Charity Scam

Frank Boggins

last week i was approached and asked to give money to a person who was going to do a parachute jump for charity.





I find this idiotic as anyone who does a parachute jump wants to do a parachute jump and all a person who would sponsor them would be doing is allowing them do it for free.



I made an enquiry after and the company who does the jumps offers little or no discount for charity and its actually just a rally for them to create new business.



I want to know what is the difference between this and say me doing a charity weekend away in Amsterdam with 5 of my mates and what ever money we come back with goes to charity.

duckysauce

there would be something wrong if you came back from Amsterdam with money:)

Lorgach

I agree with you Frank. . . people just keep coming up with more ridiculous excuses for prising cash from our hands

hmmm

For most/a lot of these charities all money collected goes to the charity while the person themself pays their own expenses. In saying that I don't give money to them because
a) They are sending clueless half equipped people into the mountains
b) There's too many of them and I don't want to encourage it

Donny5

hmmm wrote: »

For most/a lot of these charities all money collected goes to the charity while the person themself pays their own expenses.

I think that's pretty optimistic. The vast majority of parachute jumps, trips overseas and "challenges" I've come across are subsidised or paid for by donations collected by participants.

Dr Turk Turkelton

Some good points in this thread.First charity holiday I can think of was the Cuban cycle challenge.why go to the expense of flying there to do a cycle.The Cavan/Carlow cycle challenge would have had the same ring to it.

So who do I contact to for this Amsterdam challenge?im only doing it for the one armed orphans of Mozambique who have contracted leprosy!

disclimer*left arm only someone else has a trip to Madrid arranged for the right arms*

Alun

hmmm wrote: »

For most/a lot of these charities all money collected goes to the charity while the person themself pays their own expenses. In saying that I don't give money to them because
a) They are sending clueless half equipped people into the mountains
b) There's too many of them and I don't want to encourage it

I fully agree. I run the website for the walking club I am a member of and I reckon I get at least 2 emails a week from charities organizing these 'challenges'. Straight to the recycle bin with them.

christmas2012

Charity doesnt mean charity anymore like it used to,there are too many middle management types for example in goal and trocaire,its sad to see that not all the money gets there,or most of it.

Even in ''charity'' shops prices are sky high,i was looking at a maxi dress and it was 28 E,so much for charitable prices.And all the workers there arent even paid a penny there off the FAS slave labour scheme.

There raking in the money,no warehouse fees,no employee fees ,and dresses there for 20 or more..Thats not charity.

Mickeroo

Aye, these type of aid agencies have never fixed anybodies problems, all they do is make the indigenous population reliant on aid and cripple their local economies beyond repair. Yet people go around raisng money for them so you can send them off on holiday to africa or south east asia.

kincsem

Just a few thoughts

• Years ago I worked in an African country as an auditor for two years (commercial not aid). The many managers in an aid organisation I audited were paid my salary x 9+ (and in £UK !!!), and my salary was my Irish salary x 1.6. Their salary was European basic + African inflation rates compounded annually Nice.
• I don't contribute to adrenaline junkies foreign holidays. I do not sponsor secondary school students from posh South Dublin schools who go to Africa for two weeks to "help".
• My monthly contribution goes direct to an orphanage in Argentina, and every few months I buy a bicycle at World Bicycle Relief (most bikes go to secondary school students in Africa.)
• I disagree that aid ruins economies. Local politicians mismanage and plunder their economies (I could give many examples from experience, observation and work.) Management and politicians favour their own tribes and families. Most of these places do not have an economy. Where I was had ~70% unemployment.

Mickeroo

kincsem wrote: »

Just a few thoughts

[*]I disagree that aid ruins economies. Local politicians mismanage and plunder their economies (I could give many examples from experience, observation and work.) Management and politicians favour their own tribes and families. Most of these places do not have an economy. Where I was had ~70% unemployment.
[/LIST]

You're exactly right, it's not the aid itself but the way its managed most of the time, I should have been clearer.

There is other instances though, where you have the likes of charities collecting shoes or something similar to give to people in these countries. Though well intended, something like that could end up putting local shoemakers or crafts people out of business. Something like the bike charity you mentioned wouldn't come under that though I'd imagine, since bikes aren't exactly the kind of thing that could be produced locally anyway.

martinedwards

I don't like sponsoring anyone doing a sponsored walk even.

what's the POINT?

a sponsored oldfolks window clean, or litter pick..... now that I WOULD contribute to!

loobylou

martinedwards wrote: »

I don't like sponsoring anyone doing a sponsored walk even.

what's the POINT?

a sponsored oldfolks window clean, or litter pick..... now that I WOULD contribute to!

A sponsored litter pick, now that IS a fantastic idea.