Too much charity cash?

KM1976

RSAZ wrote:

....help people in this country first. After all we pay taxes and keep Tony Blair in power, I think we should have had a say in how much we donated to this fund.

Please dont think i am being horrible, but why do some people always say "help people here first". Why does it have to be one or the other? I agree there are causes worth giving money to here, but there isnt anything here that is comparable to someone losing miost of their family, their home, their business and at risk of dying from a disease or starvation. Sorry if i offend you.

I also cant believe people would ask for their money back if it weren't going to the Tsunami effort. Why is one disaster more worthy than another?

Former_MSE_Andrea

Too much charity cash? It's rumoured charities such as the Red Cross are struggling to spend the enormous £365million given so far to the Tsunami appeal (and rules state it must be spent within 3 years). If this is the case, what do you think should be done with the extra cash?

Spend it on disaster relief elsewhere 81.2% - (815 Votes)
Just spend, spend, spend in the Tsunami area 14% - (141 Votes)
Return it to those who donated it 4.3% - (44 Votes)

Total Votes: 1003

showers_2

Give all the donated Tsunami money where it should be going. To help all those poor souls who lost family, their homes, their livelihoods etc. AND, make doubly sure that it does not go into the pockets of 'greedy fat cats''

CovMan_2

It would be quite good to have a MSE Charity Report which charities get most of your money to the people in need.

We regularly support Christian Aid and Tear Fund, both charities are Christian but help people in need whatever their faith. They try to work through local Christian\Church groups where possible which means that rather than parachuting costly Westerners in they support local projects (this as you can appreciate is not always possible).

Both give clear information about how their money is spent and I did read that Tear Fund were working to have their work auditted to demonstrate and check that the money was getting through to to poorest.

Christian Aid (and they are quite open about this) spend quite a lot of money on the Make Trade Fair and Drop the Debt campaigns addressing not just the poverty but the causes of poverty, and working towards people living charity free lives. They do not just speak on behalf of people in the developing world, but get them to speak on the world stage for themselves.

By providing regular support charities can plan ahead for long term programmes that get people out of poverty.

The problem with most charitable giving is that it is an impulse spend, when it would be better all round if people thought more about it and gave more regularly.

Giving to charity can be fun, I know that whatever else I have done in my life, the money I've given has made a difference - it is the most satisfying spending.