4729 Giving Tuesday

 Is reading a calendar all that hard?  Here it is Friday and the emails for giving Tuesday continue to pour in. Politicians, hospitals, vets’ groups, police associations, colleges, Fire departments, save the Whales, Hippos, stray dogs and cats, the Planet. The Moon. The unlawfully convicted. You name it.

 Maybe one day extra to catch the forgetful or the non-caring. The question is how do these charities log the contributions if their bookkeepers can’t count to three?

 Many of these groups are worthy, though some may be suspect. I have no doubts about St. Jude’s Hospital. But the Muscle Shoals Police Benevolent Association? Almost seven hundred miles from Wessay’s World Headquarters? Or the overpriced nursing home down the block where ordinary people can’t afford to stay more than ten minutes before their bank account is emptied? Or PBS and the somnambulistic NPR?

C’mon folks. What are you going to do when Christmas time comes and you’re all hit up for bucks all over again.  Christmas is on a Saturday this year. Look for a whole new round of tear-jerking stories come the Friday before.

 So, let’s take a look at the folks behind Giving Tuesday. The outfit is  based in Brooklyn. It is a 501(c)(3) which means you can claim your donations as tax deductions.

 The rating site Charity Navigator says Giving Tuesday is unrated. Charity Watch says “no listing.” GiveWell never heard of them.  So, we can’t find out how GT spends what you donate directly.  Most of the individual participants span the bellcurve of bad-good-excellent.  But you know who they are, right?  At least the ones you may already support.

The rating sites tell you how much the charities spend on fundraising, how much they actually donate… stuff like that.  So, with no ratings, what are we supposed to do, take them on faith?

Nah.  These are businesses. They pay their executives and their phone jockeys.  They rent their offices. Sure, there are legitimate expenses.  Just tell us.  Or hide under a rock. You know there are charities that are worthy of whatever you can spare.  Do they really need to guilt you into spending it?  Resist!

 QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Dr. Oz is running for the republican nomination for US Senator from Pennsylvania to prove Rand Paul is not the biggest Quack in the Senate” -- Andy Borowitz

 I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®

Any Questions? wesrichards@gmail.com

© WR 2021