GoTravel

snowrooster, anytime an organization promotes itself it is marketing.

I get now what you were writing. You didn't want a particular religion giving out religious tracts with supplies, correct? Makes sense.

ncgirl, you didn't start a war.

snowrooster

I was talking about promoting religion, not the organization itself. I have a degree in marketing so I'm aware of what it is. Yes, you are correct that I prefer not to donate to an organization that might give out religious materials w/their supplies.

Good thread. I had been "planning" to donate but after reading this thread I went to amazon.com and did so.

travelinwifey

Just for clarification, the charity suggestion I listed does not hand out religious material. They have pulled together with various Sri Lankans in the local community.

http://www.klastv.com/Global/story.a...0&nav=168XUf7r

caribtraveler

Is it fair to compare what the heads of each charitable organization make? It's only fair to do so if the organizations are the same size, spend the same way, do the exact same things, and raise the same amount of money. Are we sure we know the answer to that? I do get what some of you are saying but the point is how much did that head of the Red Cross bring in that year? If the Red Cross brought in $50 million/year, then I say heck yeah, he or she can get $600,000/year for that kind of fundraising effort. If he/she only brought in $5 million/year, then yes the salary is ridiculous as he/she sucks at the job.
Don't forget that events like Tsunamis are rare. The average American does not give regularly to that type of organization. We tend to give to causes that matter to us. For example, I give yearly to cancer research because my mother died of cancer. I give to homeless and battered women shelters because those issues just matter to me. My husband gives to AIDS and Alzheimer's research because of his cousin died of AIDS and his grandmother of the latter.
So the years when Tsunami-type events don't happen, the Red Cross and others still go out there to 3rd world countries and do what they do but they don't get the money they're getting now (because it doesn't get the news coverage, etc...). They're then left schmoozing big companies and rich people to fill their budgets because the average person is giving to other causes.
And no, I don't work for a charitable organization. I just think we need to be fair before we slam one without all the facts.
And my understanding of the Red Cross, 9/11 situation is the same as snowrooster's.
The bottom line is a lot of people are giving and that's great. Hopefully, the people of Southeast Asia won't soon be forgotten (as we have a short attention span) and help will keep on coming.

mikemo

OMG, the reports from the medical professionals on the ground are terrible: vics with small scratches and abrasions now have horrendous abscesses, cellulitus and sepsis from the resultant infections.
Very many are having limb amputations and worse in pre-US cival war conditions without blood and fluid replacement and many are dying deaths unimagininable in the 20th and 21st centuries.
M

mikemo

Sorry, meant US Civil War - that's the War between the States down here.
M

makai1

I'm curious, do most of you feel the same as snowrooster?

"Message: My concern in donating to an organization w/religious ties would be that some of my money might go towards promoting that religion rather than on basic aid. I'm not saying all religious charities do this, I'm just more comfortable donating to organizations without religious ties."

I ask because so many of the orphanages that are taking in the thousands of homeless children are mission based, supported by churches here in the states.

With such a great network in place, and these orphanages needing financial support to take in more & more devastated children left alone, why not give to them?

Personally, we are giving to this particular Children's Home, supported by our local church. Here is a bit of what the director of this orphanage sent to me this morning:

"We are very involved in the mammoth relief effort going on. We currently have 1500 children at Bethesda Children's Home and expect to be
taking in more children as time goes on."
Ajay Pillai
India National Inland Mission

While I understand the desire of some not to support Christian based missions, I'm curious if there are others out there that ARE willing to send support to these missions already in place... specifically to help these orphans??

seetheworld

Makai1: Yes, many reputable christian organizations are reponsible for the care of orphans in that region. I would not hesitate to give money to them and I'll tell you why. In addition to the *ex trade, there is an increase for black market human organs and children are the primary targets. So these organizations require support in order to care for these children - living on the street only results in further victimization.

snowrooster

makai1 - I certainly don't have any problem w/anyone who donates to charities w/religious ties. I'm sure there are many good ones out there, it's just not for me. I think that since the majority of people in our country are christians, most people would not have any qualms w/donating to charities w/religious affiliation.

crosbie

All I know is that VERIZON is tripling the donation. give 10 - red cross or unicef get 30.

If I knew someone that worked for Verizon I would give them my money and have them donate!!

kodi

Exactly , Crosbie. I was just going to write about this. Many companies are matching their employees donations. So whatever charity you are going to donate to, try to do it through your company or another big company that will match your donation. Or in Verizon's case, tripling it.

I think that after this horibble, horrible disaster, it doesn't really matter which organizaton the money goes to. I think they will all do their very best to allocate the funds where they are most needed.
Dealing with such enormous amounts of money ( thank goodness) there has to be a huge admin cost to handle it all properly.
Good luck to everyone willing to help in any way.

gogoellen

This is a very nice thread. In answer to the question about donating to religious organizations, I try to do the opposite of the previous poster. (the one who was hesitant to donate to religious organizations). I support two children in India (have for many years) who recieve monthly support from a Christian organization. Besides an education - yes, they get "religious" training. They go to Sunday school. I am happy that they may learn something that will help/comfort/strengthen them as they go through life. I bring this up not to start any religious arguement (which would be so inappropriate) but to let Ajay Pillai from India know that there are many of us who feel this way! Anyway - what is important is that we give. It still is incomprehensible to me that this has taken place.....Thank you to all who have taken the time to give. Margo

Andrew

To those of you who donate to faith-based organizations, let's turn the question around on you.

Suppose you found out that the best orphanages and relief organizations already in place to provide for victims of the tsunami were organizations that actively teach the people they help, as part of relief, that there is no god? Would you give money to groups that teach people that the teachings of Christ are wrong, that Jesus wasn't real, etc.? Again, assume such groups are the groups best equipped to provide immediate relief.

If you answered, "No, I would not donate money to groups that teach such anti-Christian beliefs," then perhaps you understand how non-religious folks feel about donating to religious-based relief groups?

Andrew

GoTravel

I have no problems giving money to religious based organizations because most of them have been in place for a long time, they are embedded in the regions that need the help, and they are well equipped for give help where it is needed.

I never thought about someone giving a Jesus tract with a case of water.

caribtraveler

I'll be honest, I would have a problem giving to a religious-based organization in this particular case. I remember at the beginning of that disaster, NBC News following a guy from Catholic Charities Group who was providing relief. And I remember cringing because he was in a country whose majority of its citizens were Muslims. I don't know the guy but I decided to believe that he was only doing great relief work (it certainly looked like he was) and that he was not talking about his faith to the victims while doing it.
I'm Catholic. My church helps out various shelters here in our state. My husband and I help out in that. But in the context of this tragedy in Southeast Asia, I prefer to donate to non-religious-based groups.

Underhill

One of today's newspapers carried an article warning that overseas charities are probably not tax-deductible for contribution purposes. The advice was to give to a U.S.-based charity; some, like Doctors without Borders and OxFam, have U.S. affiliates.

jor

I watched Larry King Live a few nights ago. The topic was about God and the Tsunami. The guests were representatives of Christianity, Buddism, and others. I was appauled at the very first question ask of the Christian preacher. He said that God controls every single atom on earth and everything that happens. He also said that God has reign over all natural disasters. I changed the channel when he said that the tsunami was God's way of letting us know of his power and that the victims neaded to die in order to go to heaven (in so many words). I wish I had taken note of this preacher's name and his church.

An attitude like this is very disturbing to me. Its almost as if he was bragging about the power of Christianity and God's tsunami. After hearing this disturbing kind of rhetoric I will specify in my United Way donations and others that only non-religious organizations recieve my donations for relief.

I'm sure I will get flamed for saying the above but I can not live with what this person said and I will watch who I give money to.

GoTravel

Jor, I'm right there with you. I cringed when I read what you wrote. Almost as bad as Franklin Graham's public comments on homosexuality.

carib, relief workers are debriefed on local customs before they get involved.

LoveItaly

Underhill, I too read an article regarding donations and tax deductions.

For many this may not be important. But for those that it is the article in the SF Chronical (www.sfgate.com) said that many people had donated to the International Red Cross which is based in Switzerland not being aware that in doing so they could not claim tax deductions. In order to do so one must donate to the American Red Cross. I believe they said the Doctors Without Boards did have a US based office.

So good info for those that need those tax deductions.

Andrew

Not everyone can take advantage of tax deductions for donations to charity (you must file Schedule A and itemize deductions). But for those of us who can/do, donating to charities that give me a tax deduction is a way of giving more. If I donate $600, I know that after taxes that costs me only about $400. So I can either give $400 to some charity whose donation isn't deductible, or I can give $600 to a chiarity whose is. There are plenty of worthy charties that give me the tax deduction, so I'd rather give them $600 than someone else $400.

By the way, did anyone hear that the Congress passed a law this week allowing people to extend the deadline for 2004 charitable donations to tsunami victims for tax purposes until the end of January 2005?

Andrew