Do you give?

[Shawnee123]

Do you give to charity, or contribute to non-profits, or the like?

If you do, why? A tax deduction? To make others think you are kind and caring? Or just because you feel it is the right thing to do, and you believe in it?

I am completely put off by people who give to something, then make sure everyone knows they did. Kind of like "look at me, I bet I'm better than you." That's pretty sad, imho.

A tax deduction? Sure, why not? If you were going to give anyway, take advantage of the tax break.

Do you believe people should give because they want to, or because it makes them look good and gives them what they believe are bragging rights?

Of course, by answering this post you are exempt from the aforementioned sad attention whores.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yeah, but not to just throw something into a "big pot" charity. I do give to the "big pots" when it's an appeal for a specific tsunami/earthquake/storm relief, because Boeing will match my contribution. But mostly local, and often one on one, where I can't take a tax deduction.
My habits have to change, though, because when I retire my discretionary income will be severely reduced.

[Shawnee123]

For United Way I am able to pick where it goes. Even though I live in another county from where I work, I was able to designate the abuse shelter in my county. That is worth every penny, to me.

I don't itemize. Since I don't own a home or have dependents I don't think it would behoove me to do so. I don't know crap about it, though, I just fill out my own 1040 every year...would it help me to claim those kinds of things? What about the bids I put on the auction for UW? Do those count? (I got my dad and brothers a sweet golf package and me some nice artwork.)

[classicman]

I give locally - VERY locally. no deductions available for me on this. Some of those organizations take up to 75% for expenses. Eff that.
I go direct.

[glatt]

I give. Freud would say it's so I can get laid. But I give because I feel like it's the right thing. Not just money. I'll volunteer at times, and give blood, and do things like learn CPR so I can save a life if the moment arises. It's about being a good neighbor. I don't have a lot of money, so the money isn't always the focus.

Shawnee, if you don't have kids or a house, there isn't much for you to deduct. I'd take the standard deduction if I were you. It can't hurt to skim the tax form and just estimate what the itemized deductions would be, but you are almost certainly doing better taking the standard deduction.

[Shawnee123]

Thanks glatt, that's what I thought.

[monster]

I hate United Way. That is all.




will I be going to hell now?

[Stormieweather]

I give locally, with no strings, including tax deduction. I'm very involved in domestic violence issues, so much of what I give is to DV shelters. I also help a local homeless shelter for families with food and clothing as I have funds. I co-own and help operate an abuse support website which I fund as needed also.

I sometimes take in troubled teenagers who are having trouble with their parents. I then work with them and their parents, to either reconcile or help them to become self sufficient. This is nothing formal, just happens as a result of word of mouth. I've had 5 so far. The longest any of them lived with me was a year.

I've also taken in entire homeless families for very short term, fed them and helped them find a more permanent place to stay and apply for jobs. I've not done this for quite a while however, as we now live in a much smaller home than formerly (and because of the economy).

I do NOT give to organized charities as too much of those funds go to admin expenses and God knows what. I don't care about the tax deduction, I just want what I give to be used to help someone.

[Shawnee123]

@ mon: But why? I hear things about March of Dimes, about Make-a-wish...what makes one charity better (or worse) than another?

I wonder about things like what classic said, the amount they use for administrative costs and such (but they have to pay someone to administer all that crap.)

Like I said, I got to designate exactly where my money went. I liked that.

[monster]

I hate the way they try to bully people to give through their work, almost publicly shaming those who choose not to by rewarding companies with 100% employee participation, badgering people to persuade cow orkers to join in. etc. oh and there so "in your face look at how fucking awesome we are with our fancy offices and huge ad campaigns." and the salvation army can go do the most good somewhere else too. bah humbug.

[monster]

yeah it is good you can chose where your money goes. But why can't you give it direct and cut out the middlemen? Or is part of their charity employing the otherwise unemployable penpushers?

I think I should go away now

[DanaC]

I give sometimes. I had a direct debit contribution set up for Amnesty International for a while, but had to cancel all my DDs one month when I was skirting close to my OD limit with too many days until payday:P I haven't re-established that DD. I might do at some point.

I usually try to make a donation to Comic Relief when that comes around. Mainly because it seems the right thing to do: we get all that great comedy and entertainment from stars who are giving their time for free. Seems only fair to make a small donation. I gave a £25 donation on the BBC's Children in Need night this year: I gave it on dad's behalf. I know he'd have donated; he always did. He also had a regular donation to Childline; so I know that kid's charities were close to his heart.

I usually try to contribute by buying copies of Big Issue when I'm in town, and I often throw my small change into whatever charity tin is on the shop counter when i shop. I also try to buy at least some of my Christmas and Birthday pressies from the Amnesty and Oxfam online stores. I'm not silly about it: I only do so if I can find things there that people will like. I think something like 30 per cent of my Christmas shopping this year was from Amnesty.

Why I contribute...I dunno. A combination of wanting to feel good about myself and not wanting to feel guilty mostly :P I guess I think I should do it. It's such a small thing to do and it's hard to justify the luxuries in life to myself if I don't also 'do my bit'. It's easier and more palatable for me to make a small donation of money than time. I am very selfish with my time; less so with my cash.

Though I was not raised in a religious household, the Christian ethos permeated my education throughout childhood. Every year there were collections in school for foods and goodies to be distributed amongst the less fortunate and the elderly at Harvest festival. These items would be put together in baskets and small groups of kids would be sent off to take them to people's houses. Likewise there was usually a Christmas pressie collection for the youngsters at the kids' homes. The morning assembly would usually include a story or parable which would try to drum home a sense of personal and community obligation. I think I must have heard the parable of the Good Samaritan a dozen times across my schooling; particularly at Primary School (elementary).

Add that to the working-class socialism which permeated the wider culture I grew up in...it's just one of those things you expect (and are expected) to do n life.

[Shawnee123]

I think giving because it makes YOU feel good is a good reason too. It's a great feeling to know you've helped someone.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

I think giving because it makes YOU feel good is a good reason too. It's a great feeling to know you've helped someone.

Agreed

As a kid, I was raised to give my time.

Now I give a combination of time and money. The time is mostly mentoring and more personally rewarding.

On the money side, contributions are generally to medical/health related causes.....but the ACLU, while not a charitable contribution, is always on my list.