Charities & Causes

Monthly income turns to charity greed

Charities & Causes

Posted by: mermaid

22nd Oct 2009 11:50pm

Some time ago I volunteered for a local charity believing my support of those in need were met. In our weekly meeting the manager shared an email from upper level management for all stores to increase monthly sales targets yes targets, from $2,000 to $3,500.00.

This was met with much distaste amongst the large pool of volunteers, who questioned why? The manager shared the same view and set off to identify the need vs greed syndrome and this is what we learned.......

more than $210 billion of institutionalised ''charity'' is now part of Australia's society and is embedded in the economy rather than being an optional extra. Old-fashioned charity is just $9 billion, 4 per cent of the total or less than 3 per cent if we acknowledge governments' financial support to charities.

There are approximately 10,400 charities in Australia with almost 12,000 outlets or branches.
120,000 staff are employees vs tens of thousands of volunteers; this figure does not include volunteers who work for schools, clubs and associations. Total wages are about $3.9 billion.

Salvation Army (eastern and southern divisions only) revenue approx $650 million, smaller average less than $800,000 per year (a extraordinary figure).
Compare these figures to an average business employing staff, with a revenue of $3.8 million - or approx five times the average charity.

Reality is charities are a business and these figures are Australian, given the number of charity organisations in Australia also exist worldwide the math just does not add up.

When presenting these figures to senior management, the manager was told rising inflation restricted the charity from performing.

The result, the manager and 3/4's of the pooled volunteers left and within 2 years the charity have employed 4 managers. The days of charity truly have gone!

What are your thoughts?

Comments 55

tangles
  • 2nd Apr 2012 01:48pm

Today charities are nothing more than PR firms for out of work actors/singers and wanna bees.How much of the money at these events/galas is then passed on to the charity "EMBASSADORS" for being generous enough to get dressed up and mingle with us common folk.

RainbowC
  • 17th Mar 2012 10:09am

I do a lot of volunteer work but none of it has anything to do with raising funds. It's the down to earth, feeding the hungry in a food bank, pro bono counselling, mentoring youth. All unfunded by others. I don't have much money of my own, but I have time and a little I can give, which to me is what volunteering is all about. You don't need to be linked to a big charity to volunteer and be effective in our community.... it's simple see a need...fill a need.

Jim 007
  • 8th Feb 2012 01:33pm

In the days where only the the man of the house worked,many women donated and worked for a large number of charities.These days both parties have to work to make ends meet,this means any time left is precious.Maybe all unemployed people could spend some of the spare time they have helping out!Cheers Jim

Anonymous
  • 31st Jan 2012 12:42am

When we moved to Australia we had 20 or so 60L tubs filled with kids clothes and toys, linens and blankets, stationery, knick knacks, kitchenware, electrical goods etc that were all in excellent condition.

Eventually we decided not to bring them over as it was cheaper to replace much of it here brand new than ship them over.

I asked my Mum to call the Salvos or Sammies or even a Womens Refuge to see if they wanted it and noone wanted to know but a couple of them had the audacity to suggest that she could list it all on ebay, collect the money and donate it to them!! Another lot asked her to bring it in so they could get what they wanted out of it.

In the end, she heard about a couple of families that had just moved into the area and were doing it tough so she contacted them and they came and took it all. Since then, any unwanted items go to local smaller charities as do our annual donations - if charities can afford to pick and choose (litigious items not included) then they don't really need support as there are other support groups that will take it gladly.

sherri
  • 22nd Nov 2011 12:50pm

Yes, I was aware of that - though not the statistics...they are worse even than I feared!

In my early days in the sector we noted the 'corporatisation' of certain charities and resolved never to go down that path.This resolve lasted till there was a change of CEO and with it a change of 'culture' to that which you are describing. We have also seen a huge turn-over of the original staff - many of us with stress related issues. It is not an easy area to work in, but much easier when you share the same values as your organisation.

I also think that these organisations are FULL of those who genuinely want to make a difference - but that organisationally they have lost the plot a little bit, and have fallen into the trap of self-perpetuation. (And that there remains many stories - particularly -old- stories where individuals from such organisations have made an important difference for people)

But my personal beleif/hope is that we (Australians) are not going to put up with this distortion of what charity is about for much longer and will 'vote' with our wallets and our feet. - and that we will instead choose to support charities who don't put self perpetuation and the making of money ahead of service to people.

TheMatchstickMan
  • 28th Oct 2011 01:05pm

I watched a TV programme recently that showed some volunteers for a well know and much loved church/charity were actually dealers in second hand goods and antiques. The TV programme exposed a number of 'ripoffs' and showed hidden camera footage of these volunteer workers actually stealing stuff to sell for their own profit. If I give an item to this charity I watch to make sure it appears in their shop. I generally don't make donations - except to special funds or needs - because I know that there are so many rippoffs going on world wide.

nusanan
  • 28th Oct 2011 07:57am

I volunteer in a lifeline store the managers are paid but not highly paid and throughout the organisation some are paid and some volunteer.The reason a lot of charities dont accept some donations is because they are completely unsellable old tv computers printers etc,most people dont want them.one local charity had 50 old tvs to give away and had 1 taker it seems no matter how poor people are they still want the latest technology people who in the past would never consider going to an op shop are now coming because they are cash strapped desperatly trying to pay their mortgage.This has resulted in some stores having a more expensive range of clothing than others.Charity is needed now more than ever.

bigjimmy1
  • 19th Oct 2011 08:46pm

the maiority of donations go to the orginisers not to thr nrrdy this is why i stopped donating to all charities
jim connor

PukPuk
  • 18th Oct 2011 09:07am

Unfortunately many so called Charities these days are like the celebrities who set up foundations serving their own purposes more so than the cause. I will donate to medical research organisations and few select ones I have looked into but wont go near the others I cannot see a high ratio of dollar donated to the cause.

puppymummy
  • 15th Oct 2011 09:34pm

At least with the Salvation Army's Red Shield Appeal it is genuine volunteers coming to the door, I have done this several times for the charity and therefore I am not coming to hassle you unlike some of the people who grab passersby and just about talk your ear off until you give them some money to go away. I don't think they can respond to every request they get as they don't have enough money, but at least the goods I donate are going to a good cause overall. It disturbs me a little that they are required to run charity shops as similar to a business, but then a shop in the same strip also has the same costs for electricity and so on - I guess it makes sense for them to make sure that they are making the most of their situation financially with the aim of making sure that they have gained the most money for their charitable purposes.

PGS
  • 8th Oct 2011 09:19pm

Consider also the businesses they run - churches are notorious for what they control. Kellogs & Sanitarium are or were both owned by churches, then we have the over-priced nursing homes, I'm told Gloria Jeans is at least partly owned by Hillsong... Any of these companies run by 'charitible organisations' pay a lot less tax than normal business - if any.

sherri
  • 22nd Nov 2011 02:12pm
Consider also the businesses they run - churches are notorious for what they control. Kellogs & Sanitarium are or were both owned by churches, then we have the over-priced nursing homes, I'm told...

Are they - owned by the churches I mean...or are they owned by Christians who are associated with the named churches?

I know that the original Gloria Jeans was owned by a Christian - an american who used some of the profits philanthropically. Gloria Jeans is franchised, and I have no idea if Hillsong owns one of the Australian franchises or not.
It is true that Sanitarium does have associations with the SDA, and that this does give them a tax break...but (while not intending to support Sanitarium and the like) - these organisations don't pretend to be anything other than commercial enterprises (although Sanitarium has always had an agenda around community health long before it was fashionable) - they are 'true to purpose'.

The debate about charities seems to be about the difference between their stated purpose (charitable good works, christian charity, etc...whatever) and their apparent purpose (profits, self perpetuation etc) that shows itself in 'target sales' etc.

I think that discussion about whether or not churches should own businesses is another (though interesting) issue. (jury is out on that one as far as I am concerned - can see points both ways)

Lolly
  • 8th Oct 2011 01:06pm

its sad that charities are becoming corrupt. its also sad that charity workers are not given much incentive to stay working with charities. unfortunately, we have to have money coming in the support ourselves so more people are walking away from charity work because the cost of living is rising and wages and salaryare staying the same if not being dropped.
doing charity work can be something to be proud of but when people walk away because they have to do paid work in order to keep afloat, then charities suffer.
the idea of working to raise money for others is what we all should do but how do we support ourselves in the mean time? maybe the government should give some sort of financial reward for doing the hours so that, at least, the good work can continue and there is the incentive but also to keep food on the table!

frilly
  • 29th Aug 2011 04:03pm

Hi, I can agree with all that has been said. I give to the Royal Flying Doctor, and others of that kind now. I have known the Salvos pay fines ^ warrants for some people. What is that teaching them? Certainly not how to get themselves back on the straight and narrow. If they have all these fines & warrants outstanding and some one else pays them off it only lets them off the easy way, they re not facing up to any problems.
Certainly we should be more selective in who we give to but the fact the Salvos have these big drives with all the door knocking makes it difficult to say "NO" to them.
Many are in need but there are also many who have found how to use these Charities for their own profit. About the business people running them. You cannot find fault with the fact they earn good salaries, it is big business and the businesses need good heads working them,. Where would many people be without these people?

talbotboy
  • 25th Aug 2011 03:52pm

I Volunteer two days a week for ST Vincent De Paul store in my local area. I cannot believe the prices they put on some of their goods. For Gods sake they are getting the merchandise for nothing and in some cases charging outrages amounts for them. Even if they only charged $20 tops for the very best of condition goods they are still making $20 for their cause. Charity shops should make $20 top price and slid the prices down from there.

SereneBee
  • 5th Oct 2011 02:42pm
I Volunteer two days a week for ST Vincent De Paul store in my local area. I cannot believe the prices they put on some of their goods. For Gods sake they are getting the merchandise for nothing...

I have to agree with you talbotboy, some of the older ladies with whom I work seem to have no idea on pricing. "Look at this" says Shirl "it's a Rusty, we can add another five dollars" "But" says I "how many times has it been worn - the op stands for opportunity!" I'd never heard of the brand Rusty and have you seen what teenagers buy brand-new - ripped and torn jeans.

el
  • 18th Aug 2011 05:38am

it is no wonder the prices are increasing in the op stores.I stopped givingto charity some time ago and give directly to specific causes e g flood victims or school drives.

Anonymous
  • 21st Apr 2011 09:47am

I feel that Yes the workers for charity should get paid for their work because like any other organization or job you do you get paid. As for volunteers hats off to you's because without you's where would we be. Charity workers are not Thanked enough for what they do they get below minimum wage yet they continue doing it.
for all those that oppose step in their shoes for one day and I'm sure your opinion will change. Please Support all charities because in one way or another your family, friends or yourself may one day call on them.

MacSas
  • 10th Feb 2011 08:07am

I honestly believe there is no such thing as true charity anymore. From your situation to the ones we see on TV about the starving kids in faraway places, it's all for the money now. I was interested in how places like World Vision managed to dedicate all that time to these poor kids that seriously need help, and then I found out that only 20c (minimum sometimes more depending on the charity) gets to the child. The rest is eaten up in admin costs etc.
I came from a background of volunteer work and some of my greatest days have been spent helping others and truly being paid in smiles and hugs alone. However, today I find myself asking, "Where is the money going?" before I dip my hand into my pocket. That's sad, but I have to do that because I can't afford to be lining the pockets of someone who doesn't need it. I want a guarentee that the money will go where you say it's going. ALL of IT!
The Haiti earthquake fund is another good example. An American friend of mine told me that she was furious to discover that a charity in her hometown had set up a fund for the quake vitims and deemed themselves to be all volunteers, only to be found out as taking admin costs off the top of what was being donated.
This may all sound petty to some, but having worked real charity work, I think that there has become a bit of greed in the art of giving.
One persons grief becomes a corporates gain...

Proteus
  • 18th Jan 2011 10:57am

Recently I had the unenviable task of cleaning out a business premises that my late father had leased to a person who had not paid rentin many months, and had simply walked out of the business. Thinking that the sontents of the business ( secondhand clothing) would be gratefuly recieved by local charities, red cross, salvo. st. vinnies etc., I rang the charities concerned and asked if they would like to come and help themselves to the huge range of clothing left in the shop. I was totally dismayed at the response from all of them. None of them would come and collect anything, all asked if the clothing was new, and sellable etc. Only one of the charities was really interested, and when they couldn't come and collect it, I decide to deliver it all to them.......and spent many hours loading my little car up with clothing, hangers and al, an delivering it all to their premises. After the final delivery, I was told that the clothing was of no value to them at all and it or most of it had been thrown into rubbish collection (in my opinion albeit seconhand clothing, it was all clean, pretty good as far as styles went I guess and definatley sellable). During the course of my doing my bit for charity, I was talking to one of the volenteers who told me she had to pay the charity for her name badge, her protective apron and also had to provide her own morning and afternoon tea. They say charity begins at home, but I'm afraid that charity doesn't exist with the so called charities - they are a business, and donations are expected to be new or near new, and the better the quality the more they will take the goods from donors.
In this modern day of wanting the latest, the most modern fashiions etc., etc., I am more than dissallusioned at the behaviour of charites in general. I for one will not be donating anything to ANY charity from now on as they all stike me as ungrateful, greedy and in my honest opinion, not really doing anyone in need any favours. Perthaps on the other side of the coin, it is also the needy that need to have a look at themselves? Be thankful for what is offered freely.
In future, if I have any goods of any kind that I no longer need or want, I will not be danting to charity, but will either sell it on, or give ti to someone I know needs what I no longer need.

sherri
  • 22nd Nov 2011 01:42pm
Proteus, I understand your sentiment...and agree with you in part..but as long as our big name charity is diverting at least SOME of their income towards the client (as opposed to paying...

OOPS! that last little bit makes no sense at all unless you understand that I was talking about how I know both sides of the coin re charities having worked in one.
And while I think that where possible volunteers should be used, there are some jobs that most volunteers would not have the training to do. And few of those who are trained are able to work voluntarily. My comment was that I had felt very priveleged to be able to do something that I beleived in so much that I would have done for free if I had been financially able to do so. (but I had decided that it did not really fit into that par of the conversation and had moved it, but had forgotten to delete it)

sherri
  • 22nd Nov 2011 01:36pm
Recently I had the unenviable task of cleaning out a business premises that my late father had leased to a person who had not paid rentin many months, and had simply walked out of the business. ...

Proteus, I understand your sentiment...and agree with you in part..but as long as our big name charity is diverting at least SOME of their income towards the client (as opposed to paying overheads), then what you donate has had a positive impact for someone who needed it to.

And as someone who has worked for a charity - I hear all the criticism on these boards, and have to say that they are not without some foundation! -

So could you consider a descending scale of options for your no longer wanted item, and putting donation to a charity as a last resort...because my 'skip diving recycler' friend (who takes unwanted Salvos donations and repairs them) has a point when she says that she is offended by the amount of good items that are going as land-fill. She sees this as environmental vandalism!




(as a paid employee who for a long time revelled in the fact that she had the kind of job that she would have loved to have been able to do for free but could not have done so had she not been paid)

SereneBee
  • 24th Oct 2011 07:41pm
Recently I had the unenviable task of cleaning out a business premises that my late father had leased to a person who had not paid rentin many months, and had simply walked out of the business. ...

Fortunately, Vinnies op-shop in East Vic Park, WA provides free to all volunteers - an introduction course complete with lunch; name badge; apron; gloves; morning and arvo teas;.
Before I had osteoarthritic knees I was a volunteer gardener with the Volunteer Task Force - they provided all the protective gear needed for gardening eg. gloves, hat, ear muffs & eye protection PLUS seven dollars a day for lunch money whether you took your own or not plus the equivalent bus fare/petrol money as they wanted you to donate your time and not be out of pocket. Also at the end of the year they had a picnic in King's Park and a slap-up lunch where "Father Christmas" gave every volunteer a 'half decent' gift donated by local businesses!

pothum
  • 17th Dec 2010 09:30pm

Couldn't agree more. In this day and age it seems that everyone is being asked for more. I'm fast losing patience with so-called charities.

Anonymous
  • 28th Nov 2010 08:51pm

In general it is a business where the rich can donate for a tax break. In Reply toGrandy01 The Charities in most part are not allowed by law to sell electrical items as the insurance is an issue or something. I was desperate to get electrical stuff and thats what I was told ny staff. I have found that now for clothing items the new gear stores have stuff for same price as secondhand at the charities. p.s if you are looking for cheaper stuff electrical items etc they call them "damaged" with even a scratch on the packing box from a conventional store can be cheaper that floor stock.

gloria
  • 10th Sep 2010 01:25pm

I totally agree.'Charity" is big business: even the clothing bins do not always go to the needy, only part of the money received from the sale goes to the charity, the rest goes to the entrepreneur. When they were introduced many years ago, there were turf wars, similar to the tow-truck battles- the reason? So much money is involved.
Charities and Green groups, like ACF, try and collect your credit card details, with teams swooping in the street. I give to charities, but NEVER to ones which want a monthly debit.

DeNiro
  • 7th May 2010 07:23pm

If even some of the profits from sales increase a charity's total pool of funds for helping those in need, then what is wrong with aiming to increase those sales? It is not realistic to expect large charities which administer millions of dollars to be run entirely by volunteers. Too much time and expertise is required to ensure minimum waste and maximum accountability. The fact that the charity referred to has a high ratio of volunteers to paid staff is a good thing because at least part of every wage saved when someone works for nothing must surely go to those the charity was set up to help - otherwise it would not be a genuine charity.

bigred
  • 17th Mar 2010 06:35pm

My thoughts exactly. WHAT I hate is it is all donated and some (ALL IN MY AREA) charge nearly antique prices for a lot of stuff, and the prices of clothes you can buy them cheaper when Kmart have them on end of season sale. My niece was a on a single mothers pension and wanted to leave a deposit on a lounge suite to be kept for 2 days (at the Salvos) and was told they couldn't do that, so as far as I am concerned all my stuff goes to friends and gets passed around then whats left goes to the tip, SORRY I do not have any time for them anymore, CHARITY I think not.

sherri
  • 22nd Nov 2011 01:27pm
I totally agree with you bigred. Prices in op shops can be astronomically high. Have you ever tried donating goods to them. If it's a piece of furniture that has a few scratches on it or the...

As one of life's little ironies, a friend of mine 'skip dives' (with permission) at her local Sally's - and she salvages items in need of a little repair and recycles them through her church. - mainly to assylum seeker communities who -despite what we like to think are actually often in very dire straits.

She has found many VERY good items in this way, often only in need of a replacement hinge or a coat of paint.

However, on the flip side of of this is the tendency for people to only give to charities that which is not fit for resale - turning the guys who collect for charities into quazi garbage men, and saving the donor the cost of tip-fees. So it is swings and roundabouts I suppose.

sherri
  • 22nd Nov 2011 01:12pm
I totally agree with you bigred. Prices in op shops can be astronomically high. Have you ever tried donating goods to them. If it's a piece of furniture that has a few scratches on it or the...

As one of life's little ironies, a friend of mine 'skip dives' (with permission) at her local Sally's - and she salvages items in need of a little repair and recycles them through her church. - mainly to assylum seeker communities who -despite what we like to think are actually often in very dire straits.

She has found many VERY good items in this way, often only in need of a replacement hinge or a coat of paint.

However, on the flip side of of this is the tendency for people to only give to charities that which is not fit for resale - turning the guys who collect for charities into quazi garbage men, and saving the donor the cost of tip-fees. So it is swings and roundabouts I suppose.

ozziedigger
  • 24th Oct 2011 01:18pm
Well Rosal you might be surprised how fussy some 'poor' people are. I had somebody ask me to get them a new casserole dish from "out the back" because this one has a tiny crack in it. I gently...

getting back to the subject,re charities and who actually gets any aid.
I have found that wherever a dollar is thrown in the air and lands in the right place,
it will not take long before a criminally bent brain wiil think of some way to get it for themselves.
I have realised for some time,this is happening wholesale with our charities,but Karma has caught them recently, and big quiet changes are now taking place.So please keep donating,every charity has a just cause,but some have had ugly motives,and they are temporary now,thanks to Karma,

SereneBee
  • 5th Oct 2011 02:36pm
Good comment SereneBee: I personally would like to know what is the best way to donate goods to these charities. I would like to know is it best to leave goods on hangers? or fold and stack them....

Sorry for the delay in replying Gemma2759 [family illness] whatever suits you is fine, but for preference just a bag of folded clothes is easiest to handle. Or some folk bring in a basket-ful which we empty so they can refill it.

SereneBee
  • 5th Oct 2011 02:32pm
That very bad...they should accept whatever you can give no matter how small or big it is, as long as it's come from the heart. I am sure poor people would love that.

Well Rosal you might be surprised how fussy some 'poor' people are. I had somebody ask me to get them a new casserole dish from "out the back" because this one has a tiny crack in it. I gently explained that the crack didn't interfere with the integrity of the dish and that was the reason it was priced at fifty cents; and that as everything in the store had been donated there was no NEW stuff out there.

SereneBee
  • 5th Oct 2011 02:28pm
The thing is berger123 that an op=shop serves two purposes. It's an opportunity for people -anyone- to get a bargain and by doing so the charity has the opportunity to do good in the community. ...

Actually that's a typo -- it was OUR Mum's not yours ------- sorry about that. :-{

SereneBee
  • 5th Oct 2011 02:27pm
What I don't understand is what are the op shops there for? I used to think that they were there to provide low price items for people in need, but I have heard so many people who are on...

The thing is berger123 that an op=shop serves two purposes. It's an opportunity for people -anyone- to get a bargain and by doing so the charity has the opportunity to do good in the community. Just yesterday, we had two people with vouchers go out with $100.00 worth of goods each. People in dire straits have 2 community-minded volunteers go out and assess their situation; if proven they are given the voucher for what they really need. Two years ago I had two people who needed black clothes for funeral purposes come in with a voucher. As an aside, I annoyed my sister by wearing navy blue to your Mother's funeral~~

SereneBee
  • 5th Oct 2011 02:20pm
Actually Sarah there are some St Vincent Charities who chose to take electrical items and some who choose not to. This is based on what all charities base their logic with goods of this nature...

I expect Mermaid it depends on in which Australian state you are~~ I can only speak for the Perth metro area in WA. I've only been with Vinnies for four years and I've heard that before our society became so litigious Vinnies did indeed sell electrical items. Sometimes, it's easier and kinder to take the whole donation. There's a Good Sammies near us and we give them any electrical items as they still sell them.

mermaid
  • 5th Oct 2011 12:46pm
Vinnies -and several others- can no longer sell electrical items because our society has become so litigious it's just not worth any charity's while to be sued!

Actually Sarah there are some St Vincent Charities who chose to take electrical items and some who choose not to. This is based on what all charities base their logic with goods of this nature on....If it's older than 5 years we don't want it, if the store your offering the item to does not have someone qualified to check the electrical item they will not take it. The cost of putting a volunteer through a course is less than $500 case rested.

whatto
  • 17th Jun 2011 09:09pm
I totally agree with you bigred. Prices in op shops can be astronomically high. Have you ever tried donating goods to them. If it's a piece of furniture that has a few scratches on it or the...

Last year I tried to donate a lounge and some other bulky items in pretty good condition. They were given to me when I moved out of home and had no money, and I felt they were still in pretty good nick to do the same for someone else. They wouldn't even look at them when I said there were a couple of scratches on the corner of the main lounge. I ended up using someones advice and advertised them on gumtree, in their free section. The family that the lounge tv and other things went to where so astounded they tried to pay me. They had recently moved to the country WITH NOTHING and were trying to make a better life for themselves and their children, and the support they were receiving most people would say it wasn't support!

rosal
  • 16th Feb 2011 03:20pm
Oh yes they are very choosey with what they will take. My daughter tried to donate a television that was in excellent condition and not very old, although it wasn't a plasma or lcd and they...

That very bad...they should accept whatever you can give no matter how small or big it is, as long as it's come from the heart. I am sure poor people would love that.

bubbles
  • 1st Dec 2010 02:59pm
i do believe in giving donations or items needed by charitable organisations.salvation army is one.but i do object to the ceo"s who get 100,000 dollars per year before any money is handed out.david

The thing that gets me is that a charity can sponser a television show two nights a week and this has started alarm bells going off in my head where is the charity in that.

berger123
  • 27th Nov 2010 12:30pm
Oh yes they are very choosey with what they will take. My daughter tried to donate a television that was in excellent condition and not very old, although it wasn't a plasma or lcd and they...

What I don't understand is what are the op shops there for? I used to think that they were there to provide low price items for people in need, but I have heard so many people who are on reasonable incomes (in some cases, LARGE incomes) say "I scored a bargain" at the op shop. So maybe my original understanding was wrong?

Or has the client base changed from the needy to the wealthy? If the funds from the op shop were going back to the needy in some way, that would be great, but I fear that with inflation that the funds mostly get ploughed back into the running of the op shop, which means it just supports itself and nothing/no-one else.

Please don't misunderstand me, I am all for charities supporting people, but not charities supporting themselves to no other end. If they do this, they are just a business and no longer a charity, IMHO.

Gemma2759
  • 17th Nov 2010 08:48am
I volunteer at my local Vinnies op-shop and the big skip at the back is there because certain people in our society say this is too good to throw out so we'll donate it to charity. Many times...

Good comment SereneBee: I personally would like to know what is the best way to donate goods to these charities. I would like to know is it best to leave goods on hangers? or fold and stack them. I actually take pride in what i donate and would not donate anything I would not use myself. I actually thought you would have washing machines and laundry facilities to assist with the amount of clothing coming into the store. Leaving things in bins and beside bins is not desirable.
Maybe a collection point at the local tip would be a good place to start........... Tips are no longer the dirty undesirable place anymore. We are also charged so much to take rubbish there so why not be a collection point for old electricals, computers etc and people could visit and pay nominal amounts for goods found or obtained and this money could be donated to charity.
Come on people donate only goods worthy to be used. The charities do not want your rubbish, it costs them so much to dispose of the rubbish. That is why a lot of bins and collection points have been closed down.

SereneBee
  • 17th Oct 2010 05:33pm
Oh yes they are very choosey with what they will take. My daughter tried to donate a television that was in excellent condition and not very old, although it wasn't a plasma or lcd and they...

Vinnies -and several others- can no longer sell electrical items because our society has become so litigious it's just not worth any charity's while to be sued!

SereneBee
  • 17th Oct 2010 05:22pm
I totally agree with you bigred. Prices in op shops can be astronomically high. Have you ever tried donating goods to them. If it's a piece of furniture that has a few scratches on it or the...

I volunteer at my local Vinnies op-shop and the big skip at the back is there because certain people in our society say this is too good to throw out so we'll donate it to charity. Many times we've been given clothes that have been washed but are still wet which we don't have the space because we have a very small shop with no washing/drying facilities - we do iron everything that comes in clean, I do a lot of sewing repairs - hems, seams, buttons etc. I'm sure some people only donate stained clothing which we won't sell. I could go on but I think you probably get the picture. We have many people come in with 'vouchers' meaning after being assessed they get usually $100 FREE either clothes or household linen.

david
  • 29th Apr 2010 06:29pm
Oh yes they are very choosey with what they will take. My daughter tried to donate a television that was in excellent condition and not very old, although it wasn't a plasma or lcd and they...

i do believe in giving donations or items needed by charitable organisations.salvation army is one.but i do object to the ceo"s who get 100,000 dollars per year before any money is handed out.david

grandy01
  • 29th Apr 2010 11:57am
I totally agree with you bigred. Prices in op shops can be astronomically high. Have you ever tried donating goods to them. If it's a piece of furniture that has a few scratches on it or the...

Oh yes they are very choosey with what they will take. My daughter tried to donate a television that was in excellent condition and not very old, although it wasn't a plasma or lcd and they refused to take it. My daughter gave it away to a lady outside the shop who was most grateful for it.

grandy01
  • 29th Apr 2010 11:57am
I totally agree with you bigred. Prices in op shops can be astronomically high. Have you ever tried donating goods to them. If it's a piece of furniture that has a few scratches on it or the...

Oh yes they are very choosey with what they will take. My daughter tried to donate a television that was in excellent condition and not very old, although it wasn't a plasma or lcd and they refused to take it. My daughter gave it away to a lady outside the shop who was most grateful for it.

clutterbugs
  • 20th Apr 2010 12:21am
My thoughts exactly. WHAT I hate is it is all donated and some (ALL IN MY AREA) charge nearly antique prices for a lot of stuff, and the prices of clothes you can buy them cheaper when Kmart have...

I totally agree with you bigred. Prices in op shops can be astronomically high. Have you ever tried donating goods to them. If it's a piece of furniture that has a few scratches on it or the toys aren't in perfect condition or the books are a bit old, the shops don't want it. They only want the best stuff and the rest gets thrown away. Ever noticed the big rubbish bins at the back of their shops?

karts52
  • 6th Mar 2010 12:15pm

I agree with what you say mermaid, but would like to say that they do not all work the same way.
All large charities need a certain percentage of paid staff as the job is rather a large one.
I work as a volunteer for the MS Society in SA doing readathon presentations in schools in my area and get feed back on where the funds go and why they need to fund raise. As a person with MS I appreciate how this fund raising is beneficial to myself and others in my position. Gov. funding is small so fund raising is very necessary.
My hubby is a Diabetic and the situation is the same. They are two charities I support as I know first hand how they work.
For years I always gave to the Salvo's believing their publicity until my eldest daughter and her friend (18 & 17 years old) found themselves in dire straits when my daughter fled the state after we had escaped from my violent 1st marriage. When she turned 18 he targeted her and she fled but ended up needing some help when stranded, the Salvo's turned them away because they did not have drug problems or kid's??? So I have never given to them again as they did not live up to their PR. They turned their backs on 2 young girls in a strange place without money or a place to stay until they could be rescued by friends of family, I was totally disgusted.

Anonymous
  • 11th Dec 2009 03:50pm

It's absoulutly discusting! I couldn't 'work' for a charity. The money they pay their employees should be going to the charity. If I was getting paid for chariy work I would feel like a thief, steeling from a charity. I would have to donate it back, I'd feel too guilty.

sherri
  • 22nd Nov 2011 01:03pm
Just about all the charity op-shops in the Perth metro area are staffed by volunteers - although Good Sammies workers are paid and work much longer hours! But I was on a bus not long ago and...

In Hobart we have a 'One agency policy' - and someone who comes in is informed (and gives consent to) their name (only) being shared with the other agencies.

In this way we were able to prevent 'double dipping' -which in turn meant that we could give more to more.

I am aware that other states do not use this policy, and thought it was because physical distances that do not apply in a little place like Hobart meant that it was not possible for people to attend more than one agency in a day. Perhaps it is time for Perth orgs to consider doing something similar.

As for homelessness as a lifestyle choice....it can actually be more expensive to be homeless than to have a fixed address. I rather suspect that the young man you spoke to will eventually come to realise this and eventually put down a few more roots as he matures as a person and his needs change. (But it DOES underscore the point that income security/poverty is the major issue that needs to be addressed in Australia)

SereneBee
  • 5th Oct 2011 02:14pm
Just about all the charity op-shops in the Perth metro area are staffed by volunteers - although Good Sammies workers are paid and work much longer hours! But I was on a bus not long ago and...

Just about all the charity op-shops in the Perth metro area are staffed by volunteers - although Good Sammies workers are paid and work much longer hours! But I was on a bus not long ago and heard two young people discussing the best way to play one charity against the others. They get vouchers from one and then work their way through a list plus they were discussing where to "score" [their words] free food. And on this subject, when I was at the Dentist last year I was speaking with a fellow patient who said that whilst his situation has changed and he could now afford not to be homeless he much preferred to sleep out. Apparently, there are many places in Perth beneficial to the homeless and not-so-homeless!

Anonymous
  • 11th Jan 2011 03:57pm
Just about all the charity op-shops in the Perth metro area are staffed by volunteers - although Good Sammies workers are paid and work much longer hours! But I was on a bus not long ago and...

I thought most charity work was unpaid. I know where I live to work in a charity shop or help with meals for the unfortunate is all unpaid. But at the same time it is unreal the number of people you see lining up for a free meal and you know they aren't a charity case is quite disturbing to me.

Natacha
  • 20th Dec 2010 06:44pm
It is not the poor worker that rips the charity off, they get VERY VERY low pay and work extremely hard at what they do, it is the owner of the company that makes the big bucks and rips off, they...

Thanks, Jen. I didn't think the paid workers got very much anyway and they seem to try their best. Have you heard of plans for the Robin Hood tax? I hope they introduce this worldwide!

jenisweet
  • 23rd Nov 2010 03:39pm
It is not the poor worker that rips the charity off, they get VERY VERY low pay and work extremely hard at what they do, it is the owner of the company that makes the big bucks and rips off, they...

It is not the poor worker that rips the charity off, they get VERY VERY low pay and work extremely hard at what they do, it is the owner of the company that makes the big bucks and rips off, they are driving around in $50,000 plus luxury cars, luxury million dollar homes and having a grand old time, if they weren't so greedy the charity they represent would make a lot more money. Very little of the takings goes to the charity organisation. Unfortunately if we didn't have these companies we would not get anything for the charities and they do need lots of support. But running a charity company is usually big business for the owner. But there and then look at the big CEO'S in charge of banks and other companies. All I can say is they are a VERY VERY GREEDY LOT without a conscience. P.S. It wouldn't hurt for some of these SUPER RICH to fork out a bit more than they do. The only reason they give to charity is for tax purposes, you can bet on it they don't give more than they have to. Cheers Jen

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