Do you know how the donativo thing started?
Twenty five or thirty years ago a drunk english man arrived at Grañon; in the cold nigth he took shelter in the main door of the church, (there was not albergue there in those years) but the priest guided him to his house, gave him some soup and a bed to sleep. Next morning when the priest coked the breakfast found the bagabond had left the house. Ripped sheeds on the bed and... 1.200 pesetas ( 7.5 euros more or less) on the pillow. The priest searched for the man in the town, on the roads, asked at hospitals and towns near Grañon, asked the Guardia Civil... successless. He thougt to himself that maybe this man would return asking for his money, and put it inside a box.
Years later a group of volunters inspired for that priest (doctors, lawyers, salesmen, employees, etc) working with theirs hands, asking for donations, crowfunding, etc, restored the old building where today is Grañon´s albergue. The first of July of this year, they were commemorated that 21 years ago the first five pilgrims inagurated this place. From this very moment until today, in the box of donativos of this albergue there are 7 euros and twenty cents waiting for the man who generously paid for a bed and dinner in Grañon.
Sometimes (seldom) the hospitaleros find the box of donations empty. They immediataly deposit seven point twenty euros in that box.
Whith the "earnings" of this box along the years, they are subsidided the build of other albergues, they are helping to keep the Camino Spirit alive.
I´m talking about non private donativo albergues, but parish, municipal etc; usually, private ones have more or less the same spirit.
Donation dont mean free. Donativo Albergues never mean luxuries. A place to sleep, to rest, to have a hot shower. Maybe some food. Always a hug if we need it. That´s all.
Donativo albergues usually mean trust, joy, share, love, human heat. Nothing less.
We pilgrims will never receive so much at other acomodations.
They dont received other funding than the donations of pilgrims.
IHMO nobody knows what is the Camino joy if not passing some days in that kind of albergues.
Lets pay for it. With a smile, a thank you, a hug. If can afford it, with a bunch of euros.
Buen Camino to you all honest people.