Can you support this please?

I support Oxfam and Wateraid but have growing misgivings about the huge proliferation of charities. The very wide definition of what is a "charity" concerns me because there are tax advantages for those organisations that achieve charitable status (independent schools usually have charitable status for instance). Unless a charity is right on your doorstep, it is very difficult to know how donated money is being used - whether vast amounts are going to salaries, buildings and administration.

I thought Bags article was interesting and I don't understand why anyone should be annoyed. You can choose to give to whomever you want but it does nobody any harm to be well informed.

DEFINELTY we are ready to donate money for charties. chartiy is a social work which anoyne can do easily.Its upto you how you mange this like donating something to charity or other option is Marathon means run for charity from which anyone can generate money for disable children bring some hope in the life of needy or disable children so lets check out if anyone is interested no one will force you just checkout once.. team.openheartmagic.org/ Run for charity

I've signed too moved and posted it on my Facebook where there was a wonderful take up from the younger generation in particular. I think we can take heart that so many young parents with families, who are probably feeling the pinch are willing to sign up. I know this did not actually entail any direct giving just a support petition.

Thanks GA for sharing my feeling that the charities will use the money better than the government.

I am a simple soul who gives to charity because I can and am aware that in this country even those living on benefits are much better off than the majority of the rest of the world. If you can't be grateful for what you have at this time of year you probably never can be.

You can support The Big Give at no cost by signing the petition now or, when they repeat their appeal next year, contributing to your choice of charities in the knowledge that a big business is matching your donation. For me that's a win win.

Interesting article Bags and once again we're on the same page. I have ongoing commitments to three charities; only one of which, wateraid, is a well known one. The other two are a small UK charity that supports families in this country and a tiny local charity where a bloke takes a trip to Nicaragua twice a year and pays the school fees, directly to the school administrator, of the children sponsored by the charity. He pays for the trips himself and meets each of the families whose children are sponsored. Recently though I have spent some time looking into the area of micro-finance as I believe that this is the way forward. I have a very limited income so I want to use my money as wisely as I can and get the best 'outcome' that I can; lending money to these programmes seems to be a useful way of providing support over the long term.
I don't have a guilt trip when I see charity posters etc., I have worked for two charities in this country and believe that both are extremely well run and provide an invaluable service, but I've chosen to give elsewhere. I don't give to homeless people on the streets either; although I do occasionally invite one to join me for a meal and for several years the local homeless blokes knew they could call at my house for food and showers etc. (until one of them menaced me in my home). Some of you know that a homeless man lived with us for several months.
Bags, people give for a variety of reasons and in lots of different ways (the act of being a 'good neighbour' is charitable and often costs only time and patience), so I'm glad that, for whatever reason, people are charitable, but for those of us who have the time and the inclination I do think it's worth exploring the effectiveness of our giving.
Now, I'm going to sign the petition because I think that charities will use the money more effectively than the government will!!

See I knew we could get it right bags

I am overcome by your charm, nanado.

Of course your comment was aimed at me bags it followed directly after my angry face. I accept your apology though .

You are right we will do what we think best. As informed readers we are able to sort the wheat from the chaff, the grey areas from the obvious and right from wrong.

This is not a new or innovative idea. Most of the good charities are already setting up projects that are sustainable. However it was kind if you to save this thread from vanishing into oblivion by posting such a controversial piece

None of my comments were aimed at anyone in particular. People will, of course, do what they think best and most effective. Fienberg's view of what is effective differs from what may be the most commonly held view that giving to charity is good per se. She is merely pointing out grey areas and I'm glad she has been brave enough to do that because effectiveness matters to me too.

Perhaps I should have started another thread instead of adding to this one, but it does seem to have stopped it from sliding off the bottom of the Active page.

Don't you dare tell me what to get angry about bags and I always make informed choices.

I agree with Nando I think that any writer who encourages us to stop giving should be discouraged. It is not possible for ordinary people to check out alll the details of where there donations are spent and people like this just make people doubt the good of charities. It is a salve to the conscience of those who don't give.

I prefer to think that most charities handle their affairs well, why wouldn't they? People who work in charities are generally well meaning even if sometimes they may not get it right. I could not live with myself if I distrusted them all the time.

This petition is NOT asking you to give money, it is asking the government to support an excellent annual event where the giving that you and I give is matched by businesses. You still choose your own charities. How can that be bad? If you want to check out the charities you still can so I don't think anyone should be put off by this article.

Please consider signing.

new.thebiggive.org.uk/petition/

Fienberg's is only an opinion, as she says, but it is an opinion she has formed through experience in the field so not to be dismissed lightly, I think. It is also an opinion I had been vaguely formulating myself. My thoughts were recently brought to a head on this when I attended a talk given by someone from shared-interest.com. This organisation enables loans (e.g. in many cases through Traidcraft) to small enterprises in developing countries. The idea is to give the enterprises a 'leg up' if you like, and to encourage self-supporting endeavours to flourish, rather than supplying constant hand-outs.

This is not to say hand-outs are not necessary in emergency situations, only that they are not – and Fienberg argues they have been shown to be not – what ultimately works in the long term.

She is not arguing that one shouldn't give to charity either. She is just saying check the charity out. Don't give blindly out of a sense of guilt because that is often just 'good money after bad' and not helpful to the people you are trying to help.

I don't think there's any point in getting angry about it. Just think and make your informed choice.

Preventing deaths from malaria until such times as an effective vaccine is available.

Well it takes all types I suppose. That article anoyed me very much. Remember that's just one woman's opinion not fact. I support and continue to support good charities otherwise children will die pointlessly. Take just one of her 'arguments' , mosquito nets. Providing these in areas where malaria is rampant is an excellent value fir money, short term option for preventing deaths from malaria u Gil such times as an effective vaccine is available. Remember almost 90% if deaths from malaria are in under 5s. It is a painful but preventable death.

When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.

— Dom Hélder Câmara

Interesting article Bags

Movedalot thanks for your link. I have to admit I'm bewildered at times by the sheer number of charities and organisations asking for donations. Guilt is linked to charitable giving in my mind - I give because of guilt (and compassion I hope) - if I don't give I feel guilty.

Interesting, Bags. Am pondering.

movedalot, I've hesitated before doing this post, but thought I would post it now since there haven't been many responses on this thread. I read this BBC article by Georgie Fienberg in which she talks about concerns I've had for a while about charitable giving of this kind.

Sorry Ana doing too many things at once! No point putting this on without the link!

Thanks for sorting me out.

Here's a link to the petition:

new.thebiggive.org.uk/petition/