Results: This is a survey about charities, what they are and what many of them are not.
We have probably heard the phrase "I gave at the office." used when asked to donate to a charity. These days it seems to be expected that corporations be "good corporate citizens". This often means having employees "volunteer" their time and or money to a cause decided by management. We see questions in surveys suggesting that businesses that do this kind of charitable work are more worthy of our business. Are they?
1.
1.
When I first started out on my banking career in the 1960s, there were very few large charities and I had never heard of Oxfam. Bank employees were "encouraged" by management to have a donation off each paycheck. Never having heard of Oxfam I decided to check them out first. Here are some of the things I discovered and not much has changed since then. Many (most?) large charities are run the same way. Are you aware of the following. The charity offices were in the most expensive real estate in my city with a uniformed commissionaire at the door, oak panelling on the walls and brass-work everywhere. It was like being in a mansion with oil paintings beside a winding staircase and the polished smell of opulence . I wondered where my small donation would be going.
14%
•
299 votes
I decided to review the annual report and it showed the board consisted of a who's who of British society with members of royalty, nobility and captains of industry. They were not giving their time for free. There was an eyeopening section in the report headed "directors fees" and again I was concerned where my small donation was going.
15%
•
326 votes
I wondered what percentage of donations was actually going to the front line objective of the charity - famine relief in Africa and was appalled to discover it was only 6%. From that moment on I decided to only contribute to charitable causes that were actually charitable and not just an ego trip or other motivation for the British elites.
26%
•
564 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
•
30 votes
Not Applicable
61%
•
1351 votes
- Small ones.
- Not at all. I can barely take care of myself.
- SMALL LOCAL CHARITIES
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| 1.15% | 14 | |
| UNDECIDED | 0.08% | 1 |
| I know the good ones. | 0.08% | 1 |
| Aware of all of the above | 0.08% | 1 |
| none | 0.08% | 1 |
| some people take advantage of the charities and have bad attitudes | 0.08% | 1 |
| northshore animal hospital | 0.08% | 1 |
| No, I used to,, then, I checked them out. All but one (DAV) were scams. | 0.08% | 1 |
| Not aware of many of this. I have thought about it though. Thanks for the information. | 0.08% | 1 |
| Both | 0.08% | 1 |
| cancer research | 0.08% | 1 |
| yep...another well known scam......charity | 0.08% | 1 |
| I've never heard of Oxfam | 0.08% | 1 |
| none of the above | 0.08% | 1 |
| sometimes those elite people do not take salaries just expenses | 0.08% | 1 |
| I decide who I donate to and not my employer | 0.08% | 1 |
| samaritans purse, jude | 0.08% | 1 |
2.
2.
We hear a lot about food banks these days and my wife was "volunteered" by her employer to join other staff at the warehouse to package Christmas parcels for the needy. The warehouse was in the middle of an industrial area with no public transit and her shift was in the evening after work. She was expected to hitch a ride with other staff, get dropped off and picked up by me, or get a cab at her own expense. The manager meanwhile had his photograph in the local newspaper because of his charitable works. What do you think of this all too common practice? If the company want's staff to help the charity they should do it during work hours. Charitable work in the after hours should be a private issue for staff.
36%
•
796 votes
If the company want's staff to help the charity and access to the facility is difficult, the company should cover the cost of a cab and/or reimburse expenses. Any financial outlay for charitable work should be a private issue for staff.
32%
•
706 votes
If a company wants to use corporate resources for charitable work, but only staff actually contribute time and effort, not management, then staff deserve a mention in any publicity the company derives from this.
31%
•
688 votes
When corporations use staff to do charitable works to enhance the corporate image in advertising, the annual report and other marketing efforts, staff are more likely to say "I gave at the office" when other charities need support.
18%
•
396 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
•
16 votes
Not Applicable
44%
•
966 votes
- The latter
- Coerced
- why do you care?
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| 0.46% | 12 | |
| Employers should NOT volunteer their employees. | 0.04% | 1 |
| UNDECIDED | 0.04% | 1 |
| This just should not happen at all. A company should not be able to make it's employees do charitable work? I'm an American and I find this odd? I don't think this happens often here? | 0.04% | 1 |
| Just another scam. | 0.04% | 1 |
3.
3.
When I was a manager for a large company, I was visiting our branch in Bermuda. Flights were infrequent so I had to stay for a week to get the return flight. This allowed me to participate in the Wednesday children's BBQ. With no social programs on the island, everything relied on volunteers. In this case, business leaders took hospitalized kids for a beach BBQ or something one a week. The volunteers loved it and the kids responded. I wish we could replace charitable work done for a paycheck with charitable work done for the love of it. If this were the case, maybe we would have less of the following situations? The local food bank is run by a person who is excellent at self promotion. Her salary is high enough that she drives a new Mercedes, as do the other family members she now has involved. At least 2 of them live in the most expensive part of town. Would this raise some questions?
27%
•
594 votes
My wife worked for a social services department. Two of the staff members were in a relationship and overspent on their credit cards buying gifts for each other. Having no money for food they each wrote the other a slip to get food from the food bank.
21%
•
458 votes
We were moving to another province for a job opportunity and decided to donate some items so social services for the homeless. When we went to the social services office they showed no interest in our offer until we mentioned we had the items in our truck. Then their enthusiasm was obvious. We dropped everything off and as we sat in the parking lot we noticed the staff divvying up the items and putting whatever they selected under their desks or beside the coat rack. It looked very much as if the staff were keeping the items for themselves. Surely not?
22%
•
486 votes
I have read bad things about The Clinton Foundation - none of them true of course?
7%
•
160 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
•
22 votes
Not Applicable
57%
•
1262 votes
- Most of them. Big religions are the same.
- Yes
- no
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| 0.52% | 9 | |
| I have personal experience with the Clinton Foundation and the bad “things” are true. | 0.06% | 1 |
| Clinton Crime organization | 0.06% | 1 |
| Yes, run like big businesses | 0.06% | 1 |
| I have read bad things about the Clinton Foundation, and YES, they are true!!? | 0.06% | 1 |
| Plenty of charities are on the front lines, doing the work. If you do the homework, you can find them. | 0.06% | 1 |
| UNDECIDED | 0.06% | 1 |
| no opinion | 0.06% | 1 |
| I have read bad things about The Clinton Foundation - none of them true of course? It's your option to believe that, ask Haiti. | 0.06% | 1 |
| All the above | 0.06% | 1 |
| too many more issues | 0.06% | 1 |
| Local Goodwill stores with employees that pick through donations picking out what they want before the items are put out for the customers. | 0.06% | 1 |
| Heard bad things about Goodwill | 0.06% | 1 |
| Distributing the workload without consideration, expecting to get recognition unfairly | 0.06% | 1 |
4.
4.
I have some thoughts about charities and those who work for them. Here are some you may agree with. Let me know. Based on my experiences over the years I would rather have social programs that are currently run by government departments being run by charities run by non/lower -paid staff as much as humanely/humanly possible.
18%
•
397 votes
A charity that does not pay out more than 20% of its revenue to support the people for whom the charity exists, should lose its charity status.
35%
•
775 votes
A charity that exists to look after the needs of something other than human beings such as preserving buildings, religious organizations, the arts and cultural causes, should be expected to pay out more than 50% of its revenue to support the causes for which the charity exists.
27%
•
583 votes
Big Ticket lotteries , telethons and other expensive fund raisers should be expected to pay out more than 50% of its revenue to support the causes for which the event is held.
28%
•
624 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
•
18 votes
Not Applicable
47%
•
1026 votes
- No way
- no
- TOO EXPENSIVE,BETTER SPENT ON LOTTERY.
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| 0.58% | 14 | |
| sadly I don't trust any of them.. | 0.04% | 1 |
| all the above | 0.04% | 1 |
| UNDECIDED | 0.04% | 1 |
| Are there still telethons? Those like Jimmy Swaggert or the grifter in Florida should be banned. Got any in Canada? | 0.04% | 1 |
5.
5.
My cynicism about charities as big business was prompted by an article I read about the huge salaries paid to executives of some charities in the environment, conservation, and animal protection sectors. An analysis by The Canadian Press identified 17 charities whose top executive drew annual compensation in the $200,000 to $250,000 range or higher. Here is the article. Add your comments. https:/ www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-environment/the-salaries-of-the-leaders-of-some-of-canada-s-biggest-charities-might-be-a-surprise-to-those-who-donate-1.6710311 Yes
16%
•
353 votes
No
9%
•
206 votes
Undecided
18%
•
388 votes
Not Applicable
57%
•
1253 votes
- Maybe
- Yes
- Probably not
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