Charities Blog

Giving Something Back

Be Careful Of Fraudulent Charities

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scholorship_military-veterans-picThis kind of news makes me mad; steaming mad. There are so many people who are less fortunate than the average person. And there are few enough people who are willing to help them out. Then these unscrupulous people or groups of people try to take advantage of those who have giving hearts. I think that there’s a special place in hell for people like them

Anyhow, the reason for the mini rant is this piece of news I read at The Miami Herald. Apparently, there are those who engage in fraudulent activities, trying to collect money in behalf of military veterans, police, and firefighters. According to the report:

The Florida attorney general on Wednesday joined a national effort to fight fraud committed by groups claiming to collect money on behalf of protection agencies and veterans, but they give misleading information about how much of the money would actually be given to those groups.

”Operation False Charity” includes 76 actions against 32 fundraising companies, 31 individuals and 22 nonprofits — or groups claiming to be nonprofits. The effort is led by the Federal Trade Commission, and attorneys general, secretaries of state and other law enforcers in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

You know what’s worse? Some of these groups are actually REAL charities. The problem is that the money that they collect do not ALL go to the causes that they are supposed to champion. While that is not wrong or uncommon in itself, people are misled and majority of the money goes to administration costs, which includes wages of those who work in the organizations.

For more information, get in touch with the FTC.

The Limited Choices of People Seeking Aid

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Hunger in the World of Poverty

Around the world, it cannot be denied that there are a lot of people who are experiencing poverty and issues regarding their manner of living. A lot would depend on where they are situated, the country and of course the manner of living that majority of the region is experiencing. Not all countries are blessed with a good economy to which people can find a way to survive with the available jobs to choose from. Some are just plain unlucky to be situated in them like Vietnam, Africa and so on.

The good thing about the world is that people from other countries do not hesitate to lend a helping hand to the best of their abilities. Help in any form cannot be measured and people in need do not really have much choice. Hence beggars really cannot be choosers in this case.

Help in the form of food, clothing and other materials essential for living is being sent to most parts of the world. Some would even render volunteer work and services just to reach them. In a sense, they can call themselves lucky that there are people who still care for what the world has to deal with today.

Veteran’s Charity Scams

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Veterans.jpgThough many have served with life, limb and even their lives, many veterans fro the wars that the U.S. Military branches fall victims for these scams. Such an example would be the charity The National Veterans Service Fund for Vietnam veterans who claimed to provide help to those servicemen who were exposed to Agent Orange in the said war which failed to invest enough money to the veterans they claim so much to be helping. The said chemical was used widely in the Vietnam conflict as a defoliant to clear huge tracts of forest removing all traces of vegetation making it easier for the military to check and secure. The only problem was that the said agent was also a major cause of cancer and other health disorders that only became known after it was studied extensively after the war. The said charity was supposed to provide assistance in terms of medical aid, and other financial support for veterans and their families who were left to deal with the consequences of its use.

Senate inquiries on the activities of the said organizations questioned the more than 90% of expenditures that were focused on paid fund-raiser events with nothing much given to the Veterans themselves in terms of the assistance they promised. They raised alarm bells after veterans started complaining that the said charity was continuing to solicit and obtain funds for their work even if none of the said funds go to the veterans.

The office of the Attorney General have released many guidelines regarding such activities and that one should call or notify them of any discrepancies or irregularities regarding such matters should they arise to allow proper investigation by the responsible authorities. The same is advised for all those who give regularly to charities which should have the main focus of their expenditures focused on the people or cause they intend to help rather than for other purposes. The Vietnam comfort women are a group that need real support though.

Would You Surrender Your Folks to a Retirement Home?

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Retirement homes usually house the old timers that would not be given the same amount of attention and understanding that people would give in their lives. Parents, grandparents and older relatives who have reached the prime of their age will usually be susceptible to changes in their moods and usual routine. Thus, the need to invest more on their needs as far as attention is concerned is something that people would not be able to give since in most cases, they are already hung up with having to raise their own families to date.

Retirement Homes for the Aged

So the recourse of some groups is to endorse them to retirement homes where they would get the necessary care. However, if scenarios are to be adjudged, people tend to forget about them.

It is in these cases where people who aim to do volunteer work and take care of these people set in. In most cases, they are not related to such people yet they would do the necessary stuff, like attention and comfort, something that these elderly people would normally want to experience. Unfortunately, it takes strangers with a good heart to do this, to the delight of people who have been left astray.

[tags]Retirement homes, elderly, old age, parents, grandparents[/tags]

Living the Life of a Beggar

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Beggars are often misunderstood as people who have given up on life and choose to beg for support in the form of pennies and loose change. To these people, feeling that they have given up any hope of getting their feet back on the ground is a normal response if they were asked up close and personal.

Beggars of Today

While sharing a nickel or a quarter may go a long way for them, it is hard to believe the people would simply lie over and die. But to some people in such an unfortunate situation, it is more than simple surrender but another aspect of personal proportions that have led them to lose hope and live the rest of their days in misery.

Money and support is not all the things in a person’s life. The matter of affection and care is also an invisible need that people tend to overlook. For people who fill the streets in rags and dirty clothes, a simple comfort and smile may eventually give their lives a new lease.

[tags]beggars, despair, hope, foundations, charities[/tags]

War Heroes Who Lose Hope

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Military personnel and servicemen who put their lives on the line for country and fellowmen may not always have something to look forward to when they get home. Loss of opportunity to perhaps get a decent education for their own future would often relegate them to foster homes since immediate family members may not appreciate the career path that such people would have, notably the ones who have suffered injuries and disabilities in the course of their tenure.

War Heroes of the World

Upon reaching the retiring age, it has been common practice for such people to seek shelter from government run homes for relief. Some may not even have anyone to lean on, hence the reason why programs to show just appreciation through comfort and gifts for chosen periods in a year are given. Attention and company alone are big factors to help the psychological needs of such people, supposedly heroes who have risked lives in protecting the honor of their nation and families.

[tags]war veterans, war heroes, elderly[/tags]

Monuments and Places of Historical Nature

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We all hear about set events and charitable causes nowadays and main beneficiaries are usually that of people and places that needs rehabilitation or aids. In both cases, the prior one would garner the most attention since nothing beats the needs to provide help towards human life and comrades.

Historical Places

Places that have become dilapidated and abandoned get their share of causes as well, especially the ones that hold history of events. Such places would become preserved locations, holding memories and would eventually become tourist spots so that tourists and visitors may appreciate the story of the place in most cases.

Historical Places View

People may think that such places can easily be replaced and renovated by new and well-improved infrastructure. However, maintaining and taking heed of what events occurred in the past of these places are what made most countries today and hence preservations in tow. While these projects may not solicit the usual attention that people in need would require, they also get their share of needs for help, mostly by people who know their history and why they should be preserved.

[tags]historical places, history, preservations, monuments[/tags]

Taylor Made Nuts

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deluxe_mixed_nuts_sm.jpgYou don’t have to be rich to be…not my girl as the song goes. Rather you don\’t have to be rich to be charitable. It is a matter of having heart and being aware that there are people in need around you everyday. The great part is that you can help, even by giving a little.

One family who has taken this to heart is the family of Fran Taylor. They have a booth in the Columbus Leigh Mall where people buy all sorts of nutty treats. Little do the people buying know that the money they spend on chocolate covered almonds and cinnamon pecans goes to charity.

Fran Taylor has been a philanthropist says she has been an avid philanthropist all her life. She comes from a poor background so she knows the needs. She has owned Lancaster Income Tax and Book keeping for the last 40 years and that is her main source of income. She, her husband Dan, and her daughter and son-in-law, Vicky and Gary Stovall operate the Taylor Made Nuts booth simply to raise funds for the various charities that they get involved in.