Charity....As you open your pockets for yet another natural disaster

[Rozzie]

They also have minimum weight requirements for donating blood and plasma. Not all of us qualify unless we go gain some weight...

 

[PineappleMama]

Oh yeah, that too. With plasma (can't recall on blood haven't done that since HS) if you were X-X pounds you could donate X cc's (or whatever they call that)... and if you were XX-XX pounds then XX cc's and XXX pounds to XXX pounds then XXX cc's... dang I totally forgot about that bit.

 

[Ema]

Quote:

OMGawd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


when I was 16 and dealing with teen pregnancy the salvation army in the city I was in furnished my whole apartment, they even stocked my kitchen full of food and got me all the things I would need for the baby. Not even my dad would help me and he made 350,000 a year as a head Engineer for Fords Motor Company not including bonuses. In fact the only thing he did was kick me out on my butt when I needed him most, still in high school, no job, and no way of supporting myself. I had to rely on welfare, and the worker I got quickly went out of her way and found me an apartment in an affordable neighborhood where I wouldn't be afraid to go outside. she only did this because she had a 16yr old daughter herself, and it broke her heart my family had turned their back on me. She had welfare approve first and last for rent, and had them automatically paying for utilities, including phone because being pregnant and young they said it was a necessity for my situation. she even had a friend nurse call in on me.

bottom line, I have always had a soft spot for the salvation Army, and to this very day I donate all my gently used clothing and household items to them. I can't give them money, but I volunteer for the Xmas fund and it makes me feel good to give back :-D last year I had purchased a pair of Ice skates for My DD for Xmas. I was volunteering at the Salvation Store a woman came in looking for some ice skates for her DD, same age as mine DD. We didn't have any so I told her to post a wanted add on the santa fund list on the radio. the next day I heard the add and I looked at Dh and told him how I had told her to post the add, Dh drove home, went in the house and brought out the already wrapped skates, we donated them at the radio station, the radio hosts know who we are but we asked them not to mention our names. that little girl got her skates for Xmas and I know because she got to go Ice skating with my DD through a jump start grant....the mom recognized and thanked me for the skates, I was going to play dumb...but Dh said you're welcomed and we are happy she is getting good use out of them..My DD and Her DD are really good friends now, in the same school and grade :-D now that was a worthy cause

 

[Dunkopf]

Many people are bashing the CEO's for taking too much money.

My question is this. How do these same people feel about continuing the Bush tax cuts for these same CEO's and all the other people in the top 2% of the country? As a matter of fact those people that got elected in the throw the bums out election are suggesting that the top 2% get even steeper reductions. They want to lower taxes on the top 2% from 33% to 25%. Right now those tax cuts are costing the country 700 Billion dollars over the next 10 years. If they lower the taxes to 25% that will be an extra 2.1 Trillion dollars total over 10 years. Where do you suppose that extra money will come from. Not the top 2% obviously.

Just thought I would put things in perspective. Those CEO salaries are nothing. At least with a charity you have a choice about giving. Our newly elected majority Congress will be taking money from your pockets in the form of less benefits and giving that money to those that need it the least. I would rather give my money to someone who needs it. Even though it means some of it goes to a CEO that knows how to run the thing.

 

[thechickenchick]

Quote:
Oh how I wish I had THAT problem

 

[PineappleMama]

"At least with a charity you have a choice about giving."

True... and right now our government FORCES the top % to 'donate' more of their funds than the other 98% of the country. You say it isn't fair to rob the middle class and poor of those funds, but you think it's okay to rob those people?

In a country that screams equality I don't think targeting ANY group (race, religion, sex, income) is right. These tax codes target some for special punishment, there are also loopholes for some, tax breaks for some, etc. Not that I've any control at all over the system but I'd rather see one that is the SAME for ALL rather than one that picks and chooses who deserves what. Plain, black and white, NO loopholes, this is what you pay period. Of course that would mean our politicians wouldn't get to use those loopholes so I seriously doubt it'll EVER happen, but a gal can dream of equal under the law at least.

And yes, I do realize that 1% for me is $300 whereas for Trump 1% is $3,000,000 or whatever... I'm not stupid, I do realize that... but I also am willing to admit the fact that I worked for my $300, saved my $300, and want to keep my $300 or spend my $300 as I see fit just as much as Trump does his $3,000,000...

Why should I be granted the right to control my money when another citizen isn't? That just doesn't sit well with me... but I do realize I'm in the minority and in all likelihood will remain so. It's okay though... in my little world brownies have no calories and Mondays have been abolished.

Quote:
Oh how I wish I had THAT problem

Right there with you Chick... now where did I stash that Three Musketeers...

 

[Rozzie]

Quote:
Oh how I wish I had THAT problem

ROFL. Gave up Starbucks...lost 35-40 pounds...

Back to your regularly scheduled debate...

 

[arabianequine]

Quote:
But of course, they won't take everyone's blood.

*sigh* yeah,.. i guess this is true.
In a way thats good that they are taking extra percautions.(getting blood back in the day was pretty scary...).... and in another way its very unfair. I dont like how they lump everyone together and assume things just because of a sexual preference or whatever..

I tried donating blood once and they did nothing but look at my arms and said no....no good veins to draw that much blood from. Hard to find and deep. I have a ton of little surface ones but can't donate from them. My husband he got to donate. Typical for men though. I have little dainty arms not really but veins.

 

[TigerLilly]

I should donate blood, but I hate needles (need to add that to my bucket list--conquer fear of needles);
This year on vacation 2 wks in Dec, I'm going to try to volunteer at a horse rescue shelter, as well as our local animal control facility.
The Salvation Army is my choice to donate anything from household goods to clothes to furniture--even a pool table last year. It's a great feeling to be able to help (plus, I actually shop for some things in particular there) AND the donations are tax deductible, so it's a win-win situation.
I think I'm going to shop SA for used towels & blankets & donate them to the animal control or horse rescue!
Would that be like 'pay it forward'?

edited for spelling

 

[Wifezilla]

There are agencies out there that rate charities. When in doubt, check it out

http://www.charitynavigator.org/
http://charityguide.org/volunteer/charityratings.htm
http://www.bbb.org/us/charity/
http://www.charitywatch.org/toprated.html

There is even a list of top 10 charities with low paid CEO's
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=topten.detail&listid=92