

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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Wow, so we should screw over the troops? I work for a military organization as a volunteer and outside of paying for supplies and things like that the rest goes towards the organization. The money is used to support things like sending the military personnel care packages around Christmas, along with having nice parties when they leave for boot camp or Afghanistan (btw I oppose the war but support the troops)along with nice welcome home parties. The organization is under the direction of the local American Legion (which my dad is a member of as is the guy I am interested in along with many long rime friends). I come from a military family where my grandpa served 20 years in the navy, my dad served during Vietnam and my brother is a doctor in the army. I served in the navy until I was discharged due to medical issues (and am angry this happened as I wanted to be a navy person).

    This charity mentioned in the first post sounds like a scam because some of the money isn't going where it should. I hate scams. However, I would gladly support military and veterans before worthless pieces of shit like welfare queens and kings who should keep their legs spread or their dick in their pants instead of asking me to support their life. Or the illegals who shouldn't be here but instead come to freeload off my money (no not all do, but those that do shouldn't). The military is working to make sure our freedom is safe. Military people don't make that much money contrary to belief and they should be paid better.

    This doesn't mean I support wars nor do I support those becoming wealthy because of war like Haliburton. I do support the troops and those who don't are very anti American.

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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Guidestar.org gives info on the % a charity spends on overhead vs. mission related. 80/20 is the goal, some orgs do better, others (march of dimes is one) do MUCH worse

    Red cross isn't bad, Salvation Army is one of the best.

    I developed a fundraising app, we follow this model. 60% to the charity, 20% to operational costs, 20% to the investors that built the system. It's the best we can do to deliver a passive, no-work-or-cost-to-nonprofit additional fundraising channel. And we publish this info for all to see.

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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    as for the countertop can and the 50% 'loss'...please remember. The PRIVATE COMPANY doing this at their cash register is doing it in a model that will not lose them money. I think the % is high, but it's what they determined their costs to be

    they are clearly disclosing the costs, and most importantly, every dollar generated from that counter-top-can campaign is a dollar the charity (likely) wouldn't have seen. So as a board member of a charity, I would welcome with open arms any business or national chain that offered me 50% split of counter top can revenue.

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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    I am pretty disgusted with the yellow and pink ribbons so won't get into how useless they both are for actually doing anything for the people they are meant to help.

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    Member BrittanyDC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Girl okayyy lol your family served. Whoop de doo...but I served and trust me...care packages came for us on deployment saved me a lot of my own money while civilians spent there hard earned. I appreciated them but really yea they do make enough money. With a free place to live...food and clothing allowances given...sweetheart they do make money. Donate to disabled not active. Sorry keeping my opinion...who cares whether the view is anti-american as if thats an insult. At least active can make money think about the innocent people who did join the military and got their limbs blown off to be proud americans.

    P.S. i hate name and title droppers. Who really cares you work for a military org?

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    Default Re: Exploitation...

    Sure there have been innocent people killed by military but far more innocent people killed by civilian trash like gangs. And since we have the most anti military administration ever in office who wants to cut funding for military personnel (but not against actual war as he is proving)it is important to give the troops all the support they need since they won't get it from this administration (and just for the record I was a supporter of this administration until recently). I'd gladly give more money to the military than charities like those helping low class trashy people.

    Btw like I mentioned I think Bed Bath and Beyond charging a processing fee is horrible.

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