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Just curious
July 6, 2010
Should BP have to pay charities affected by spill?
Well this is an interesting spin on how the oil spill is affecting those on the Gulf coast.
According to this article by the Associated Press, churches and nonprofits in areas affected by the spill are filing claims with BP for loss of income.
Pastor Dan Brown, who operates a church in Alabama, filed his claim with BP last month.
According to the story, “He said he filed a $50,000 claim last month over lost revenues at Anchor Assembly of God. His small, storefront church outlived Hurricane Katrina and is now struggling because of the oil crisis.
Shrimpers and oystermen left jobless by the oil spill in this seafood town can barely afford to feed their families and pay their boat loans, much less give money to their church, Brown said. Giving and tithing is down by $12,000 over the last few weeks, he said, and the oil spill will cost another $38,000 in lost revenues over the next year, making up the total of the church’s claim.”
Apparently BP has not yet determined how to handle such claims.
This is an interesting concept. No one can deny that fishermen have suffered greatly because of the oil spill. Their livelihood, at least for now, is gone. It makes sense that the churches and nonprofits they support are suffering.
But should BP have to pay those groups for loss of income? I don’t know. This seems like an awfully slippery slope.
Should BP have to reimburse a local grocery store that makes less money because the shrimpers are buying cheaper food? And if that grocery store has to lay off a couple of employees, should BP have to pay those folks for loss of wages?
Then we get to the possibility of fraud. Maybe this grocery store was losing money long before the shrimpers lost their jobs and is now using the oil crisis as an excuse to claim money it doesn’t deserve.
I’m not saying charities and nonprofits don’t have legitimate gripes. I’m saying this reimbursement thing is getting complicated and it will be interesting to see where the chips fall.
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June 1, 2010
Volunteering into a job: Really?
The Sioux City Journal recently posted an article called “Volunteering yourself into a job.”
The story essentially says that volunteering for a nonprofit can eventually lead to a paying job there. According to the article:
Volunteering is growing in popularity as laid-off workers look for ways to stay sharp in their fields and stay busy during the job hunt. But done right, volunteering can also land you a job in a company you might not have access to otherwise.
“Volunteering, sometimes referred to as ‘adult interning,’ is a great way for someone to hone specialized skills and be in the right place at the right time when a position comes available,” says Debra Yergen, the author of the book “Creating Job Security Resource Guide.”
I’ve heard a lot about this over the years and even know a few people who experienced it. But I’m wondering how often it really happens.
While it’s awesome that some volunteers end up working for the nonprofits they love, I sometimes suspect this whole concept is a little overblown. Sure, having a history and a good relationship with your potential employers is a huge advantage when trying to secure a job. But obviously there are other factors involved: competition, pay, politics, qualifications.
I feel like all these stories about volunteering your way into a job may be creating some false hope among hungry job hunters. Im not saying people shouldn’t volunteer. On the contrary, as the article says, it’s a great way to keep those job skills sharp while you’re not working. And nonprofits usually welcome all the help they can get.
But I can’t find any stats showing how showing how many people were volunteering for a nonprofit before getting a job there. If you know of any, drop me a line.
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May 24, 2010
How I became a charity ride junkie
Well, I’ve become one of those people.
You know — the ones always sending you emails, Facebook notes and Twitter messages begging you to dole out cash for their latest charitable cause.
I used to cringe at those people. I always felt like their “asks” came with a hint of superiority, with an implied “I care, why don’t YOU?” I know, I know. That’s my baggage. But it’s how I felt.
So how did I become one of those charity pushers?
It started with the Hill Country Ride for AIDS in April 2009. I’d just started cycling regularly (if you consider 3 miles at a time “cycling”) when someone suggested I do the ride. My husband had done it years earlier and liked it, so I signed up.
But in order to participate, I had to raise $500 for the cause. I got online and started begging. My pitch was that I’d never done such a thing and that every dollar donated ensured that I would be in a lot of pain.
My friends like to watch me suffer, so the money flowed. I raised about $1,200.
This April, I did it again. But this time, I didn’t have the “I can’t do it” pitch at my disposal. So I bribed people. I wrote songs and haikus for people who gave me money and the move brought in the cash. I raised more than $1,000.
I’m no hard-core cyclist, but I had become a huge fan of the charity bike ride. There’s so much excitement in the air on ride day, a real sense of purpose and accomplishment. And the nonprofits receiving the money were so grateful for my efforts. They acted like my $1,000 — an insignificant amount compared to the $620,000 raised this year — was profoundly important.
How often in your life do you feel important? I mean, really important? Sure, I do important things. I take care of my kids, work hard and try to keep my plants alive. But that’s all part of the daily grind and it certainly doesn’t make me feel special in any way.
So when you find a way to capture that feeling, it’s kind of addictive.
Somehow it feels wrong to like fundraising because it makes me feel good. It seems like I should be completely focused on the cause, the work and the suffering people. But I’m not. Is that wrong? I hope not.
After the Hill Country ride, I toyed with the idea of doing the Mamma Jamma, a bike ride that raises money for local cancer organizations. But I had some serious reservations. Two fundraisers in one year?
For some people, that’s nothing. For me, it was a big commitment. I don’t hang out with a wealthy crowd and I feared I’d already tapped out my friends with the Hill Country ride.
Eventually, I decided I should try. Why not? Even if I only raise $50, that’s $50 that could help someone. And that’s $50 worth of feeling good that I didn’t have before.
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May 19, 2010
When donors and mission collide
The Pittsburgh-based Western Pennsylvania Conservancy — a water, forest and wildlife conservation group — is facing an interesting dilemma.
According to an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review , one of the nonprofit’s biggest contributors is involved in a controversial logging operation.
According to the story, the Richard King Mellon Foundation — which gave the nonprofit $18.6 million over the last five years — controls property on which clear-cutting has occurred.
The story says that, “Last spring and summer, the controversial clear-cutting method — logging by cutting down all trees in a tract — was used to fell thousands of trees on an adjoining 44 acres on Laurel Mountain’s western slope.
Both logging operations have littered the landscape with downed trees and boulders. Officials said the first project began without the required permit from Ligonier Township or an approved erosion and sedimentation plan from the county’s conservation district, the agency that helps residents manage resources wisely.”
The director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation sits on the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, as does a member of the Mellon family.
This raises an interesting dilemma. What do you do when your biggest donor appears to be doing something that is counter to your nonprofit’s mission?
In this case, the conservancy group is refusing to weigh in on the matter. The group’s spokeswoman told the newspaper they don’t talk about individual property issues and that they are not an advocacy group.
Really? According to its own website, “WPC educates, informs, influences and advocates sound conservation programs, practices and decision-making on local, state and federal levels.”
This is an ugly situation to be in. No one wants to bite the hands that feeds them, but does a conservation group really want to take money from clear-cutters? And if they do, what is the cost to its reputation and credibility?
On the other hand, a nonprofit needs money to survive. Without that, it can do little to advance its cause.
Honestly, I don’t know where I land on this complicated issue. What do you think?
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May 17, 2010
Family Connections: Enough already?
I love getting emails from readers.
Of course, I prefer to get the kind where people gush over me and tell me what a genius I am. They’re much easier on the ego.
But, frankly, it’s the angry words that me that make me a better reporter because they make me re-evaluate my work. Sometimes I change things. Sometimes I don’t. But either way, I’m forced to think carefully about what the paper considers news and why we write what we do.
This weekend, I received an email from Capital Area Food Bank CEO David Davenport on my stories about Family Connections. With his permission, I’ve reprinted it.
I’d like your feedback. What do you think? Are you sick of hearing about Family Connections? How should we handle this story as it unfolds?
Andrea —
I read the Family Connections article and I have to say I am very troubled.
To be clear I am not troubled by the fact that in a sector made up of 6,000 501c-3 organizations that one person was able to rip off city and county governments. A fair assessment of the private sector would show that government is ripped off everyday. A fair assessment of the public sector would show waste and fraud beyond this mess as well. I am reminded of that fact as I ride the light rail from Cedar Park to downtown. Seriously, what a massive rip-off that thing is..
I am troubled that during the time that the Statesman has allowed this “story” to dominate the news thousands of volunteers and staff have held the hands of those in hospice to provide comfort and dignity as people die, they have fed hungry children, families and seniors, they have clothed the homeless and served as advocates for families and as caregivers for children born months too soon - and those efforts are being ignored. The Statesman is honoring failure and ignoring the armies of compassion that are at the core of a civilized society and a compassionate community.
Since the Statesman first brought this story to light Capital Area Food Bank and our partner non-profits have provided emergency food assistance to over 250,000 people.
We should be ashamed as a community that hunger, especially in the life of a child exists in the neighborhoods we call home. Its a greater tragedy that as a community we seem to reserve our outrage for the one - the criminal and ignore outrage over the suffering of the forgotten innocent.
While we collectively freak out here in Austin over $300K being ripped off from government contracts let’s try not to forget that just one organization..one of 6,000 (CAFB) will donate $37,000,000 worth of food this year to over 355 well run non-profits so that 48,000 people can be fed every week. Let’s understand that the real tragedy is that our work has to exist at all. PLEASE let’s celebrate and honor the success and caring efforts of the thousands of volunteers and staff that help ease suffering everyday across the social sector.
Seriously. I am begging you.
David Davenport President & CEO Capital Area Food Bank
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April 28, 2010
Surviving the Hill Country Ride for AIDS
So this year, I mostly spared you the details of my experience with the Hill Country Ride for AIDS, the charity bike ride that raises money for people with HIV and AIDS.
But I did do one column detailing my last-minute panic of not having trained at all. So I thought I’d use this blog to let the four of you who might care know how it went.
Below is the email I sent out to the people who sponsored me. Because my language is not always newspaper friendly, I have censored certain portions.
By the way, it’s not too late to donate, if you want. Go here for details.
Dear Fabulous Supporters —
The Hill Country Ride for AIDS was this weekend and I lost my (censored) before I even started.
(Not those kind of (censored). Get your minds out of the gutter. God, why do I even talk to you people?)
I admit, I was pretty nervous about riding this year. I had not trained very well at all and figured 43 miles might kill me. But I also had the advantage of no pressure. I’d already done it once and I wasn’t writing about it for the paper, so to hell with it. Who cared??
I was so relaxed about the whole thing that I decided to make myself a bee costume, complete with antennae made of wire and Styrofoam balls. I painted them gold.
I was very proud of my costume. It was very (censored), with electrical tape for stripes and a feather boa for wings. But a shocking and distressing sequence of events led to me losing one of my gold balls before the ride even started.
I do not know what these events were. I just know I lost one. So I pulled the other one off. One ball does not a bee make.
Throughout the ride, I actually looked around at the scenery and I have to say, all this rain has made for a spectacular wildflower season. The hills were alive with color and the sound of music.
A particularly awesome sight on the ride: five turkey buzzards eating a dead wild boar on the side of the road. Maybe it wasn’t a wild boar, but it was definitely a pig. A gigantic pig. Perhaps a Man-Bear-Pig.
What was not awesome was the ridiculous wind. For the first 20 miles, I felt like I was riding in a Wizard of Oz wind tunnel. Horrible. I still have chapped lips.
About 13 miles in, I started getting cramps in both hamstrings and my hips. I mean hard-core, contraction-like cramps. I thought my legs were trying to give birth.
I don’t know why I kept going. I’d like to say I was inspired by the spirits of those who have been lost to AIDS and the love that surrounds them even today. But no. I’m just a stubborn pain in the (censored).
After lots of Gatorade and Ibuprofen, the cramps went away and I was back to just normal pain.
I wish I had something more dramatic to tell you. I didn’t fall once. I didn’t need stitches. I didn’t cry or yell at anyone or show any outward signs of a bad attitude. I didn’t even HAVE a bad attitude that day. I just had fun.
Thank you so much for your support and for sponsoring me. I plan to spend the money wisely on a (ridiculously expensive luxury car.) Or maybe a (small lake-going watercraft.)
Actually, I think the money really went to people with AIDS. And your donation probably saved some lives or some junk like that. I hope you’re all very proud of yourselves.
Andrea
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December 17, 2009
Bonuses for nonprofit employees?
It’s that most wonderful time of the year and some nonprofits are sharing the love by giving holiday bonuses to their employees.
Bonuses are a hot topic in the charity world. Some folks give them the thumbs up, saying they’re a way to competitively compensate and retain good employees. Opponents see bonuses as taking money away from clients and services.
What do you think?
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November 27, 2009
Did you volunteer on Thanksgiving?
T’is the day after Thanksgiving and your philanthropy writer wants to know: Did you volunteer yesterday? Where did you go and what did you do? What was the experience like?
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July 6, 2009
Nonprofit fundraisers: going well or not?
So I’ve been hearing mixed reports about the state of nonprofit fundraisers.
Some, such as the golf tournament for the Austin Children’s Shelter, didn’t make the mark. Others, like the recent People’s Community Clinic luncheon, exceeded its goals.
Of course, those are different events that draw different crowds. I’m not sure it’s even a fair comparison.
But it is an example of how one event can boom while another can sputter.
Why does this happen? After all, many of the struggling nonprofits have the same kind of community support, active boards and popular fundraisers as the charities that are doing well. And all the nonprofits are facing the same weak economy.
Is it the kind of fundraisers they hold? The wealth and influence of the group’s board members? Its ability to secure in-kind donations that defray the event’s overhead?
I can’t say for sure. Any ideas?
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June 25, 2009
Should board members have to volunteer?
A reader recently posed these interesting questions on my blog:
“Please tell me why so many board members do not volunteer at the nonprofit for which they sit on the board. My experience is that most board members are there because of their business connections and financial standing. How can an average person who volunteers get a board appointment? “
I plan to explore this issue further in a future column. But for now, I’d love your opinion on the matter. From your experience, do board members volunteer with the agencies with which they work? Is getting on a board a political process based on wealth and community standing?
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June 22, 2009
Who should we judge?
Yesterday, I wrote a column about how experts say that checking out a charity’s administrative expenses is a pretty useless way to judge it.
Those same experts suggest that people should research and visit nonprofits before making a contribution. Sounds great. But who has time for that?
So let me ask you a question. If you had time to comb through a nonprofit’s budget, whose would it be?
And please, do me a favor: don’t start trashing specific executive directors/high ranking staffers in the comments section. I have to delete those and it gives me a headache because I really want to know what people think. Send me an email instead.
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May 26, 2009
Too many nonprofits?
Does Austin have too many nonprofits?
A story in today’s Statesman details a study by Greenlights for Nonprofit Success that explores that issue.
Interestingly, the report doesn’t answer the very question it poses. But what it does say is that Austin has the highest number of nonprofits per capita than any other city in Texas and most of the Southwest.
So why is that? One reader posed this theory in the comments section of the story:
“Seems to me that’s one major reason why Austin has so many nonprofits also based here. Many work directly with the leg & lawmakers to advocate for their groups & the communities they serve. Being in Austin is almost a necessity because of this.”
Is it? I’m not so sure about that. Just because a group lobbies in Austin doesn’t mean it operates here. Legislators and their aides fight for their constituents. A Houston senator probably isn’t going to care much about Charity X if it’s in Austin.
However, I do think Austin does draw a different crowd because of its multitude of colleges and state employees. We’re an educated city with a high rate of volunteerism. One study by the Corporation for National and Community Service ranked Austin third in the nation in volunteerism, with 38 percent of Austinites donating at least 49 hours of their time to charity each year.
So we’re clearly aware of issues.
Honestly, I can’t say whether Austin has too many nonprofits. But it’s certainly a question worth exploring.
What do you think? Are there too many? In what areas?
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December 19, 2008
Bad time for capital campaigns?
This weekend, I’ll be running a story about the state of holiday fundraising.
Bottom line: it’s ugly out there.
Granted, some nonprofits are holding their own. But others are really hurting out there. And no one is saying they’re making loads of money.
Ick.
So all that money talk got me thinking. I know there are some folks out there — Meals on Wheels and More, for one — that are currently conducting capital campaigns. I wonder how they’re doing?
I’ll be checking that out, of course, since I just raised the question. But I’m wondering what you folks are hearing. Any news on that front?
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December 1, 2008
Thanksgiving thoughts
As I’ve said before, I’m a lame volunteer. I seem to have found my niche with Meals on Wheels’ Care Calls — a program in which volunteers sign up for a weekly phone chat with a senior citizen — but I still stink at working with other nonprofits.
But some people are really cool. They spend their holidays volunteering.
I’d love to hear some stories from those who devoted part of their to helping others on Thanksgiving. Anyone have anything to share?
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October 13, 2008
Are charities feeling credit crunch?
Happy Monday. Bleh.
So I’ve been following the disaster on Wall Street. Who hasn’t, right?
But the more I hear about the credit crisis, the more I wonder about how this is affecting charities.
Obviously charities borrow money for capital projects and smaller needs. And those who already have their loans may be just fine financially. (Let’s not get into sagging donations, etc…)
But what about those who haven’t gone to the bank yet? How hard is it to get a loan these days? And are nonprofits having to postpone projects because they can’t get the money they need?
Now, fine readers, this is where I could use your help. Do any of you know about nonprofits currently in a bind because of the credit crisis?
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October 3, 2008
The R-Word: does it make a difference?
The R-word. People use it all the time.
Retard, celebutard, debutard, e-tard. The R-word and its spins offs are everywhere.
The Special Olympics recently kicked off a campaign designed to eliminate use of the R-word. They say it’s an insulting, hurtful word that undercuts serious conversations about needs for people with developmental and cognitive disabilities.
The Special Olympics campaign features local billboards that read “Erase the R-word.” And advocates want mental retardation to be referred to as an “intellectual disability.”
It’s an interesting transition and one that is still in the works. At a recent meeting of the Texas Senate’s Health and Human Services committee, Department of Aging and Disability Services Commissioner Addie Horn repeatedly referred to people with severe disabilities as “profoundly retarded.”
She’s not wrong. The phrase is routinely used by doctors, medical professionals and entitlement programs. But advocates want to usher in an era of sensitivity and compassion that they say will change the way our culture sees people with disabilities.
The question is this: Does abolishing a single word eliminate stigma and disrespect? Can it change small minds and cruel natures?
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July 19, 2008
Charity Bloggers Unite!
So I’m working today and I have been inspired by the number of politically active bloggers who showed up for Netroots Nation this weekend.
It makes me wonder how many charity bloggers we have in this city. I mean, there’s me, obviously, but I certainly wouldn’t call myself the authority on philanthropy. or anything, for that matter.
Anyway, there’s a million things going on and a lot of good writers out there. Certainly, lots of people are chronicling such stuff on the Web.
So who else is blogging out there? I’d love to know.
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June 11, 2008
Sticker shock and charity
So I’m driving into work this morning and I see it: the Chevron station advertising regular gas for $3.99 a gallon.
I literally gasp.
Of course I know gas prices are skyrocketing. But there’s something about that $3.99 pricetag — that bold announcement that just a single cent separates us from $4 a gallon — that gives me sticker shock.
It’s the end of the world, I think. Gas Armageddon.
I can’t ride a bike 8 miles to work, I admit to myself. Who am I, Lance?
Scooters are cool, I concede. But broiling in 105 degrees is not.
As terribly as I pitied myself, I really felt for nonprofits. Charities say they’re budgeting for the escalating prices, that they’re begging the community and foundations to help ease their pain. How things work out for them remains to be seen.
So how about sharing, nonprofit folks? How are you dealing with gas prices?
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March 11, 2008
Food for thought
On Monday, I wrote a story about how high food prices are affecting low-income families.
You can read that story here
After the article ran, a few thrifty readers offered a few suggestions on how to save money on groceries. One woman suggested using powdered milk. Another woman offered this idea:
I just wanted to bring to your attention a way for more people to purchase food, and save money without hitting the food banks that wasn’t in your article today.
There are 9 churches in Austin alone that participate in a ministry called Angel Food. There is no paperwork to fill out and you don’t have to qualify. They even take food stamps to help low income people.
They have a menu and several “specials” that people can buy. You can buy 1 unit or as many as your freezer can hold. With the purchase of one unit, you can buy a special (or as many as you want). Each unit is supposed to be enough to feed 1 senior citizen for a month, or help feed a family of four for 1 week.
You still need to buy some basics…milk, eggs, bread, etc. but the amount of meat you get in this unit is great. And best of all one unit will fill a cooler. and it only costs $30. Part of the money returns to the church to help in the community.
Please check it out www.angelfoodministries.com Hosts will tell you where you can purchase your units. Menu will tell you what you get this month.
It works on a rotating schedule. You purchase your food by the order date (different locations vary on it being Friday or Saturday) and then you pick it up in 2 weeks on a saturday.
Sounds interesting. Any other cost cutting ideas out there?
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February 8, 2008
Talk to me
It’s been so quiet on this blog lately. Talk to me people!
Tell me — what charity news or events are capturing your imagination these days? What do you want to see more stories on? Any national or local trends you’re seeing? Going anywhere exciting this weekend, philanthropy-wise?
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January 11, 2008
The mysterious homeless
Here at the American-Statesman, we get some great e-mails. Recently, we received this one:
“Please forgive me if I’ve sent this to the wrong department. If so maybe you could forward it the correct person. I would like you to send someone to interview the 85 year old man who stands at the corner of RM 360 and Bee Cave Road. I think he is there at least two days a week. Usually he is there around three p.m. He has a sign saying he is a WWII veteran. I can’t stand it any longer, I have to know why in the world he’s out there. I know I can’t be the only one wondering. Thanks so much.”
What I love about this e-mail is its sincerity. This person genuinely seems to care about this old man standing out there.
But it also begs some questions. Forget about the big picture issues surrounding homelessness and poverty, such as mental illness, low wages and addiction problems. Let’s stick to the core of this e-mail.
The reader wants to know who this man is. Well, why doesn’t she just roll down her window and ask? Does he seem dangerous? Is she too busy? Or are we all so afraid of poverty that we are scared to even make human contact?
What do you think?
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January 3, 2008
Charity and your will
By now, I’m sure many of you have heard that the will of soul singer James Brown is being contested by his children, who say their dad wouldn’t have wanted to leave most of his money to charity.
(If not, you can read about the story here)
Will disputes are bad enough. But when it involves charity, it gets even stickier. Nonprofits count on contributions from estates to bolster programs and pay their staffs. When that money is suddenly in question, it throws plans out of whack.
I guess the lesson here is to communicate your wishes clearly with your family at the time of your estate planning.
Leaving money to charity isn’t just for rich people. Even people with modest incomes feel compelled to leave part of their legacy to a nonprofit.
What about you? Are you planning to will money to charity? Why or why not?
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December 27, 2007
A Charitable Christmas?
So now that the Big Day is behind us, I’m curious: Did anyone volunteer on Christmas Day? If so where and why?
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December 21, 2007
Everyday charity
I’ve been thinking lately about everyday charity.
On Sunday, my weekly philanthropy column will focus on how far a $200 donation goes at local charities. But what if you don’t have $200 to spare? And what if you don’t have time to spend hours volunteering for a nonprofit?
I’m sure we can think of plenty of ways to help people with even $10, like buying fruit or vegetables for the food bank or getting school supplies for a needy child. But let’s keep money out of this.
Maybe we need to redefine everyday charity.
The other night, I was buying my husband’s Christmas present at Target. It involved two large, heavy boxes that I somehow needed to lift and squish into the trunk/back seat of my 1997 Saturn.
For those who don’t know me, I’m 5-foot-2. (I’d say I’m petite, but I think that implies thin and, well, I’m not going there). I could barely get my arms around those boxes, much less get them in my car.
But there I was, pushing, pulling, huffing, puffing and generally becoming quite discouraged. The climax came when I tipped over the gigantic red shopping cart and tried with all my might to keep it from clocking my already crummy car.
You know how many people walked by me while this was happening? Ten. Maybe 12. No one even looked at me.
That’s when they showed up: a young man, his wife and their three strawberry blond children. The couple took over and, within minutes, had firmly stuffed my packages in my car.
Some people would call that plain old decency. Or, to be more trendy, a random act of kindness. But is it charity? I think it is. And it inspires me.
So I’ve been brainstorming acts of everyday charity. There must be lots of things I can do to make the world better without making a big deal out of it, like smiling at the homeless guy on the corner instead of ignoring him. Or giving my extra paper and pens to the neighborhood school, or driving friends to the airport when I really don’t want to.
Well, maybe not the airport thing. But you get the picture. Am I off base here? Any other ideas?
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December 14, 2007
United Way: What do you think?
The results are in.
If you haven’t already heard about the changes to United Way funding, check out the story here .
In essence, United Way Capital Area is focusing more on the root causes of poverty: education, financial stability, and health. Basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing are a lesser priority.
What do you think of the United Way’s new direction?
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December 11, 2007
If you had $1 million for charity...
The holiday spirit must be in the air because money is raining down on Central Texas.
The Avery family in Round Rock recently donated $1 million to the Seton Williamson Foundation in memory of the late Charles “Buck” and Lucille Avery. Meanwhile, People’s Community Clinic announced Monday that they have received almost $520,000 from the estate Dr. Emmett M. Heiligman, who passed away in April.
All this giving makes me wonder where I would donate big money, assuming I had it. Which I don’t. And never will. But it’s fun to dream.
If you had $1 million to give to charity, where would you donate it?
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November 14, 2007
Charity wristbands: inspiring or annoying?
It was the summer of 2004 and Austin’s obsession with Lance Armstrong was running wild.
The Tour de France was plastered all over the newspapers, “Go Lance” banners were hanging everywhere and EVERYONE was wearing a Livestrong wristband.
The yellow silicone bands were first developed as a fundraiser for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which provides support services for people with cancer.
But soon, the wristbands became hyper-trendy, with even the celebrity set joining in. Among those sporting the yellow look: 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, news anchor Katie Couric and actor Matt Damon. Millions of bands were sold, generating tons of money for the athlete’s nonprofit.
I’ll admit it: it was kind of touching.
Touching, that is, until the day I saw a man with a yellow wristband smoking a cigarette.
Whaaaaa? That’s like an anti-diabetes advocate sucking down a case of Twinkies.
Today, loads of charities sell wristbands to support social and medical issues: breast cancer, AIDS, animal rights, mental illness. I just got one in the mail today to champion the needs of starving children.
And every time I see one, my gut reaction is just… ick. I remember Cigarette Smoking Man and feel annoyed.
But should I? Does the wristband owner’s sincerity (or lack thereof) affect the integrity of the cause? I don’t know.
What do you think?
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October 24, 2007
Hate letter spreads the love through charity
I just love this story in the New York Times.
To recap, conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh recently auctioned off a letter in which 41 Democratic senators criticized him for calling anti-war Iraq veterans “phony soldiers.”
Selling price? $2.1 million. The money will go to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation Inc.
Wait a minute.
I write a vicious letter to my high school boyfriend and get called psycho (I was 16, OK??). Senators get grumpy and it raises millions of dollars for charity?
I need a moment.
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October 23, 2007
Does Austin have too many nonprofits?
Not too long ago, Greenlights for Nonprofit Success did a study exploring the number of charities in Austin compared with other parts of the country.
Using census population numbers and The charity Web site Guidestar.org, Greenlights compared the number of nonprofits per 1,000 people in the country’s 50 largest cities.
Washington, D.C. came in first with 32.2 nonprofits per 1,000 people; Virginia Beach, Va. came in last with 1 per 1,000. Austin came in 14th on the list and first among major Texas cities.
Here’s how Texas cities stacked up against the rest of the country:
Austin
Rank: 14
Nonprofits per 1,000: 10.1
Dallas
Rank: 24
Nonprofits per 1,000: 7.2
Houston
Rank: 30
Nonprofits per 1,000: 6.4
Fort Worth
Rank: 38
Nonprofits per 1,000: 4.8
San Antonio
Rank: 42
Nonprofits per 1,000: 4.3
Arlington
Rank: 43
Nonprofits per 1,000: 4.1
El Paso
Rank: 46
Nonprofits per 1,000: 3.3
For years I’ve heard people gripe about the number of nonprofits around town. Some say we need less duplication and more collaboration/mergers.
What do you think? Does Austin have too many nonprofits?
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October 22, 2007
Greyt recipes
Maybe it’s because I’m starving right now, but the cookbook by Greyhound Pets of America-Central Texas looks pretty darn delectable.
The recipes, not the book itself.
Anyway, the book — “Greyt Recipes for Humans and Hounds” — costs $10 and is sold on the nonprofit’s Web site, right here.
So what kind of recipes will you find in this book? It’s a pretty diverse selection, actually.
For humans, there’s stuff like artichoke baked brie, migas, sweet potato biscuits, Chinese spare ribs, hamburger pie, grilled Caribbean tangy shrimp and chocolate eclair cake.
Then there’s the dog food: apple cinnamon carob treats, heavenly banana biscotti, pumpkin yogurt treats, meaty frosty paws and wheatless tuna biscuits.
(Note to my dogs, Bessie, Boris and Pooh: Stop drooling. It ain’t happening.)
Greyhound Pets of America-Central Texas is a nonprofit organization that finds homes for greyhounds that no longer race.
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October 20, 2007
My Space, your space, charity space
I don’t have a My Space page, but apparently everyone else in the universe does — including Central Texas charities.
Oh yes. Apparenly My Space is the burning hot, crazy cool place for nonprofits.
Town Lake Animal Center has 3,739 friends?? profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=54296810
Here’s Ballet Austin: profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=59045897
And Hearts and Hooves: profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=149438479
Oh my God. Even the Round Rock Library has one: profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=247781958
I am so lame.
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October 17, 2007
Sold! Should pets go to the highest bidder?
It’s gala time in Austin. And galas mean auctions.
I’ve seen some really cool things get big bucks on the auction block: dinners, cruises, weekend getaways at expensive resorts that would bankrupt the average Jenny Doe.
Some nonprofits have auctioned animals. One charity event I attended fetched $37,000 for the cutest Labrador puppy in the fur-toting world. I honestly never thought a thing about such a practice until I got an e-mail from Pam Cook, president of Greyhound Pets of America-Central Texas.
“The question of whether animals are appropriate ‘items’ for auction is one of moral concern,” she wrote. “Is the ability to make the highest bid really an adequate qualification for pet guardianship? “
Interesting question. What do you think? Should pets be auctioned for charity?
Permalink | Comments (26) | Categories: Just curious
