h-member-login

MANGAWHAI'S NO.1 NEWSPAPER  header call 
Melody sales@mangawhaifocus.co.nz 021454814
Nadia n.lewis@xtra.co.nz 021677978
Reporting: Julia news@mangawhaifocus.co.nz 0274641673
 Accounts: Richard info@mangawhaifocus.co.nz 021678358

 

Archives

Ed Said - A hand up or a hand out?

 

dadI’ve written many times before about the debt Mangawhai owes to its volunteers, those who donate goods to fundraising activities and those who buy goods at fundraising auctions, often at inflated prices, yet still happy in the knowledge that their contribution is of benefit to the local community.

However, there appear to be two sides to giving. One is the genuine ‘from the heart’, selfless model while the other, while seemingly that, is actually a commercial business and it’s difficult to tell them apart sometimes.

“God loves a cheerful giver” was part of a Sunday School hymn we sang back in the 50’s that imbued us with warm fuzzies as we dropped our threepence or sixpenny piece in the offering plate. ‘Give till it hurts’ was another cliché but was tempered by ‘charity begins at home.’

Whether we donate, give, sponsor or share sometimes we wonder just how worthy, worthwhile or effective our donations really are. Do they get to those who need them or where we expect them to go? We need to believe they do but outside forces often intrude in the case of fundraising companies.

For example, Save the Children fund CEO in the UK commands a salary of around $350,000 NZ per year. 20 other employees earn more than $150,000 NZ.

Surpassing that is the highest paid employee of Marie Stopes International, a birth control charity, who earns more than $400,000 NZ. That’s an awful lot of donations.

I know firsthand of a Company in New Zealand, a registered charity, which employs staff akin to telemarketers. They call pre-listed prospects usually raising funds for freeing circus animals, saving bears whose bile is being ‘milked’, polar bears and the like – all noble causes. Those who agree to support generally sign up to pledge $x as a one-off donation, per month or per year. The telephonist works from home, generally six hours per day, gets paid an hourly rate which is above the minimum, plus a percentage of money pledged. Those in charge are also on the payroll so all this leads one to wonder just how much actually gets to the bears or animals that are in so much need?

Alternatively, is setting up a business (because that’s what it is) to gain donations for ‘worthy causes’ playing on peoples’ emotions, a relatively easy way to turn a dollar?

To aid Syrian refugees or any other causes we may be blithely unaware that money is being siphoned off to buy AK 47’s or other armoury.

We also hear about African countries where goods are stockpiled then sold for huge profits to those with little or nothing to buy them with and by despotic Moguls, or stored until they perish and not distributed at all.

Donating is one thing, then there is the considerable cost of either sea or air transport to the needy countries and, in the case of African countries, the tremendous mileage and logistical exercise to reach the needy plus circumnavigating greedy border guards operating entirely to their own ends. In places where death from starvation and disease is commonplace there is little thought or emotion spent on the suffering.

In these days, our cashless society must also impact on a number of charities. A woman at a recent sports fixture, selling raffle tickets to support a school could not sell one ticket. Nobody carried any cash, a point she herself admitted to. Even our local bucket events such as the fire brigade bucket collection on Labour Weekend may soon begin to feel the pinch.

Charity has a simple meaning but can have a vast array of connotations.

It comes down to conscience and faith. The conscience of helping those less able than ourselves and the faith that our donation of money or time will be to the benefit of that to which we give.

What’s your view on charity?

Cheers Rob

 
ABOUT US
  CHECK IT OUT
The Mangawhai Focus is the only 'Mangawhai' community Newspaper and is the paper of choice within the local area.

For more information on distribution and circulation please 
click here
 

Directory

Archives

Contact Us


 

 

 

FOLLOW US

facebook   twitter   174855-378

CONTACT US


Sales: 021 454814
  sales@mangawhaifocus.co.nz
Editorial: 027 4641673
  news@mangawhaifocus.co.nz
Office: 021 678357
  info@mangawhaifocus.co.nz