Seems the more money you have, the more *charity* begins at home .

For some time now I have had my suspicions and because of them I have no

longer supported many of the larger charities, preferring to support smaller

individual ones eg. youngsters raising money to take themselves abroad to

help out in much poorer countries, usually run by education authorities etc.

Last night I watched the following programme and was appalled....those who

have in abundance do not share any of it!!!

www.channel4.com...


Sorry but I can't (don't know how to embed) give you any more than the link to

the programme which is an under cover report I found it astounding, and the

back tracking when the greed became apparent. /SMH

From there I started thinking about these charitable *foundations* many of the

wealthy such as Obama, the Clintons , the Sussex's, Oprah, and many, many

others have. Being charities they pay no tax on incomes or donations, and rely on

what are termed donations (which are vast sums (£400,000??) they get for half hour

talks) and patronage of their celebrity.

Donations are paid into the foundations which are registered as charities therefor

not considered *income* and TAX FREE


CHARITY = Pay day for RICH CELEBRITIES /SMH

a reply to: eletheia

At our work we were "forced" to donate to a charity. I didn't want to do the standard of United Way.
I picked a local charity that I knew a friend worked at. You know what, they never got the money!
I really needed my job at the time so I didn't whistle-blower it. Lot's of charity donations are going into somebodies pocket!

After that I do not give to any at all. I volunteer my time instead.

I donate to Vinnies and the food bank. We also donated to the humane society here and some local churches for their programs over the years. We are not rich, ten percent to a church is not something we ever did. I used to do a lot of work for older people cheap when I had my construction company though. They were on limited income so I gave them a good deal, they could not afford most of the other contractors. The trouble is I had mostly not rich people that were my customers, so I never got rich, and worked myself way too much. I also had the homeowners help a lot, that way they learned how to do things. Everyone likes to learn when it costs them less to have something done. My intent was to teach others how to help themselves with the experience I acquired from years of work.

If I would have taken rich clients, I would have been rich. But I am already Rich, that is my name.

For some very rich people these charitable foundations are a tax evasion plans, plus it keeps their celebrity status going. Though I am sure they do some good and promote good causes.

However, before I let the cynic in me take over there are also some very rich people who have done a huge deal of good. Most people have not heard of Sir Tom Hunter, Lord Sainsbury or Peter Cruddas, but there are many more.

Oh, and I know Bill Gates gets a lot of flak, but he is an exceptionally generous philanthropist who has changed the lives of millions.

a reply to: eletheia

When my son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, we spent a week in hospital.
Part of our reading package included a phamplet regarding what we could now do for the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund) through volunteer work.

The JDRF actually hosts tons of fun events for kids and parents with T1D, BUT: their highest up employee makes $250,000. 🙄 Only 41% of donations (that families really, really work hard to raise) go toward diabetes research and diabetes grants. I find that abyssmal considering volunteers do 75% of the work.

There's also a really strong "culture" with charities that revolve around diseases. Comforting for some, strange for others.

originally posted by: paraphi
For some very rich people these charitable foundations are a tax evasion plans, plus it keeps their celebrity status going.

There should be no way to evade tax, the average and the poor are unable

to do so and can least afford it where as those very rich wouldn't even miss it

after all you can only sail in one yacht at a time, or drive one super car at a

time etc.

Though I am sure they do some good and promote good causes

If you looked at my link- you would see that they would promote anything

as long as the price was right.

However, before I let the cynic in me take over there are also some very rich people who have done a huge deal of good. Most people have not heard of Sir Tom Hunter, Lord Sainsbury or Peter Cruddas, but there are many more.

Loll!! the cynic came over me a long time ago .... and yes there are rich people

who do a lot of good, but they are not usually of the celebrity genre.

I very much admired George Micheal he used to do some very individual gifting

without any publicity. (I believe there is an IVF baby somewhere who unknowingly

owes their existence to him)

Oh, and I know Bill Gates gets a lot of flak, but he is an exceptionally generous philanthropist who has changed the lives of millions.

I understand his children won't be inheriting the bulk of his fortune either.

originally posted by: Atsbhct

When my son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, we spent a week in hospital.
Part of our reading package included a phamplet regarding what we could now do for the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund) through volunteer work.

The JDRF actually hosts tons of fun events for kids and parents with T1D, BUT: their highest up employee makes $250,000. 🙄 Only 41% of donations (that families really, really work hard to raise) go toward diabetes research and diabetes grants. I find that abyssmal considering volunteers do 75% of the work.

Spot on .... The same goes on in a lot of these charity shops, as

charities they get a reduction on their commercial rents and the one at the

top is on an annual salary of something in the region of £240,000 annually.

In some of the smaller towns, small business's in the high streets are going

under with very high business rents and the only shops remaining are the

charity shops.

originally posted by: eletheia
There should be no way to evade tax, the average and the poor are unable to do so and ...

Oh, I don't know. My local builder is always taking cash in hand to avoid charging VAT for poorer customers. Not saying he did me a favour, or anything. I'm squeaky clean!

originally posted by: paraphi

Oh, I don't know. My local builder is always taking cash in hand to avoid charging VAT for poorer customers. Not saying he did me a favour, or anything. I'm squeaky clean!

I can remember a time before VAT (value added tax) a misnomer if ever there was.

That tax wasn't implemented till we joined the EU, and its not like a direct tax. I

suppose its too much to hope we lose it now that we have left!

As you intimated vat hinders the small business and the poorer person.

a reply to: eletheia

Ever see a poor Chief Executive of a Charity, neither have I, ever head of the Charity scam were most charity's were used as a loophole to save tax for corporation's..

I agree m ost charity's are a bit dodgy, not all and the concept is based on the human wish to give to those in need.

That's one reason I never like that Cameron when he was prime minister he as up to his eye ball's in corporate contact's with friends in multi national conglomerates and corporations and he was pushing the argument that Charity was the best replacement for the welfare state if not in those exact words, he was lauding the food bank's as a good thing.

I just wish we had a good government and a good opposition in this country but instead we have a parliament run by genuine hooray harry's sneering and laughing at there electoral victory and an opposition led by idiot's and in tatters.

a reply to: eletheia

I was pissed the other day to find out my sister works for a charity.

Three day week but enough to keep her and her boyfriend in very comfortable conditions. He is registered as "bipolar" so is on benefits but he has used that as an excuse for decades. I know it's an excuse because I am bipolar.

The charity she works for organises housing for those in need and the same charity that provided her council house.

I always thought people GAVE to charities and DONATED their time because it is a good cause.

Charity starts at HER home FIRST.

Sick.

Ahh the good old Church of Scientology.
Now that is a money maker!

a reply to: eletheia

Yes. The rich evade tax. The rich set up trusts as personal charities. The rich use the charity money for themselves.

But not all of them. Only the scummiest ones, who happily point out the ones who aren't scum as a defense against public outrage.

a reply to: eletheia

We raise money as part of a corporate & individual store effort every year, among many other endeavours. But that's the big one - customers choose one of the 3 big national charities or our chosen local chairty. We push the local and end up donating over $100k to a local food pantry every year. The impact they've made on the local community is incredible. All of the workers and administrators are 100% volunteer.

Corruption and money laundering in the guise of doing good is disgusting. I have far more respect for blatantly criminal organizations.

This thread is pointing out the use of tax evasions more than what I was intending

in the OP. which was those with vast resources were unable to be charitable.


The link I posted was how the very rich celebrities who were far from short of a

bob or two were asked to give some 'time only' in support of or endorsing

charity and were unable to find the 'charity within themselves' to do good

without demanding large sums of money to do so....... when the undercover

reporter faced them with their tacky 'money grabbing ways' which were going to be

revealed to the public, they the mega rich celeb's all countered with the same (lie?)

that the money (fee) they were demanding they were intending to donate to charity

anyway.....THEIR OWN CHARITY being they were only prepared to do anything

that benifitted them and their pockets ...........


My point in the thread being *RICH CELEBRITIES ONLY DO CHARITY THAT BENEFITS

THEMSELVES* which must be where the saying *charity begins at home* comes from?