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In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

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Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#161

Post by JoBrad »

velox_io wrote: post #158

Whenever I see a charity ad that tugs on my heart strings, I check their directors salaries* and my conscience is pretty clear. I have no issue with capitalism, but for people who do want a high salary (many don't), then perhaps the charity sector isn't the best option. I'd like a similar scheme as food labelling colour codes. So key facts such as % to cause, % to management team, top salary K. This would greatly aid…

There are a few sites that do this, but one that I use to evaluate charities is Giving Matters. You can access quite a lot of information for free, and it's reasonably well designed.

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#162

Post by JoBrad »

mattmanser wrote: post #152
orcdork wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure that true. As in - not true at all, unless you really want to believe it to be true. No, 70% of foreign aid is not 'stolen off the top' http://www.politifact.com/global-news/statements/2017/jan/17... How Much Aid is Really Lost to Corruption? https://www.cgdev.org/blog/how-much-aid-really-lost-corrupti... Where does aid money really go -- and what is it spent on? http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/09/opinion…

Those statistics don't include the amount of money spent fund-raising for more money, e.g. the big ones can spent almost a third of their fund raising on more fund raising: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03113/Charitie... I'm not a fan of funding more chuggers on my high street. And then how much is spent on the head office, and the executive pay and a whole load of other things that get hidden in a bu…

Most charities file a 990 that includes a calculation of how much money they spend on fundraising relative to how much they raised, for example.

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#163

Post by RobertoG »

richardknop wrote: post #135

There is an interesting book called Lords of Poverty from Graham Hancock. It's from 80s when he used to work as a correspondent for the Economist in Africa. He claims that foreign aid and charities that raise tons of money from Western people for different projects in Africa are a total waste of money. The amount of corruption and waste is so huge that majority of the money people from US or EU donate ends up going d…

"This is why I don't donate to charities."

If that worry you so much, there are more direct and accountable charities available. I would recommend Watsi(1)

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watsi (I'm not affiliate with them except as a donor.)

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#164

Post by FabHK »

masters3d wrote: post #79

"The point is that the concern we should have is not just about the $500,000,000 donated for Haiti for which the good hearted donors received just six $400 shacks. The concern is about billions of donated dollars intended to help people all over the world. The Haiti data demonstrates that for each billion donated to the Red Cross we get a total of 12 each $400 shacks which we wouldn't put our lawn mower in. The great…

Not sure whether that (Hotes Foundation) is a good source, but clearly the American Red Cross has a really bad reputation among cognoscenti.

Now, I think it's great that Apple encourages and enables donations after major disasters, but I wish they were a bit more selective in their choice of recipient.

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#165

Post by FabHK »

Nursie wrote: post #119
campuscodi wrote: post #116

For all the younger people reading this. This is just one of the numerous media stories on how donation money always ends up paying multi-million salaries for top execs. Sadly, charlatans are everywhere. The Red Cross is just a another brand used to con gullible and well intended people.

The American Red Cross might be. The Red Cross/Red Crescent in the rest of the world is a very important humanitarian response organisation.

Yes, undifferentiated across-the-board cynicism doesn't help either, and could discourage donations to charities that do make a difference.

There are organisations that evaluate charities, and they show that you can easily save lives by donating:

http://givewell.org

http://www.thelifeyoucansave.org

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#166

Post by treehau5 »

jnty wrote: post #130
treehau5 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I noticed this as well. I recently decided to stop giving them blood, however, because I was actually reading the fine print for once, and apparently they send your blood off for use in research at universities and you cannot opt out.

Why is that a bad thing?

I am giving you my blood to help people not for your side channel research efforts. If a university wants to use my blood for testing and research they may do so at my discretion, not in spite of it. Also, I would like to be able to review the privacy policy of that particular university and know if they have any attempts to turn a profit with a pharmaceutical company. Again, blood is very sensitive and very personally identifiable. I want the least amount of people possible (who don't actually need it to survive) to have it. I have no idea what the future holds in terms of genetic testing, genetic discrimination, and most importantly, how this particular research university handles data storage and information about my blood and I.

Anyways, long story short, I will be using my local blood organizations from now on, or just going directly to the hospital to donate.

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#167

Post by orcdork »

mattmanser wrote: post #152
orcdork wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure that true. As in - not true at all, unless you really want to believe it to be true. No, 70% of foreign aid is not 'stolen off the top' http://www.politifact.com/global-news/statements/2017/jan/17... How Much Aid is Really Lost to Corruption? https://www.cgdev.org/blog/how-much-aid-really-lost-corrupti... Where does aid money really go -- and what is it spent on? http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/09/opinion…

Those statistics don't include the amount of money spent fund-raising for more money, e.g. the big ones can spent almost a third of their fund raising on more fund raising: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03113/Charitie... I'm not a fan of funding more chuggers on my high street. And then how much is spent on the head office, and the executive pay and a whole load of other things that get hidden in a bu…

I'm not sure what your issue is (and how it's connected with the op's claim that 99% of foreign aid is lost along the way to the people that need it).

But either way, from the graphic you linked it seems like on average, more than 75% of the money you give to these charities ends up being used for charitable activities, with the larger part of the remaining money used to raise more funds. Fundraisers on the high street are occasionally annoying, but I'd be extremely surprised if they are the largest drain on that remaining 25%, particularly compared to other efforts.

On a personal note, I have no major issue with them (except agreeing that they are often annoying), wouldn't change my opinion on foreign aid or charity over them and cant help but feel that anyone not donating because a percentage of their donation would go towards their salaries is looking for a convenient excuse rather than actual reason.

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#168

Post by velox_io »

velox_io wrote: post #158

Whenever I see a charity ad that tugs on my heart strings, I check their directors salaries* and my conscience is pretty clear. I have no issue with capitalism, but for people who do want a high salary (many don't), then perhaps the charity sector isn't the best option. I'd like a similar scheme as food labelling colour codes. So key facts such as % to cause, % to management team, top salary K. This would greatly aid…

Ooh some downvotes, care to explain? Or should everyone one one this website share the same opinion?

Edit: I was merely making the point that if charities were more transparent. More people would donate (whilst possibly becoming more efficient in the process).

As for regards to mentioning the illness. To have something that makes a major impact on one's life, yet not be passionate about related charities, illustrates that there is a problem with many of today's charities.

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#169

Post by mattmanser »

orcdork wrote: post #167
mattmanser wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those statistics don't include the amount of money spent fund-raising for more money, e.g. the big ones can spent almost a third of their fund raising on more fund raising: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03113/Charitie... I'm not a fan of funding more chuggers on my high street. And then how much is spent on the head office, and the executive pay and a whole load of other things that get hidden in a bu…

I'm not sure what your issue is (and how it's connected with the op's claim that 99% of foreign aid is lost along the way to the people that need it). But either way, from the graphic you linked it seems like on average, more than 75% of the money you give to these charities ends up being used for charitable activities, with the larger part of the remaining money used to raise more funds. Fundraisers on the high stre…

The parent is using statstics that cherry pick spending, without mentioning that a huge proportion of your donation is spent on further fund raising, the snake eating it's own tail.

I've nothing against charities and donate to several myself so you can get off your high-horse now. I simply accept the reality that a large proportion of my donation is wasted.

Re: In Search Of The Red Cross' $500M In Haiti Relief (2015)

#170

Post by Pigo »

yeukhon wrote: post #83
masters3d wrote: post #79

"The point is that the concern we should have is not just about the $500,000,000 donated for Haiti for which the good hearted donors received just six $400 shacks. The concern is about billions of donated dollars intended to help people all over the world. The Haiti data demonstrates that for each billion donated to the Red Cross we get a total of 12 each $400 shacks which we wouldn't put our lawn mower in. The great…

Good question. There is Salvation Army, which accordingly to the comparison to Red Cross, has done extremely better job, delivering its mission well. But why didn't orgs like FB or Google (I forgot which) advertized SA? SA is well-known too. I think there is a social effect, but more likely because the people working at Red Cross has better reach to the big organizations and media outlet, despite the backlashes. The…

I know what even a whiff of religion means for some people. But I have to say that I can't think of any charitable organizations I trust more than the churches in my area. I know some people think it's all jet-flying televangelists, but there's a number of non-denominational and Vineyard churches here that have open books for the hundreds of thousands they donate every year.

The main focus of some of these churches is to organize volunteer operations, staff community outreach programs, and building things besides new sanctuaries. No one is getting rich at these places, so there is little publicity. But I wish more people were aware sometimes, if for no other reason than to know there are positive places to donate your time and money if it doesn't rub you the wrong way.

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