Community Chat

[Desertdi]

"Looks are deceiving"

[elated]

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@Allthingsgirly67 wrote:
I think you are all missing my point. I don’t understand why they just don’t sell their cars to have less expensive cars or a used car with no payments. If I were used to shopping at Bloomingdale’s and my situation was dire than you obviously can’t shop there and might have go with Walmart. I too used to work at a supermarket and we had people pay with food stamps who would than go out to their Cadillac or as one woman did pay while dressed in furs and plenty of jewelry. If things are that bad , sell the fur and some non sentimental jewelry. You have to make sacrifices. In the above situations I would have been embarrassed to show my face. Please don’t say that they might be living in the car. You can easily trade in a late model Audi or other model for something more affordable. Also with no payments required. I currently live in a house and I know when I sell it I will not be able to buy another and quite possibly might even have to settle with a one bedroom for my daughter and the couch for me. But I have my health and I know people have it worse so I don’t complain. I would never expect to buy a house or a newish car and then go to a food bank and expect a free meal. I just think people feel entitled and there are plenty of people in need who don’t ask for anything. I think some of them are taking advantage of a free meal or in this case a free meal for an entire family.

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I don't think you are getting the point. Do you know these people or anything about their finances? Just because they drive a late model car or wear furs and jewelry doesn't make them financially stable.  You are only seeing the surface. I think you are in a lot of pain from your divorce and it is causing you to loose sight of the poverty and struggles in this country. Judge not ye shall be judged.

People on this board are trying to help you see the other side. It is not always what your eyes see. 

[Sooner]

I am very wary of charities the more I see.  I have read a lot of news articles and what it boils down to is that some people and some groups and city governments have a cottage industry going through the guise of "charity."

Homeless people and rescue animals have become big business--garnering huge amounts of donations and federal and company funding that funnels through and it spent on a lot of things and salaries for people who run the businesses.

This is not a term paper and I have no footnotes, but it has surfaced as an issue that is starting to draw attention and questions that are being asked.  

[SaveTheTurtles]

I concur with some others here, you never know what is going on in someone's life. Just as these people went to the food bank for food I would think you would be able to as well. Perhaps if you were able to get food from the food bank you'd be able to turn the heat on in your home. Sometimes it's a give and take situation and choices need to be made. Albeit I understand what you are saying it "looks like" when you see people in cars newer than yours, but perhaps your home is nicer than theirs but your car is older. 

[JeanLouiseFinch]

It's not your business, what the other recipients are doing.  Those who operate the charity cannot discriminate.  Like it or not, there can be scammers, but nobody knows what's going on with the people you identified.  The charity still needs donations regardless. 

[spumoni99]

You said they were in late model cars, did you mean to say newer cars? Late model means older.

[shoesnbags]

@Allthingsgirly67 

I think some of them are taking advantage of a free meal or in this case a free meal for an entire family.

Assuming that you are right and a few ARE "taking advantage," that doesn't cancel out all of the others who legitimately need a hand up or a handout.

Also it's not the job of the charity to judge the people showing up to receive help - "you pass, you don't."  The charity is there to help without judgement.

Personally, I like to give to local charities where I can see first hand what is being done and how.  For example, there are a nun and a brother who live in a poor neighborhood here and run a number of programs helping people to help themselves (education, job training) and helping them with rent, etc. when needed.  I've been there and see what they do so I feel good about helping to fund their work.  All charities can't be judged by just a few.

[shoesnbags]

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@spumoni99 wrote:

You said they were in late model cars, did you mean to say newer cars? Late model means older.

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@spumoni99 

Actually, @Allthingsgirly67  was right.  Late model means newer not older.

Wikipedia: A late model car is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model.

[kate2357]

@Allthingsgirly67 

I think I understand your point...you think some people are gaming the system. It is a worry oh mine too, but I still donate to what I think are worthy organizations.

For many years I have been part of a group who helps raise money to feed & care for designated families in our general area. I live in an affluent area, but there are still families in our area on fixed incomes who are struggling, or people who lost their spouse and are in need of care. We also give to other local charitable organizations who can cover a broader area.

My hope is we help 2 people for every one person gaming the system.

I hope your personal situation improves soon.

[J Town Girl]

@Allthingsgirly67   I understand what you are saying.  In our area the local animal shelter offered spay and neuter vouchers for those who were lower income so that they could alter their dogs.    

There was only a limited number of vouchers to be given out.  The program was called "Spay Day".   Local veterinarians agreed to accept the vouchers for full payment on the surgeries.  This was all to promote reducing the number of unwanted puppies.  The veterinarians made nothing on these surgeries.  

On the day the vouchers were given out many showed up in BMW's , Mercedes and other luxury cars.  One lady even showed up in a Ferrari.  There was no checking of income or any way to verify that these people needed these vouchers.  The volunteers who were working the program were so upset to see such blatant misuse of something that was not meant for the more well-to-do to get free surgeries for their pets. 

Sadly the people who would have benefited from this program were turned away because the vouchers were limited and many of them were already taken by those who could well afford to pay.  

I was working at one of the veterinary hospitals that participated in the event and a few of those people drove up in their luxury cars and laughed about how they were able to get their dogs altered at no cost.  In fact one couple took great joy in telling everyone in the waiting room how they had purposely delayed spaying their dog until they could get the free voucher so that they could save their money for the cruise to Europe that they had planned the following month.  

The shelter tried to continue the program for a few years but due to the unfortunate handling of this fiasco many veterinarians declined to participate and the program was eventually ended.

It is very sad when something that is meant to help those in need is abused by those who see it as a free handout.