URGENT: SE Asian Flood Disaster - Donate Money

ashley0611

I opted for the red cross too - donated £18 but suppose every little helps

Sarfaraz

I hope the following will clear up any concern as to how much money the DEC members will be spending on admin costs:

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13273984,00.html

In essence, the chief exec of DEC says that less than 1p of every pound donated will be spent on admin.

I hope that enables people to make an informed decision.

P.S: Excellent idea from Martin to get people to donate 10% of any savings which people make from using MSE.

Junier

Just read over on Yahoo news that the Asia Tsunami Death Toll has now rocketed to 114,000

they need every penny they can get!!!!

inkiboo

I opted for the red cross too - donated £18 but suppose every little helps  :)

Don't belittle your donation. I'm sure there are people who are more well off who have donated less or not even at all.

G

crana999

another thing to think about if you are feeling bad that you can't donate loads and loads is that there's nothing from stopping you from donating a bit again next month if you can spare it from your budget etc.

they are going to need money for a looong time so even if you can only spare £1 every month out your budget that will help to keep a stream of revenue going in over a longer term

hope this made some vague sense..!

PS. donate online rather than use the 0870 number, then yu can donate the extra money the call would have cost you too .. I imagine it's probably cheaper for the charity to get donations withuot having people there taking the calls too, although I'm not sure

aliasojo

another thing to think about if you are feeling bad that you can't donate loads and loads is that there's nothing from stopping you from donating a bit again next month if you can spare it from your budget etc.

they are going to need money for a looong time so even if you can only spare £1 every month out your budget that will help to keep a stream of revenue going in over a longer term.

I think this is a very good idea. Far better to plan to give even a tiny amount in this way if you can, rather than not at all.

P.S: Excellent idea from Martin to get people to donate 10% of any savings which people make from using MSE.

Agree with the sentiments, but I'm very worried suggesting an amount will put people off. Not everyone is well-off and just because they have saved x amount, that doesn't mean they then have this amount available to use. :-/

Sorry, I really don't want to be negative about it, I'm just really concerned that those who may have considered giving a small amount wont bother if they read things like:

10% of savings

1% of annual salary

at least £20

etc etc.

I've already had a conversation with someone about this very subject, they felt that what they could afford was too trivial. I think if people want to donate, they will send as much as they can afford anyway.

Lara

I think this is a very good idea. Far better to plan to give even a tiny amount in this way if you can, rather than not at all.


Agree with the sentiments, but I'm very worried suggesting an amount will put people off. Not everyone is well-off and just because they have saved x amount, that doesn't mean they then have this amount available to use.  :-/

Sorry, I really don't want to be negative about it, I'm just really concerned that those who may have considered giving a small amount wont bother if they read things like:

10% of savings

1% of annual salary

at least £20

etc etc.

I've already had a conversation with someone about this very subject, they felt that what they could afford was too trivial. I think if people want to donate, they will send as much as they can afford anyway.

I agree with your concerns aliasjo.
My sentiments are that as long as you donate what you are able to afford then it doesn't matter what anybody else has donated. I made my donation online to the Red Cross and when I went out shopping this morning - for this first time since Christmas - there were boxes and buckets everywhere asking for donatations. In a small branch of Boots however they had a tissue size box which simply read "Penny box to help the Earthquake" and people were just popping in any pennies that they had in their purse/wallet or given in change. The sales lady said they thought it would be a good way to accumulate some extra cash and people didn't have to feel they should donate £ coins etc.
It was purely done by the staff at this branch. I bought my toothpaste etc and popped the pennies I had in my purse in the box. All this adds on to what you have donated and no doubt over the next few weeks we are all going to pop the odd coin in some box or another.

So to everyone concerned that e.g. "my £18 isn't much" please remember even if it was 10p it would be helping someone, somewhere along the line. Feel good about yourself that you gave what you could.

crana999

another way you can help without cost to yourself is things like https://www.thehungersite.com - I guess most people know about it but there must be some people reading this who haven't.

Free to you, just click the buttons. Various good causes get money from the site's sponsors.

Even if none of the charities on these sites are involved with the tsunami disaster, if you think about it, the more food etc that is used to help other places frees up more of the big charities like Oxfam's budget. If that makes sense? ???

Sofa_Sogood

I opted for the red cross too - donated £18 but suppose every little helps  :)

£18 is a very generous donation IMO.

£7 buys two blankets (hot and cold weather) so £18 will buy a lot more.

[Source World Vision]

crana999

I read today that £1 will buy 5 meals in I think Indonesia because of the differences in costs of things. so it does go a long way.