HELPING OUT OTHERS IN NEED

I was wondering of you help out others in need when you have everything ? Do you donate to food pantrys with a cash offer or do you go to the store and buy the food ?

How do you help ?

I don't give to food banks because IMHO they are a perpetuating circle. They are supposed to be for emergencies, but it has been my experience that very many people instead of buying food with their money, they spend it on other things like liquor, cigarettes, bingo, gambling and taxis, and then go to the food bank to do their shopping.

We need to start teaching and making people take care of themselves, instead of giving them handouts and making them dependent.

AMEN!!! I feel sick when I think of all the undeserving people getting help now, the deserving do need help and I'm all for it, but there has GOT to be a better way to screen them. I'm sick of people getting government help when they are perfectly capable of working!

I am struggling myself.. with rent, feeding myself and the two kitties.. barely living check to check.. AND WITH TWO JOBS!!
 

and people expect me to donate. Nope.. won't donate to people who won't help themselves.

I donate when I can to my county's animal shelter. I do not donate to the Humane Society.

When a friend is in need, I'll make dinner or buy us a cheap lunch. It's the best that I can do.

From neighbors I have experience with them stocking up at food bank, being on Sec 8 yet ordering pizza or take out many nights.  Look if you have the money ok do whatever but not while on public assistance.

I will donate spay/neuter(either I phone it in or I pay at time) and the ride there/back and recovery help if needed.  We really do not have it anymore as have taken a pay cut and also a puppy who needs surgery soon.  

I do not donate much else.  I can not stand being asked at stores when the tables are set outside.  We all have issues that affect ourselves and families.  I think we can figure out how to donate if we want to.  I would rather go home and research how money is spent anyways as opposed to giving.

The one that really gets me is the christmas toy drives.  I know someone who got on that list who never ever should have been on for her one daughter.  She was on a few years(think ages 3-5)  It sickened me to see the new toys get tossed around just like the ones the kid already had.

I donate the $5 Petco rewards dollars back to Petco. I have sent cat food to a member here once. I have sent $$ to another shelter to be used to insulate an enclosure to keep it warm in the winter, and I have started to donate to a local no kill, cageless, shelter.

Part of the reason Gary and I don't have the savings we "should" is because we gave a lot when we had a good income. We rescued cats and homeless kids, funded the start-up of a no-kill shelter, funded all our own TNR in two counties, angeled rescues/treatment/spaying & neutering of feral cats around the country... helped transport cats, arranged for long distance rescues... umm.... started the angel funds at all the local vets, where people donate to help people on fixed incomes (especially the elderly) get treatment or surgery for their companions. :heart2:

We always donate to the county food drive. I know people take advantage, but that doesn't stop me from giving, because there are people who truly do need it. In fact, we donate to everything local, whenever someone is collecting for something, or selling raffle tickets. When in NY, if someone is panhandling, we drop our change or a few dollars. I don't judge. Some will use it for drugs, I'm sure; others will use it for food. I just know that whether it's financial or mental, I'm better off. :heart2:

Living in the RV, we have limited space. So whenever we decide it's time to get rid of things, we drop clothes in the Goodwill box, and donate "stuff" to the local church for their rummage sale.

The one I really love is the local health food store: there's a drop box there for pretty much anything: old yarn, candy wrappers, whatever. There is a group of girls that uses the stuff for crafts they make and sell: the proceeds go to the local rescue. :rub:

We don't always have enough to make ends meet; our income is lumpy with the consulting work, and we often juggle bills. But when we get paid, one of the first things we do is donate to the local foster network. We still pay for all our TNR and we make sure the ferals get medical care as needed, so another first thing we always do is catch up with the vet. :lol3:

And because we can't afford everything we want to give to, I focus on advocacy. I pay attention to TNR issues, and comment on news, blogs, etc. For anything I care about, I sign petitions and pass them along.

I see pleas for donations all the time. And if I know the rescue, or know someone who knows the rescue or foster, I'll donate, even if it's just $5, or buying something small on their list at Amazon. For so many, every dollar counts.

Most gifts I give now are donations, rather than physical presents. I know what charities my family members care about, and I donate to those on their behalf.

This all got me wondering:Is the difference between people who have/do live comfortably versus the people who have never been to the point where bills were paid on time. 

We made it for a few months of not worrying much then we had massive house issues and took out a few home loans that really were unexpected on top of a 401 k home improvement mortgage(home improvements are factored into the cost, they can be redoing a kitchen or things like updates to electrical/exsisting issues.

We decided to walk away from our loan and soon after husband was laid off.  If we were not watching everything we spend and trying to figure out where we go next I could see being a lot more freer with money.

Having had to euthanize cats just cause there was no money to spare hurts.  If we were not always under pressure I could see donating to the vets fund for people who can't afford surgery/tests. 

By nature I am a depressed person who is saddened by the way the world runs(models/actors make so much teachers rely on help just getting basics parents can't/won't buy...).  With just a few stories my husband has told me about how the street people(many kids) are living in his 3rd world home country I just feel like even when you play by the book you could lose it all.

Gas alone lately has been major issue.  Husband spends 1/4-1/3 income just getting to work.  Student loan on a degree he does not use is 1/4.

Also wonder how many of the more unstables have helped out within family not as a loan.  Be it items needed/food or money for utilities.
 

As a rule, we don't donate to food banks or to people stuff. But we do give money to a no-kill shelter. And we give old blankets, towels, food, etc to the shelter, too, from time to time. I'll use coupons for cat food and then donate the food. And we give money to our vet sometimes to try to help spay animals. Not a lot because we don't have a lot. But we'll give $10 or $15 over the cost of a vet bill so they can use the money for spaying.

When we go to a store and there are tables outside for whatever fundraiser, I don't buy from them. I just think that if a cheerleading team wants to go to wherever, it's their choice. I shouldn't be expected to help pay for the trip. I'm sorry if it doesn't sit well with people, but it's my choice. There was just an article in the paper where a local teenager wants to audition for the X-Factor. He needs $2,300. I'm not helping. 

If somebody asks me for money, I will not give it to them. But I will buy them lunch or something like that. My son's ex-GF taught me to do that. It's something her father always did and I liked that idea. We don't have a lot of people who ask for money around here.

I agree with catsallaround that our sense of values is screwed up. When an athlete or celebrity makes millions of dollars while a teacher needs money to provide supplies for her students, there's something wrong with society. The people who grow our food (not the big agribusinesses, but our local farmers) are having trouble making ends meet. Yet the large corporations use agriculture as a tax write-off. It's wrong.

The only people charity I occasionally donate to is St Jude Childrens Hospital.  When I was a child they saved a cousin of mine from leukemia.  That was many years ago when leukemia was virtually a death sentence even for children.  The parents didn't make much money, there was no health insurance and they didn't have to pay anything.  That part of their ad where they say a family never pays St Jude anything is true. Of course I am sure they file insurance claims and get what they can that way.   Other then that I take supplies to a local no kill shelter during kitten season.

I guess that was my next question;; Do you donate to the animal shelter ? I appreicate the feed back on donating. to help others.