Charities need more generosity, less pickiness
I know this is the “season of giving,” when Thanksgiving and Christmas seem
to put people into a charitable mood. But, why is that? Why do some folks become
more generous this time of year than others?
Obviously the easy answer is the nature of the holiday season. It’s when we’re supposed to be thankful for what we have and what we’ve received, and through time that thankfulness evolved into a need to share those blessings. Whether it’s out of a true sense of generosity, or even a sense of guilt at having more than others, it’s good that people want to help those in need.
But, folks ought to be in this frame of mind the rest of the year, too. There is plenty of need, even in our community, throughout the year, not just during the final two months. It’s great that charities, food banks, shelters and others that help people in need tend to be overwhelmed and overstocked before the holiday season’s over; however, in many instances all that quickly is handed out while they still have to find ways to provide assistance the rest of the year.
It’s like that song says, “why can’t every day be like Christmas?” Why can’t people continue being thankful and share their blessings all through the year? Need knows no season. Even though the economy supposedly is rebounding and improving, there still are plenty of people hurting, who have stretched everything they have as far as they can and just getting by is a challenge. Sharing and charity are needed more than just these few weeks.
Along those lines, I have to admit to being surprised at how persnickety some charities can be. I ran across something this week about people who had gathered clothes, toys, toiletries and other items for a women and children’s shelter. Among the toiletries were lotion and perfume sets from Victoria’s Secret. One of the persons helping operate the shelter questioned the appropriateness of items from Victoria’s Secret. Seriously? It wasn’t racy lingerie, it was skin lotion and perfume.
That’s not the only instance I’ve seen lately of charities getting picky about who can donate or offer help. Last month, Crazy Girls, a topless cabaret revue at The Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, wanted to donate to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Considering the bad PR the organization has had in recent months, you’d think it wouldn’t look for more, but it did. It rejected the cabaret troupe’s donation, contending it didn’t fall in line with what the breast cancer society is as an organization.
Fortunately, the ladies of Crazy Girls found two other organizations that weren’t so picky — the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation based in Connecticut and Safe Nest, a Nevada charity that helps victims of domestic violence.
Closer to home, the Kansas City Rescue Mission rejected an offer from the Kansas City Atheist Coalition to volunteer for its community Thanksgiving project. However, the group had volunteered at the rescue mission for the past two years. According to reports, the rescue mission decided it didn‘t want the atheists’ help this year because it was including religious literature with the meals it delivered. Ironically, another religious-based organization, The Micah Ministry, welcomed the atheist volunteers to help the less fortunate. Its senior minister said they wanted to help people and didn’t question the faith, orientation, race, creed or legal standing of those in need, or those wanting to help.
In a similar vein, the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen in South Carolina turned away volunteers from an atheist group with its director saying she’d resign before letting people like that help the soup kitchen. Undaunted, the atheist group started its own program, raised $2,000 online to buy socks, gloves, toiletries, wipes and other items, and handed out 300 care packages to the homeless.
Rounding out the list of “You’ve got to be kidding” stories I’ve seen, the Tattooed Hippie Pirate Mommas, a group in Texas that celebrates motherhood and tattoos, tried to donate $3,000 to a child abuse charity. It raised the funds through sales of a pin-up calendar also celebrating ink and motherhood. According to reports, the charity’s director politely rejected the Mommas’ donation because they weren’t conservative enough, but did encourage them to donate to another deserving charity.
In each of these instances, the would-be donors did nothing illegal and wanted to help others with no agenda of their own nor strings attached. Fortunately, although I haven’t seen a follow-up on the Mommas, these groups found similar ways to help others.
It seems to me when folks are being generous, then that generosity should be welcomed, whether they dress skimpy, have tattoos or don’t share beliefs. They’re following the old edict of do for others ...
Now, if people would just do this all year long.
Obviously the easy answer is the nature of the holiday season. It’s when we’re supposed to be thankful for what we have and what we’ve received, and through time that thankfulness evolved into a need to share those blessings. Whether it’s out of a true sense of generosity, or even a sense of guilt at having more than others, it’s good that people want to help those in need.
But, folks ought to be in this frame of mind the rest of the year, too. There is plenty of need, even in our community, throughout the year, not just during the final two months. It’s great that charities, food banks, shelters and others that help people in need tend to be overwhelmed and overstocked before the holiday season’s over; however, in many instances all that quickly is handed out while they still have to find ways to provide assistance the rest of the year.
It’s like that song says, “why can’t every day be like Christmas?” Why can’t people continue being thankful and share their blessings all through the year? Need knows no season. Even though the economy supposedly is rebounding and improving, there still are plenty of people hurting, who have stretched everything they have as far as they can and just getting by is a challenge. Sharing and charity are needed more than just these few weeks.
Along those lines, I have to admit to being surprised at how persnickety some charities can be. I ran across something this week about people who had gathered clothes, toys, toiletries and other items for a women and children’s shelter. Among the toiletries were lotion and perfume sets from Victoria’s Secret. One of the persons helping operate the shelter questioned the appropriateness of items from Victoria’s Secret. Seriously? It wasn’t racy lingerie, it was skin lotion and perfume.
That’s not the only instance I’ve seen lately of charities getting picky about who can donate or offer help. Last month, Crazy Girls, a topless cabaret revue at The Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, wanted to donate to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Considering the bad PR the organization has had in recent months, you’d think it wouldn’t look for more, but it did. It rejected the cabaret troupe’s donation, contending it didn’t fall in line with what the breast cancer society is as an organization.
Fortunately, the ladies of Crazy Girls found two other organizations that weren’t so picky — the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation based in Connecticut and Safe Nest, a Nevada charity that helps victims of domestic violence.
Closer to home, the Kansas City Rescue Mission rejected an offer from the Kansas City Atheist Coalition to volunteer for its community Thanksgiving project. However, the group had volunteered at the rescue mission for the past two years. According to reports, the rescue mission decided it didn‘t want the atheists’ help this year because it was including religious literature with the meals it delivered. Ironically, another religious-based organization, The Micah Ministry, welcomed the atheist volunteers to help the less fortunate. Its senior minister said they wanted to help people and didn’t question the faith, orientation, race, creed or legal standing of those in need, or those wanting to help.
In a similar vein, the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen in South Carolina turned away volunteers from an atheist group with its director saying she’d resign before letting people like that help the soup kitchen. Undaunted, the atheist group started its own program, raised $2,000 online to buy socks, gloves, toiletries, wipes and other items, and handed out 300 care packages to the homeless.
Rounding out the list of “You’ve got to be kidding” stories I’ve seen, the Tattooed Hippie Pirate Mommas, a group in Texas that celebrates motherhood and tattoos, tried to donate $3,000 to a child abuse charity. It raised the funds through sales of a pin-up calendar also celebrating ink and motherhood. According to reports, the charity’s director politely rejected the Mommas’ donation because they weren’t conservative enough, but did encourage them to donate to another deserving charity.
In each of these instances, the would-be donors did nothing illegal and wanted to help others with no agenda of their own nor strings attached. Fortunately, although I haven’t seen a follow-up on the Mommas, these groups found similar ways to help others.
It seems to me when folks are being generous, then that generosity should be welcomed, whether they dress skimpy, have tattoos or don’t share beliefs. They’re following the old edict of do for others ...
Now, if people would just do this all year long.
.jpg)
Amen!
ReplyDeleteWell said!
ReplyDelete