Why I Don't Give to Summer Camp for Underprivileged Kids

4/22/2014 | Econjack

[MNDude]

I’m sure my family was poorer during times of my life than these are. I never considered myself “under-privileged”. What a victim title!

[Neoliberalnot]

As pointed out, many “charities” are businesses masquerading as such.

[zerosix]

Your "Police Athletic ..." Is really a union!

I used to get sucked in to the "whatever Association's" fundraiser to send local kids to the circus, until my husband told me that the group doing this is in actuality a union, not an actual non-profit interested in helping any underprivileged child!

[GailA]

St Judes Children Hospital, or our church’s children’s camp. Or VBS.

[econjack]

...the group doing this is in actuality a union...

Almost always the case. If you need proof, ask for their precinct number, name, and badge number. Most will hang up on you. One time I was shocked when they gave me an answer, so I said: "Oh! Then you must know So-And-So", then they hung up on me.

[SMARTY]

I love returning this to them in their OWN postage paid envelop!! :)

[bonfire]

where’s the like button?

[super7man]

Well done. When I was a teenager, I had to earn $40 to go to Scout camp for two weeks. My parents either did not have it in the budget or it was not a priority. Not sure which. There was never a thought of “maybe somebody else will pay for it”.

I mowed lawns, trimmed bushes and dug ditches for $0.85/hour. It did two things for me. I went to Scout camp and I decided there was a better way to make a living than digging ditches and I was going to college.

[raybbr]

There truly is plenty of camp slots for”underprivileged” kids. I have a hard enough time taking care of my own. Go to any big city and there are a gazillion programs available. They don’t need any of my money.

[Straight Vermonter]

When I was a boy in elementary school the first two weeks after school ended was camp session on one of the local college campuses. My neighborhood was essentially empty of kids for two weeks. Except for me that is.

My did worked his ass off in construction and therefore made “too much money” so I wasn’t eligible to go. The other kids either had no dad or dad was a drunk so Uncle Sam paid their way to camp. Quite a system we have in this country.

[FunkyZero]

Initially, I wanted to jump the gun and tell you that yes, you are heartless and it's not the fault of the kids that their parents are not able or willing to provide this for them. I grew up in a dirt poor household, my dad worked a lot of hours, but simply wasn't a skilled worker and didn't earn a lot. My mother worked as much as she could when she found jobs, etc, but we were always without anything but the basics. Riding around in cars that broke down all the time, no muffler on them, I ate more potatoes than I care to think about, I wore old, embarrassing yard sale clothes, and I split at least enough firewood to heat New York City (that's my story anyway) to help keep the house warm. The money I made working in the fields or local farms went to help pay bills, I got to keep very little for myself.

So, my initial reaction was man, I sure would have liked to get a trip to camp...

But I knew better, and you are right. I remember being poor. I remember it every day when I thank Almighty God for what he has done for my family. Those years in poverty imprinted on me, and I swore I'd never live like that once I was out on my own.

I made good on it. I have skills, they are marketable and I do it well. Our household income is 3X the US average, my kids are in private school and I only eat potatoes when I WANT to. So yes, your point is valid, 100% valid. Not having didn't scar me, it motivated me. Of course, my parents weren't deadbeats so I'm not sure how that works out for those types of households.

[pa_dweller]

Hmmm. Never saw it in that light before.

[oh8eleven]

one well-known charity that collected more than $33 million, but "after expenses" paid only $18000 to the actual charity.
IMHO, the majority of non-profits as a rule, are all shams and scams that do little more than fill someone else's pockets.
That includes veterans' "charities" too, like the Wounded Warrior Project whose CEO took home about $350,000 in 2011 and $312,000 in 2012.

[econjack]

Exactly.

[econjack]

Don’t you just wish you could get others to see the value in hard work. Despite humble beginnings, you made it through your own efforts...not some eat-fish-for-a-day bogus program. Good on ya!

[Night Hides Not]

As a child, I had my full share of summer camps, either through the Boy Scouts or my church. I don't remember those camps being prohibitively expensive.

I just wrote a $500 check for my son's Boy Scout summer camp. If I was unemployed, it would have been prohibitively expensive, but there would have been other ways to get him there.

Last year, the two of us did a two week road trip that included a day of canyoneering outside of Zion NP. IIRC, I spent about $500 for the two of us, but that's about what it would cost for the two of us at Disney World.

The memories I have of that trip are worth more than all of King Midas' silver ("Dodge Ball" reference).

[momtothree]

I understand exactly how you feel, econjack. Another “request” I don’t contribute to is the “school supply” drive. The county gives every “underprivileged” kid a backpack filled with name brand school supplies. The schools then request additional supplies for the “needy”. Meanwhile.. every other working parent shops every single sale, clips coupons and buys in bulk when it is on sale. The summer camp donations are (once again) a subsidy. Somehow they have “earned” it. How? Not sure. However, it is a lesson to the young.. you can have anything you want if someone else pays for it. If “Johnny X” can go on vacation.. then you should, too. It starts/plants a lifetime seed of entitlement. IMHO.

[Night Hides Not]

That includes veterans' "charities" too, like the Wounded Warrior Project whose CEO took home about $350,000 in 2011 and $312,000 in 2012.

Don't get me started on the Godfather of the charity world, the United Way.

[MamaTexan]

Why I Don't Give to Summer Camp for Underprivileged Kids

LOL! If it helps, you aren't heartless, you're pragmatic.

While checking out, I had the cashier at the grocery store ask if I wanted to buy one of the pre-packed bags they sell at a low cost in order to 'help the hungry'. I told her no. She looked shocked and asked 'why'?. I told her "I've seen the people that show up to collect them, and most of them are driving cars that are 12 years newer than mine.....maybe that's WHY they're hungry!"

(This doesn't mean I'm not empathetic to people in dire straights, but DANG it's hard when you see welfare lines filled with people whose faces are glued to IPods and have impeccably manicured nails!)

I've pretty much stopped giving to just about everything except the red kettle at Christmastime.

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Okay, whose turn is it on the soapbox?

:-)

[MamaTexan]

Those years in poverty imprinted on me, and I swore I'd never live like that once I was out on my own.

The older I get, the more I'm convinced adversity breeds character.

Sincerest KUDOS to you, and thank you for sharing your story.