That’s why I’m not asking. I’m telling.
Food Network wants you to send in your donations to help fight hunger. NASCAR wants you to contribute to help needing kids. The christian charity(s) want you to send a monthly payment to help who knows who all.
Fine. Good. We are a helpful people. It’s in our genes and DNA.
But before you shell out the tip at Starbucks or the monthly United Way contribution, take a good hard look at where your hard-earned $$$ will actually go. If you give a buck, does the 501(c)(3) organization pass that buck right on to the person(s) in need? Not hardly.
Remember, they are a recognized non-profit organization/foundation and being an organization or foundation in the USA means you have to pay the rent, utilities, salaries, accountants, form fees, and a host of other overhead expenses. Then, what’s left, you can pass on to the outside world. What’s left of your buck? Cents. Sometimes a lot of cents, other times just a couple pennies.
And the way this depression is growing, more and more needy are standing in line hoping to get their two cents worth.
How do I know all about this? Well, I’ve spent quite a few decades working (unpaid) for local and national non-profits and I’ve seen where the buck really goes. Because of this experience, I came up with a brainstorm the other afternoon.
I was out in the yard mowing the grass (to generate more precious oxygen) and squashing snails (to stop global warming) when it hit me. Why not start a NON-non-profit operation. Nothing more than a simple bank or PayPal account that could accept money from those who can afford it around the world. When there are enough bucks to withdraw, take a ride downtown and pass them around DIRECTLY to those who need them most. No middle-persons, no monthly and quarterly and annual forms to file, no employees to pay, no overhead…period. A guy in Maine could sacrifice his cup of latte’ to help a girl in California buy a loaf of bread. Of course, the guy in Maine couldn’t declare it on his 1040…but he can’t declare the tip at the coffee shop either!
Multiply one person ‘donating’ (giving, sharing, shelling out, contributing, whatever you want to call it) by a million persons all across the country. This would be more helpful than another federal economic stimulus package for those folks who really need it most.
Is this a great idea? Or what? Your comments will be posted (guaranteed), no matter what they say.
Tags: bright idea, charity, contributions, depression, discretionary income, donations, Economic Stimulus Package, food network, NASCAR, non-profit, paypal, recession, starbucks
