How Private Is 'Private Charity'? Private charity may be
more accurately described as "private donations coupled with involuntary, tax-financed public subsidies." And
it's not fair: "very low-income people paying only payroll taxes get hardly any leverage for their donations. Very high-income people in states with high income-tax rates – such as New Jersey and New York – can through the tax code virtually double the money funneled to a charity per dollar of their own sacrifice." (
previously)
posted by kliuless
on Jan 17, 2011 -
39 comments
Alan Grayson (D - FL) has introduced
a bill to tax corporate political campaign donations at 500% (
via). The bill is called the "Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act."
posted by lohmannn
on Jan 25, 2010 -
93 comments
Inveneo is a non-profit bringing technology to the developing world. They've got
several projects going in Africa to connect, train, and equip villages but their latest push is an interesting one:
The Thumb Drive Drive. In the era of $50 2Gb USB drives, many of us probably have discarded 16-128Mb drives sitting around. Send them to Inveneo and they'll get used in places where broadband isn't an option and quick storage is necessary.
posted by mathowie
on Dec 13, 2006 -
10 comments
Our country is more humanitarian than YOURS is! No it's not. Yes it is. See? We donated more aid than you did. Well, we doubled our donation. So there. But yours are loans, not donations. Nuh uh. They're donations. Are not. Besides, we'll triple ours. And we'll send planes. You wouldn't. Watch us. Well then, we'll just octuple ours. Yeah? I bet you won't. I quadruple dog dare you. I hate you... you know that, right?
posted by miss lynnster
on Dec 31, 2004 -
105 comments
Turning Pickets Into Pledges Planned Parenthood has launched a new program that "creates a no-win situation for anti-choice protesters — the more picketers who demonstrate outside a
Planned Parenthood clinic, the more donations that clinic receives." This campaign allows supporters to pledge between 25 cents and one dollar per protester -- not a lot of money, but it adds up to thousands over time.
posted by zarq
on Dec 23, 2004 -
29 comments
Donors Choose "Public school teachers use Donors Choose to propose resources for their students. Concerned individuals like you can then select a proposal to fund."
posted by FunkyHelix
on Mar 22, 2004 -
14 comments
Is your local library in dire need of books? (link from
Jackie) As budgets for books get slashed, libraries around the country are in real trouble. When long time web diarist
Pamela Ribon heard about the situation at Oakland library, she took action, by sending them a book, and by publicizing their dilemma on her webpage. 2 weeks and 300 books later, Pamie's
readers have done an outstanding job in helping out this library. She has also
posted letters she received from the library staff.
How is your local library doing in the face of budget cuts?
posted by kristin
on May 12, 2003 -
35 comments
Make That Difference. A portal to many 'free clicks for charity' sites covering various causes, and easy and convenient to browse too.
posted by plep
on Mar 1, 2003 -
6 comments
We will take care of it for you The rich, or at least one rich guy in this article, donate money to their preferred political party out of deference to what's best for their employees. Is your boss looking out for your best interests?
posted by chris0495
on Dec 22, 2002 -
2 comments
Thanks for the cattle! As a follow up to
This Thread,
This site was inspired by the New York Times
article about the Masai village in southern Kenya who donated 14 head of cattle to the US in sorrow over the 9/11 attacks. This is a place where you can say "thanks" to the villagers who made the donation.
"There are three cherished things that a Masai can offer as a gift -- a child, a plot of land and a cow, which is far more than a source of meat and milk to a Masai."
Source.
posted by Blake
on Jun 4, 2002 -
17 comments
AIDS Programs: An Epidemic of Waste. Interesting article about AIDS funding in the USA... and these people want more taxpayer money! Heres a quote:
The Stop AIDS Project of San Francisco, which received $698,000 (39 percent of its budget) in CDC grants in fiscal 200139, has sponsored several "prevention" events, including a gay prom in April. Last August it held "Booty Call," a seminar about dildos, plugs, fisting, and rimming. The advertisement read, "After a little basic science, share tales of intercourse and orgasm. Find out why so many of us find ass play a major turn on."
posted by Keen
on Mar 4, 2002 -
47 comments
A New Year's Idea: Pay For Some So, slashdot says A Great New Year's Idea is to Pay For Some Freedom, eg.
BSD,
EFF or
MozillaZine to name just a few, but what else can we do?
Metafilter,
OddTodd,
IMDB [Aren't they already owned by Amazon?], lots of good places to spread the holiday cheer.
Seems like there is no
shortage of Folks who
are looking for something.
I like the idea of
Getting Something In Return, not sure if that makes me greedy, or scroogey.
Seems like the web has really given us a new list of worthy causes...
posted by Blake
on Dec 27, 2001 -
5 comments
The Red Cross has a decade-long pattern of using local crises to raise funds, and then to spend those funds on other things. The donors had thought their money would go to help specific victims, and sometimes up to 80% would be diverted to other causes. I think this is wrong.
posted by Steven Den Beste
on Nov 19, 2001 -
39 comments
(the artist formerly known as
Cat Stevens) is donating a hefty chunk of the royalties from his forthcoming US 4-CD Box Set (spanning 1965-1997 and due out 30 Oct 01) to the
September 11th Fund, with the remainder going to homeless charities in underdeveloped countries. He's issued two statements on the WTC tragedy; a brief initial comment from
September 12th and a more considered message on
September 18th.
(more inside)
posted by RavinDave
on Sep 29, 2001 -
8 comments
Maybe people will finally see "Glitter" after all. More than 200 movie theatre companies will donate all ticket sales and concession revenues to the United Way and the Red Cross for all films shown Tuesday.
After two weeks of dreadful box-office grosses and sour moods, maybe this will prime the pump.
posted by tsarfan
on Sep 24, 2001 -
9 comments
America: A Tribute To Heroes Special/telethon airing across all four networks to raise money for 9.11 this Friday from 9pm to 11pm. Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Deniro, Jim Carrey and more celebs than you can shake a stick at.
posted by owillis
on Sep 19, 2001 -
21 comments
I hope the intentions of the people publishing websites like this are honorable but I fear they may not be. In the last hour I have received three email messages soliciting money for 'disaster victims'. Here is one in its entirety (inside as a comment)
Call me me crazy, but this sounds like a scam to me. I have no idea who any of these people are, but they have either questionable motives or questionable judgement or both.
What causes people to prey on others generosity during such a terrible time?
posted by fbeach
on Sep 15, 2001 -
13 comments
For now, enough volunteers and food This was reiterated in a press conference this morning: "Agencies that had requested new volunteers are now reporting they have sufficient numbers of volunteers to accomplish their work. Agencies that have requested in-kind donations of goods and supplies have likewise received as much material support as they can immediately manage."
posted by metrocake
on Sep 15, 2001 -
3 comments
NY Red Cross needs tech help - by donating computers, equipment, and services. They're looking for certified Citrix engineers
and Microsoft-certified consultants, as well as a long list of
computers, network parts, etc.
posted by bkdelong
on Sep 13, 2001 -
4 comments
Donate blood Fellow Canadians, if you want to donate blood, call 1-888-236-6283 to set up an appointment. A friend at Canadian Blood Services said that the level in NY is very low - it's the least we can do.
posted by theNonsuch
on Sep 11, 2001 -
6 comments
The Foundation for Internet Begging or FIB has had a website in operation since August of 2000, and as always, they need your help to keep going. You can
join them in their noble, tried-and-true efforts;
learn more about the people behind the effort and their mission as it stands; and, of course,
give generously.
posted by moz
on Jun 23, 2001 -
2 comments
Pay up or get out! ''Please be advised, that you are in default in the payment of tithes to the Holy Tabernacle Church of God in Christ Inc., for a period in excess of 90 days.'' ...If the money isn't paid... ''all privileges of membership in the Church will be immediately suspended....'' God loves you, but we won't if we don't get the cash,
Now that's Religion!!!
posted by revbrian
on Apr 17, 2001 -
21 comments
Iraq to Donate $94 Million to Poor Americans Interesting propaganda.
But more interestingly - disregarding the donor, would the US ever accept such a donation? (How could we admit a need for charity at home when we send billions in aid abroad?)
And what's next? We're not of a mindset to accept foreign meddling. What about UN relief efforts? International peacekeeping forces?
posted by Tubes
on Jan 15, 2001 -
14 comments
