MSE News: Haiti earthquake appeal: how to top-up charity donations

treaclebob

Just donated at the post office but couldn't see the gift aid box on the form (there was a big queue and I was on my lunch so was in a rush). I got back to work and the info is on the back! Is it too late to send in with a copy of the receipt for the donation? Any help would be appreciated. Just checked and it would add an extra £14 to the donation

rev_henry

inspector_monkfish wrote: »

its always sad when the rest of the world offers help to places like Haiti in their hour of need, and things like this happen....

Haiti earthquake: food houses looted, WFP says

The World Food Programme has said that its warehouses in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince have been looted and that it would have to restock in order to provide urgent food aid for 2 million people affected by the deadly earthquake.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/haiti/6995719/Haiti-earthquake-food-houses-looted-WFP-says.html

You seem to think that all the looted food have been stolen and wasted. The way I see it, the people are desperate, the food is urgently needed by them, and now at least some of them have got it. Much more productive than it sitting in a warehouse waiting for some bureaucrat to hand it out.

roddydogs

If you do it online, you automatically get the top up Tax free option, just tick the box

inspector_monkfish

rev_henry wrote: »

You seem to think that all the looted food have been stolen and wasted. The way I see it, the people are desperate, the food is urgently needed by them, and now at least some of them have got it. Much more productive than it sitting in a warehouse waiting for some bureaucrat to hand it out.

oh no, i don't think that at all.
(and i'm not quite sure how you came to that conclusion just from my posting that article !! )

but i do think, in what clearly must be a state of pandemonium, some kind of orderly fashioned distribution can only help matters

lets just hope everyone gets what is needed

rev_henry

inspector_monkfish wrote: »

oh no, i don't think that at all.
(and i'm not quite sure how you came to that conclusion just from my posting that article !! )

but i do think, in what clearly must be a state of pandemonium, some kind of orderly fashioned distribution can only help matters

lets just hope everyone gets what is needed

Sorry.
Yes I quite agree.

callum9999

neneromanova wrote: »

See I don't agree with donating to Charities. I'd like to give the money straight to the person and not let it go throught a charity where they have to pay staff, Tv adverts, Leaflets, magazines, Brochures etc etc.

If the person in question was living in your town, yes.

If the problem affects lots of people, and is out of reach, no.

In the vast majority of disasters, it is not possible to help without donating to a charity (I assume you aren't going to give up your job and get over there somehow?).

In my opinion, something like 80% of the donated money directly saving lives is more important than sitting down in a cosy house putting pre-conditions on any help you want to give to people dying.

Feel free to not donate anything, but don't try and justify it by saying its only because of admin costs.

smk77

neneromanova wrote: »

See I don't agree with donating to Charities. I'd like to give the money straight to the person and not let it go throught a charity where they have to pay staff, Tv adverts, Leaflets, magazines, Brochures etc etc.

This sounds like an excuse not to donate. I may be wrong but that's how is sounds.

Many charities are run with minimal costs. They don't use tv adverts, leaflets etc.

What kind of person do you think that you could donate to if you just handed over money directly? I bet it's a very small percentage of those that actually benefit from charities.

I think you are missing the point in advertising. Advertising is there to increase the awareness of a brand. In the case of a charity it's there to increase the awareness of its purpose. If you donate £X then they'll use £Y to generate another £X.

tiff

I donated to the Haiti appeal last night via Unicef. Is there a write/wrong place to donate your money?

t-elle

I had an email from Holiday Inn Priority Club to donate in 10,000 point increments which will be equivalent to $40 to the Red Cross. I don't have loads of points so I thought this was a very easy way to make use of what I had. :T

thelawnet

Various groups are offering to match donations. I would appreciate it if MSE would highlight some of these.