it has been common knowledge..for a long time
that charity..is big business

is it right..to allow single figures of charity aid
to go to wages...clearly its a glass coin..
or like a glass window..into a steel vault..

the tactics..it takes to hound 'charity'
prerably via direct bank discredit monthly
[heck weekly..if it gets an extra percentage]

is it fair...that one gets private gain
from all that massive public pain

[its like saying...only every tenth charity gift counts
90%..is still going to the doing of vile...[or if not vile...not going to the intended good]

its like being ripped off 9 times
by faulse pretenders..to actually do charity once

anyone can see its insane
the rich money maker...gets 9 times the assistance..as the dirt poor

even then..so much is spent..on brandnew vehicles/travel
and raising more funds to go to not charity

we all know what its like
you give a little..[they just see a come-in spinner
charity..a sure *SUKKER*..sign]

[but its a busines model..that has worked throughout time
that is why there is still need..the easy money attracts the greed]

true charity is annonimous
or protection money,...to islolate the problem

who in the end gets the charity
is at the decree and discretion of the one holding the purse

or delivering it
to its mates..or mates of mates
or to buy political favour.

how it should be done..is there is need
make the greedy pay[if your income came from the poor]
or took their wealth away..when the 'poor' plea..your 'rich' must pay

where charity is needed
evil has come..and gone
just moved on

or waiting
..for the payoff

*Found myself absolutely bombarded with calls, letters and emails seeking more*

Thats a good point, Robert. I once donated to a wildlife organisation, after the Blue Mountains had been alight and lots
of wildlife needed looking after. A friend in Sydney chose the
organisation for me. But I was subsequently bombarbed with
regular glossy brochures etc, wanting more. I wondered how much
was actually being spent on the wildlife and how much for administration.

I guess one worthy charity that we all need to remember is in
fact right here, OLO. I guess we just take it for granted too often.

The charity industry, and that's just what it is, an industry, has been a scam for years.

Most of those drop off points with salvos, or the likes written all over them, uses to be owned by private firms, profit makers, profiting from good people's generosity, as they simply paid the advertised foundation on the box a small fee to use their brand, although they have faided away to some extent in recent times, due mainly to cheap imports.

The best charity in my view is something in your home town, that you can see for yourself, is benefitting the intended.

Another great form of charity, is volunteering during a crisis as usually, the funds are one issue, but bums on the ground are often hard to come by.

I support Saint Vincent de Paul Society in my hometown.
Because the Society's own research shows that:

"Existing stereotypes of homelessness as an aging man with a
dependence on alcohol is no longer relevant. The average age of
a single homeless man today is just 35 years and single women both
young and old, single parent families and those escaping domestic
violence are also in dnger of finding themselves on the brink of
homelessness or homeless."

Contributing factors are drought, rural poverty, mental health
issues, depression, domestic violence, addiction, family and
relatioship breakdown and financial pressure. Many people are on the
street because of the closure of public mental institutions. They
suffer from moderate to severe psychiatric illnesses, often linked to drug or alcohol problems.

"Vinnies" is a Catholic lay organisation. It is Australia's largest
charity. Social and class distinctions are ignored. "Need" is the
only test applied. No one is asked about their religion, race,
social status, gender preference, or belief.

They work through home visitation and directly assist needy families
and people with food vouchers and the payment of bills. They are
free of clerical control, this is the work of self-directed laity
whose aims are meeting the needs of those most marginalised in
society. Volunteers don't have to be Catholics, in some places
more than half are not.

What is extraordinary is the range of services offered by Vinnies.
The total number of people annually assisted by Vinnies is an
extraordinary 1.8 million and counting.

While the Society is primarily geared to service at the coalface,
Vinnies' leadership has been increasingly willint to confront the
structural issues that lead to poverty and deprivation in the
first place. While this has caused considerab le debate, nowadays the
Society's leadership is willing to speak out.

The Salvation Army provides similar services and they are very
up-front about publicising their activities. In contrast, Vinnies
are unobtrusive, publicity-shy, de-centralised, less hierarchical,
and far less obviously prominent. They represent Catholicism at its
best.

I will use the same line when I set up my charity, StG.

>>Isn't some money getting to whoever needs it better than none?<<

I'll also talk about how the well-off should help those less fortunate than themselves, and how bad they would feel if one more African child/tortured dog/rare wild bird/homeless person (or any combination thereof) were to suffer one minute longer, thanks to their stinginess.

I'd point out endlessly that the government was not doing enough for these people, and the survival, for one more day, of the African child/tortured dog/rare wild bird/homeless person was entirely dependent on the donation that people like them pull out of their wallet.

I'd also make sure that my people scanned the Deaths column for anyone likely to leave a bob or two (there are usually clues in the obit), and make sure the rellos knew that the dear departed's last wish was that my charity should receive a shedload of money - only she didn't quite get round to writing it down...

My own reward for this would be, of course, quite modest. Who would be a good, honest benchmark? How about that lovely Tim Costello... what is he surviving on? Oh, only a quarter of a mill...

http://www.worldvision.com.au/Libraries/Annual_Report_2011/WVA_Annual_Statements_and_Accounts_FY11_-_Final.pdf

And that's an organization that has total revenues of around $350 million - of which $50 million comes in the form of grants. And on the other side of the ledger, the money goes to other people's projects... how easy is that.

A business of that size would not be a stretch for a competent administrator on $90-120,000. And I bet she'd only need half the staff of Captain Tim.

Lexi you pick one of the best Vinny's care nothing for what Church you are in.
And like the Sally's, well better in fact they help.
So they get my cash and cloths, my suits and best gear went there after work life.
Can bury me in stubbys and union shirt.
Yabby good on you bloke! for reminding us about OLO.
Small efforts can have big results