Posted on 04/22/2014 6:36:34 AM PDT by econjack
Well, it's that time of year again. I get multiple calls from various charities--paid callers for The Police Athletic League seem particularly active--asking me for money so they can send an inner-city youth to a summer camp. I always ask a charity for an audited financial statement before I'll consider giving. Honest charities should be willing to do this. I do this because years ago I found one well-known charity that collected more than $33 million, but "after expenses" paid only $18000 to the actual charity. The rest was "admin and marketing expenses".
Well, yesterday I got the Summer Camp call and I simply told them: "I don't believe in what you're doing." I swear, that answer took their breath away. They finally mumbled a "Why would you be so heartless?"
I said: "Because, even though you mean well, you are perpetuating the idea that they are somehow a victim and the only way for their plight to improve is to have someone else give it to them." These people fail to see the relationship between work and reward. They often come from homes where they have never seen someone go to work and bring home a paycheck.
After the LA riots because of the Rodney King affair, the city pledged to create more jobs for inner-city kids. One of the major news networks found a young black girl who was hired by the city to work in their office as a file clerk. They filmed her getting ready to go to work on a Monday, arriving and getting some early instruction, and concluding with her doing some filing. They went back on Friday to do a followup filming, only to find out she had been fired for not showing up for work, starting on Wednesday. They went to her house and asked what happened. Her answer: "When they gave me the job, nobody told me it was for every day." Work was totally alien to her.
Somehow, we have to break this cycle that says these people need other people to give them things for their lot to improve. 50 years after the War on Poverty and it's worse than ever before. The reason: Piss-poor programs. Free cell phones? What's the logic for that, if not to buy votes?
I told the fund raiser how that program should be run for a long run benefit, not just for one week in the summer. I told them to work with the city and hire these kids to pick up the trash from vacant lots, mow the weeds, sow new grass seed, fix the fencing, and whatever else needs to be done to remove the eyesore. Next, you don't give them cash for their work, you give them credits for which they can redeem for summer camp. If the true cost of a week at summer camp is $400, then give them credits at $10/hour worked. Then they will see the relationship between work and reward.
It's a win-win, since the city gets vacant lots cleaned up, the kids learn not to view themselves as victims, they learn that honest work brings tangible rewards, and I think they will also gain a sense of self-worth...probably the greatest benefit of such a program.
So, the next time you're asked to give to one of these programs, give them an earful instead.
Well done!
Depends on what sort of camp. If its one where they turn big rocks into little rocks I am all for it.
I don't give to PAL or End Childhood Hunger or any of those other organizations that purportedly exist to "fix" some problem or other. 90% of the money raised (if not more) goes to "administration" (can you say salaries?) and then they sell or rent your info to other fundraising organizations and next thing you know, your phone is ringing off the hook day and night from people asking for money.
Well said sir. I have had similar things over the years.
Great.
When I get requests for donations the always get THIS:
Sir/Madam:
America elected and RE elected a man who told his supporters that I am rich, greedy and uncaring.
He said he’d take money from me FOR them.
Now, I cannot donate to the charities of MY choice, as I did in the past...because I no longer have enough money.
I suggest that if you STILL need assistance, contact the people the President hired to steal money from ME, on YOUR behalf.
Thank you.
I do believe this thread is going to be one to watch as many here will be echoing the sentiments you so eloquently stated.
- The following may be anecdotal as I don’t want to start some flame war as a result of different Council policies...YMMV -
I am of the same opinion, the BSA has “camperships” where up to 50% or sometimes more of the cost of summer camp will be underwritten by the Council.
All it takes is a statement by the parent(s) of the Scout and a signed form by the Scoutmaster...the Scout pays the other portion. I don’t agree that a Scout should have 50% or more of a $400 summer camp given to them and I’ve told them this...it’s why I “donate” as little as possible to event fees etc. because they use this money for something I don’t agree with.
The Scout should be earning his way (thrifty), and if labor or some other means comes into play, so be it. But a 50% underwrite with nothing in return from the Scout is just plain wrong.
Then again, if things go as planned, this is the last summer I have to worry about that...
probably should post this somewhere OTHER than news/activism
The same thing with volunteering in the inner city schools etc. I disagree! I'm a better role model if the kids see me as getting a paycheck for doing something I enjoy doing and do well.
And free dinners for the poor at Thanksgiving, etc? Let the more fortunate provide the food, let the recipients do the cooking, serving, cleaning etc.....and sit down and share the meal with them.
It's the whole teach 'em how to fish thing.
Great response!
I’m surprised the caller stayed on the phone with you long enough for you to say this. They get paid by both response and volume so staying with a call like yours is not productive. Maybe, just maybe you caused the caller to actually think. If so then, Bravo!!
We need to take your response nation wide!
Thanks for that! I will.
I tend to shorten it up just a bit....”America voted to go the Socialist route, so please go see the government”.
We used to send our kids to the local Methodist camp. My son only went one year when they had to get a large kid to protect him from the gang that formed from the inner city kids. They never called us.
My daughter quit going when a foster child showed all the girls how to give a blowjob. She learned it from her stepdad. She was 11.
I wonder if the parents of these "underprivileged kids" have big screen TVs, console games and other doodads in their subsidized housing. I would bet that they do.
Great points! Giving free stuff™ to folks is NOT the answer.
Me too. At the end of my lecture, they did say: "I never thought of it that way." Long run effect? Probably zero. Most people don't go beyond the surface.
Years ago I used to teach Principles of Economics, mainly to Freshmen students. The War on Poverty was in its infancy and a family of 4 with income of $9600 or less was considered poor. I used to tell my students I could end poverty overnight. They echo: "Really? How?" I told them all you have to do is get all of the people who make $9600 or less, line them up, and shoot them!
After their initial reaction, I asked: "How long is it before the guy making $9601 starts bitching because he's the poorest person in the land?" I learned a long time ago, the more outlandish the example, the more they listen. We would then go on to discuss the distribution of income, effort, productivity, and how you can't have equal incomes in a free society. Alas, Obozo and the rest of his ilk still haven't learned the lesson.
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