As you open your pockets for yet another natural disaster, keep these facts in mind:

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:25 am

Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross... salary for year ending 06/30/03 was $651,957 plus expenses.

Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way receives a $375,000 base salary, plus numerous expense benefits.

The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization.

No further comment necessary.

SOJOURNER · Post by **SOJOURNER** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 8:03 am

I agree. The Salvation Army is a truely helpful organization to those in need.

I have always been put off by the United Way's method of collecting and managing the collected monies.

I highly resent the fact that they come to companies to do their collecting for them (even to giving you a guide as to what you SHOULD give) and encourages them to coerce their employees into pledging money so the company can get a plaque up on their waiting room wall as to how wonderful they are.

One place I worked, my boss actually called me into his office to shame me into donating. I told him we supported organizations through our church and certain other organizations directly. I did not believe in giving money so that the directors could take a chuck of my donation for their pockets when I could give directly and ALL of it would go to the organization. He finally realized I would NOT be swayed by him and then asked if he could donate some money in my name. "Not in my name you won't" says I, and out I went -- back to my office. I did not hear anymore about donating from him after that. He also, after this incident, "handled" me with the greatest of sensitivity for my thoughts and feelings. A true victory, I thought.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 8:33 am

Yeah, you have to be careful with these fellas don't you. The Salvation Army has always been highly respected as has the British charity Oxfam, the Irish charity Concern, the French Medicines Sans Frontiers, and quite a few others. I think you are always better off to research the charities before you lay out any cash as they are quite different from each other in the way they operate. In general the smaller ones are better, and are less corporate in their operations, therefore less wage bills.

DesignerGal · Post by **DesignerGal** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 8:35 am

And I think I read somewhere that within the CHristian Childrens Fund only 10% actually goes to the children. I will have to check to substantiate this claim though.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 3:48 am

BTS wrote:

Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross... salary for year ending 06/30/03 was $651,957 plus expenses.

Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way receives a $375,000 base salary, plus numerous expense benefits.

The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization.

No further comment necessary.

Good info. However I do resent having to say Merry Christmas to the bell ringers on the way in and out of the store. Best not to make eye contact.

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:47 am

Nomad wrote: Best not to make eye contact.

Yippers........ I hear that. After that eye contact something just makes you stick your hand in the ol pocket and see just how much change you really do have to spare.

Wonder where that feeling comes from once you do make eye contact?

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:12 am

Guilt. Those bastards !

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:16 am

Nomad wrote: Guilt. Those bastards !

LOL.........:yh_wait

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:39 am

ArnoldLayne wrote: Have you ever just thrust your hand in your pocket to stop the change from rattling about, only to mutter "sorry, I havent any change " :-3

Yikes............Guilty as charged.......... Especially while walking out with presents that you could not REALLY afford..........

:sneaky:

Yip Guilty as charged!!!

SOJOURNER · Post by **SOJOURNER** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 12:32 pm

Yesterday our church had the hourly time slots to fill at a local grocery store to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. My husband, ever the involved and volunteering person he is, signed up for an hour in the evening.

As it turned out, he had a conflict in his scheduling and could not make it at that time. Sweetheart that I am, I suggested he ask our daughter to fill in for him...... (She and her 18-month old son live with us and she doe NOT have a job.....). Enough said?

She was horrified to be asked to do this, but, of course, she (wisely, after groaning and moaning for him NOT to ask her) said she would do this for him. I just sweetly smiled over the exchange.

My husband assured her that she would not have to wear a cape and a hat and that it was only for an hour. She asked a girlfried of hers to go with and everything was settled.

Upon arriving, our daughter found she needed to wear a bright RED apron over her coat which read: Salvation Army. This bright color over her new white jacket made her feel very conspicuous, but she was a sport. The girls, 2 very attractive young ladies, smiled, laughed and chatted with everyone going by and thus received a lot of donations due to their friendly banter with people --- A true win-win situation for everyone.

I only wish I could have had a picture of this................

SOJOURNER · Post by **SOJOURNER** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 12:49 pm

SnoozeControl wrote: That seems a good situation to meet a nice man...

My thoughts exactly...............

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 12:57 pm

SnoozeControl wrote: That seems a good situation to meet a nice man...
Gee love the AV...............

Is that hair or just a tater growin out of your ear?

Valerie100 · Post by **Valerie100** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 3:55 am

I knew a guy in Philadelphia, PA who the United Way literally saved his life.

When he was a teenager, both of his parents had died. His brother was dead from suicide. He found himself all alone. He had to live in a homeless shelter.

Well, the guy turned into an acloholic. He was working a job that brought home only daily wages, and he ended up spending it all on drugs and alcohol at the bar. He had a good friend at the bar, and one day, his friend stopped coming to the bar. It turned out that his friend was found dead from a drug overdose. This made him think about his life and put the fire under him to make a better life for himself.

Through the homeless shelter and the United Way, he was able to get off of alcohol and drugs. A man at the shelter helped to get him his first contracting job.

He's in his 40's now and a hard-working man. He still is a contractor and doesn't drink or do drugs. He's a homeowner, owns a whirlpool, a trailer and has a motorcycle.

Thanks to good people who cared about him at the homeless shelter, this man is alive and doing well today!

anastrophe · Post by **anastrophe** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 12:54 pm

the United Way didn't save his life. He saved his own.