If you had $5 to donate to an individual, what would be the deciding factors? Do you have to know the person?

Question

What makes people donate money to individuals? I'm asking this because I am so sick of charities getting all this money and a good portion of it going towards administration costs. If you have money you want to donate, why the hell don't you just give it to someone who needs it?

Melbel, why do it anonymously? That's just ridiculous. The people who give the most tend to be the ones with their names on a plaque or building...most people want recognition.

Answer 1

When I was younger and didn't realize that my donations were paying administration cost, I gave as part of my benevolent duty, like volunteering my time (tutoring or reading to others, etc.). It was something my parents taught and what the church preached as part of our Christian duties.

Now that I am older and have knowledge of the facts about charities, I am very particular who I give my money to. The link below provides questions one can ask himself before writing that check. It talks about what to ask the charity and how to determine if it is "worthy" since many charities do not use the funds as we would like them to. Also, there are so many false charities where the funds are not going anywhere (simply because many can open a non profit organization and not be audited by the government for their validity.

I agree with you that submitting funds anonymously isn't what philanthropist do it for. Let's face it, besides the tax write off, they want their name in lights...among other political reasons they do it.

Answer 2

AMEN, SISTER!

I do not donate money any more to behemoth charity organizations or churches so that they can use it to meet their monthly bottom lines, or pay for their gold plated towel seats and designer fashion attire. I use to go to this one church where the pastor always gave us this guilt sermon that if we did not donate 10% of our whole annual salary to his church we were in "sin". After that, one day finally came and he and his wife arrived to the church in a brand new 4-door Deluxe Mercedes Benz with all the bells and whistles! I turned to my mother and said, "Well, look what 10% of our annual salary just purchased!" Our car at the time was a junker that ran on gas fumes, because we were so poor. This is called "fleecing the flock," a typical ploy of Corrupt Christianity. Just look at those TV evangelists dripping in designer fashions and Tiffany jewelry. One time I was shopping in Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, back in the day when I was a young aspiring toy designer who made lots of money. I was in the men's department, and Gianni Versace's latest line was on display. I past a rack of Versace’s silk shirts printed with an opulent Hermes-type print all over. I glanced at the price tag, and I almost had a cardiac, the shirt was priced at $1,800.00! The Neiman Marcus salesman walked by and said, "Even I think that's highway robbery!" Well, the next week to my absolute bewilderment the TV evangelist, Paul Crouch, on TBN was wearing the same exact Versace shirt on TV as he was praising Jesus! Obviously, thanking God for all the unwitting Christians who pay for his luxurious wardrobe!

Now, I donate only if my heart is personally prompted by God, Himself, to do so, and directly to the individual without any "middle-man" whether I know them or not.

Answer 3

Charities are honorable...

But have you ever seen a mother with her kids sleepin on the street and she's holding a foam cup for coin donations.

You want to see what the world is about, then make an effort.

Wherever you live, may be your hometown, whatever.

But to 3rd world countries with the poverty that inflicts them like a disease, is disheartening.

Don't believe that Madonna sh"t, she don't give a shi_t about your question...

Answer 4

in my country there has been a scam exposed recently about a certain charity organisation, and people were afraid to donate to the organisations. however, i still do give to those on the street whom i really feel ought to be helped out with, when i have the spare change, that is.

Answer 5

i like to give to strangers
and i like to give to family

i like to give anonymously
but personally
(leave item/$ at their house; pay a bill, etc.)
that way, the gift gets to them w/out a middleman's vig.
but, they don't feel like a charity case so much.
(they feel that someone is noticing and helping)

Answer 6

I don't have to know the person and can not do it just my self.
but most of time some one who need it i will give it to him because i am kind.

Answer 7

I ALWAYS DONATE MONEY ,FOR THE BLIND AND FOR CANCER RESEARCH.WHATS WRONG WITH THAT?FROM MIKHAL IN ISRAEL.

Answer 8

because its hard to do it anonomously.