What's Wrong with Charities

I contribute money to a lot of things that can be called charities: Social-change organizations, feed the children, help animals and wildlife, save the environment, cancer research, political organizations--the list goes on.

It ticks me off that so many of them, when you send them money, reply, in effect, "Thanks, but now send us more!"

And I'm getting even more annoyed at them over a variety of practices: When they want a contribution, their solicitation will come in an envelope that says something like, "Second renewal notice," which I feel makes me look like a deadbeat (okay, only my mail carrier would notice and he most likely doesn't concern himself).

Online solicitations have their own particular tricks. They say something like, "If you could contribute just $3, it would help us. . . " Then you click and go to the contribution page, and is the default amount $3? No, it's $25.

Also, by default you are agreeing to make it a monthly contribution. You have to uncheck a box to make it one-time. I already make monthly contributions to four or five organizations and basically do not want to commit to any more.

I believe in being charitable. My religion (more or less) commands it. However, I have found, lately, that I've been giving to so many groups: usually small amounts, but a few dollars here and 10 or 15 bucks there, it adds up to hundreds before you know it.

And yet, I go online and here's a "Help my campaign" or "Donald Trump has done such-and-such, help us fight back"--and I can't resist.

It's been making me do some thinking about my finances and just what I can and cannot afford. Wish I knew how long my retirement nest egg needs to last me. . . .

Copyright © 2018


Update, March 1, 2018: I've continued to have the problem of contributions being made "recurring" when I did not intend that. I am quite certain that the little box, "Make this a recurring contribution," was not checked, and yet this has happened at least three times. I've responded to that by unsubscribing to emails from those organizations so that there's no danger that I will forget that I should not contribute to those guys. And, where they asked for a reason for the "unsubscribe," I told them about this, and the fact that it's made me very angry. Are they going to take any notice? I doubt it. Still, I feel I've done what I could to punish them for how they (as I feel) tricked me.

Update, July 17, 2018. Another matter I need to mention: If you watch much television you probably have seen long commercials showing kids with cancer, who are in wheelchairs and/or have had their hair fall out due to chemotherapy; or pathetic, abused dogs, in cages or chained up. These ads are undoubtedly effective at tugging at our heartstrings.
However, before you send them money, ask this question: How much do those TV ads cost? How much of my donation is going to program efforts (that is, the work they are supposed to be doing) and how much to fundraising (e.g. TV commercials)? You can find out how much any charity spends on fundraising from a web site called Charity Navigator. Me, I will give to them when I see a notice on the screen, during those ads, saying that all of the work to produce the ads, and the airtime, have been donated.

James Hormel, Philanthropist and Gay Ambassador

I have been reading a book by James C. Hormel entitled Fit to Serve.

Hormel is the scion of the Hormel meatpacking family, which got Americans—and much of the Western world—to eat meat that comes in rectangular blue cans—"Spam" in its original sense. Converting pigs to canned meat, particularly during World War II, was hugely profitable for Hormel's father, then the president of the company.

Hormel went on to lead a model life—married, with five children, a position as Dean of Students at the University of Chicago Law School, and a home (at one point, at least) in Chicago's tony North Shore suburbs. He was later to became US Ambassador to Luxembourg.

Before then, Hormel came out as gay and divorced his wife.

Hormel had numerous relationships with men, and, with his means, was able to live where he wanted, so at various periods he had homes in New York, Hawaii, and San Francisco.

While living in San Francisco, he became involved in many charitable and philanthropic organizations, mainly ones which formed in response to the AIDS epidemic, which at that time was decimating the gay male community in San Francisco.

Hormel was asked to serve on the boards of many of the organizations he'd become involved with.

I tend to feel that it is undemocratic that it's always the people with money who get to be on these boards. On the other hand, it's easy to understand why. Boards are as much about fundraising as anything else. And people who have money usually not only will contribute themselves, but they know other people who have money—so, they are well positioned to tap others like themselves for money.

Hormel does not say, in the book, how much money he personally has, but he does mention figures for how much he contributed. And it is a lot.

So--not to minimize the man's abilities or his generosity--he's been a force for good. Still, to get back to the point I wanted to make, he himself says he didn't do anything to earn that money. Purely by accident of birth, he has had a life of wealth and privilege. Which in turn made his philanthropy possible. And that in turn got him a degree of renown and a position as ambassador (even if to a very small country!).

So I guess what I am saying is what nearly everyone comes to realize at some point: that Nature does not deal everyone an equally good hand. But we need more people like Hormel who try to use their assets (in all senses) to do some good in the world they see around them.

Copyright © 2012 by Richard Stein

Money, Greed, Materialism, Capitalism

The other day I ran into someone I used to know a long time ago (he said something about it being 20 years). I'll call him N.

This guy is maybe the gentlest soul I know. And he doesn't "got" anything. N. doesn't own a computer, he told me, and I wasn't really surprised. Either he's poor or he's an apostle of the simple life. Maybe both.

How much in contrast with the avarice and acquisitiveness that's prevalent in our society. And those who've got the most (money, possessions, whatever)—how did they get where they are?

Look at British society. Who are their landed gentry? How did they get to be what they are, with their estates and very large houses? Often, by being more rapacious than their fellow man. Chances are, they were on the winning side of some battle and their winning side seized whatever they could: land, livestock, etc.

And in America? I think we're starting to see more clearly that there's a lot of greed in America. For the sake of their personal financial gains, some aggressive, hungry young bucks on "Wall Street" engaged in one or another type of chicanery—and imperiled the entire U.S.-–no, the world—financial order.

Large corporations often focus on their "bottom line" to the degree that they deceive the public, the consumer, maybe withholding information on the dangers of the drugs, toys, baby accessories that they make and sell.

I used to say that "business ethics" was an oxymoron. Well, I no longer would say that every nook and corner of the business world is immoral or amoral. Businesses have now and then been good guys. In particular, I've gained more respect for small business. The typical small business owner works very hard and takes risks—to make a success with selling his ice cream or soup or cupcakes.

And, some people have had a good idea. The right idea at the right time and place, or some useful invention. These people deserve the success that they achieve.

However, look at this: How many big business tycoons have started foundations? From earlier times, there's the Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation. Now we have the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, etc. These foundations have enormous sums of money to give away. Also, many wealthy families and individuals give away money and in return get their names on auditoriums, libraries, and so forth--and get more gratitude heaped on them than just bronze plaques.

All the money that these companies and individuals and foundations have—where did it ultimately come from? From you and me, from our pockets. Now, a really revolutionary idea: How about these guys charge less for their products? Let them make less money, let you and me keep more of our money. Rather than Bill Gates having obscene billions of dollars to give away, maybe you and I could have kept some of that money, and then we could decide where it should go.

Copyright © 2010 by Richard Stein