For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
Do you have any ideas about what that something might be? If so please post.So if I go that route it'll be more a patreon-style arrangement, where they received something for their contribution.
Do you have any ideas about what that something might be? If so please post.
it is interesting to me to see how the Haves (those who have money) feel obliged to judge the character, motives, and worthiness of the Have-Nots (those who need money). I am most intrigued by people who refuse to give to someone because they cannot control what is done with the donation -- the presumption they will spend it on drugs or alcohol, or admin!
Being a responsible steward of one´s resources is fine. But using charitable giving to control the behavior of others? Nope. IMHO that´s not "giving." That´s manipulation. And damned arrogant, too.
Well sadly in America, teachers are expected to fund classroom projects from their own pocketbooks. I have a friend who teaches Special Education and she and another teacher used GoFundMe to raise monies for a much needed piece of playground equipment that benefited their class and everyone that has come after. At that time, I could not afford to give. While it is more blessed to give than to recieve, to have the means to give is indeed a blessing and being so blessed comes with duty and responsibility. So I think it is good that we can have a forum to exchange ideas about when, why and how without controversy. Since writing is the only way we can share our experiences we do run into the "boasting" area the OP didn't care for.I find this totally unacceptable. Go Fund Me sites are intended to support people who are experiencing unforeseen situations and tragedies in their lives; NOT to finance activities.
But the wine comes free with pilgrim meals and you can't get the money back if you decide not to drink it.And I still wouldn't contibute to the Camino of someone who has seen it and walked it. I would rather figure out how much wine I might drink on my Camino and give that instead to the donatavios.
Thanks for that thought, Rob. I am sensitive to the issue of overhead from one of my first jobs after college, which was as a Volunteer Coordinator staff person for the American Cancer Society.Hi @davebugg,
I really like your super logical approach to giving, I must admit mine is far more scattergun- lifeboats because they rescued my dad when he was young, the blind as my mother lost her sight in old age etc. One thing you may want to consider though, which I was certainly ignorant of, or rather hadn't though about, is the headline "percentage of every dollar is used to fulfill their stated mission." is not in and of itself a measure of value.
A good friend of mine who has worked almost her entire life in the charity sector as well as running a charity of her own pointed out to me when I raised the question of how much of a donation goes directly to the cause that just as you spend time deciding where a dollar would be best used, charities must do the same and this requires some admin. To this end a charity may take a bigger percentage in admin costs but still deliver a bigger bang for your buck than those who are less judicious with their spending. Ugh, long sentence.
Anyway just a thought,
Rob.
SWithout malice but as a point of personal observation, I view that type of GoFundMe as Social Media Begging.
For some things -- like medical care bills -- it can be a Godsend as an avenue for fund raising. However, for a lot of the 'personal fulfillment desires' that are begging for funds, it is no different in my mind, than someone who is standing on a street corner, signs displayed, asking for money. Or of beggars seeking money along the Caminos.
It is legal, as is some allowable street side begging, so it is what it is. Let the taxing authorities decide if this is considered 'income' or not.
Couldn’t agree more and thank you for saying this.it is interesting to me to see how the Haves (those who have money) feel obliged to judge the character, motives, and worthiness of the Have-Nots (those who need money). I am most intrigued by people who refuse to give to someone because they cannot control what is done with the donation -- the presumption they will spend it on drugs or alcohol, or admin!
Being a responsible steward of one´s resources is fine. But using charitable giving to control the behavior of others? Nope. IMHO that´s not "giving." That´s manipulation. And damned arrogant, too.
it is interesting to me to see how the Haves (those who have money) feel obliged to judge the character, motives, and worthiness of the Have-Nots (those who need money). I am most intrigued by people who refuse to give to someone because they cannot control what is done with the donation -- the presumption they will spend it on drugs or alcohol, or admin!
Being a responsible steward of one´s resources is fine. But using charitable giving to control the behavior of others? Nope. IMHO that´s not "giving." That´s manipulation. And damned arrogant, too.
I agree. And I see two strands in this thread: People sharing about their charitable donations (or lack thereof) and their own reasons for doing so. And people trying to impose their ideas about the ethics of charitable donating on others (you must not mention it at all, you must not mention any sums, you must not question what the recipient might do with a donation). I learn from the former and it makes me sometimes reflect on what I'm doing or not doing or could be doing. As to the latter, it just reinforces my strong will to be independent of theirit's entirely possible to be judicious without judging. [...] I have to make some choices, that's just the reality in a world of need.
[QUOTE="davebugg, post: 717101, member: 67185"
My family gives a lot of money each year to 501c3 charities. We are pretty strict about the number of charities that we donate to. Jill and I evaluate which 5 charities to invest in during October for the coming year. Even charities that we've donated to in the past. We examine their performance both in projects or goals completed, the progress toward the same, and what percentage of every dollar is used to fulfill their stated mission.
A few years ago I found a charity organisation that guarantees that every cent given goes to those in need. It's all audited. And they have access to projects all over the World.
It reminds me of some of the guys selling the 'Big Issue' in Sydney.
Basically it's a magazine that homeless people buy for say $1 (not sure) and resell at $5.
It's called generosity. An auditor who works for free. People on the ground who are dedicated volunteers, who pay their own way - taking no salary beyond the joy that results from doing something to benefit other people.That seems patently impossible. How do they deliver whatever they give to whoever needs it? how do they print documents? how do they pay for the audit????
the CEO is a well known coach and motivational type speaker who earns money that way to assist in keeping things running.
It's called generosity. An auditor who works for free. People on the ground who are dedicated volunteers, who pay their own way - taking no salary beyond the joy that results from doing something to benefit other people.
Such organizations do exist, @Dorpie .
And @Robo's example is another way to go about it, on a bigger scale than can be done with a few (or several) volunteers.
With generosity at its core...
Fair enough, @Dorpie, but direct financial support requires no insurance.Even though as a charity you're providing some good or service to the benefactor for free you still have a duty of care
I give then $2 Robo , their commission for each , and don't take the magazine.
They are very special people
Fair enough, @Dorpie, but direct financial support requires no insurance.
Donations can be chanelled directly to recipients, with voluntary work to effect that flow and to monitor it. This isn't a hypothetical example, but an actual thing - a whole lot of things can get built and done this way.
Thank you for raising it, @Robo. You can hold you head high.Sorry I raised it............
It's always fraught with danger raising the issue of charitable giving, as we expose ourselves to critique over our motives and why we mentioned it in the first place.
But in the end, it's about those who have the means, helping those in need. Period........
It's just a good thing to do.
I can see where you are coming from. For some, however, I think "vacation" is not the word I would use to describe their Camino. I can think of situations where I would absolutely fund the Caminos of strangers and not think of them as essentially vacations. To provide just one example - supporting veterans on Caminos. In this case, I think it ends up being more therapy than vacation.I have no issue with making charitable contributions, be it time or money. However, I would not give money to a random stranger to fund what is essentially their vacation. I have enough trouble trying to fund my own vacations!
@David TallanI can see where you are coming from. For some, however, I think "vacation" is not the word I would use to describe their Camino. I can think of situations where I would absolutely fund the Caminos of strangers and not think of them as essentially vacations. To provide just one example - supporting veterans on Caminos. In this case, I think it ends up being more therapy than vacation.
On the other hand, I could imagine seeing a plea for some senior citizen who had worked 60 hour weeks, 52 weeks a year for their whole life without a vacation and being willing to contribute to their first vacation. I've had plenty.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?