Thread: Say "NO" to Toy Drives

If you can't bring yourself to donate to Salvation Army or Toys for Tots, please, at least, consider donating to a local church.

Merry Christmas.

I donate to the Catholic church I now attend because I KNOW that the priest in charge of this church SEES to it that the donations go ONLY to those who DESERVE them!

Originally Posted by Texan123

I know this will sound terrible, especially at Christmas time. I personnally have stopped giving to toy drives and some other organizations.
After witnessing a "school supply drive" to help the less fortunate, I realized that the Hispanic people were at the front of the line to receive these supplies. Many drive nice trucks to pick up the supplies.
I also helped deliver food baskets at Thanksgiving. Some went to really needy families, but others went to homes with 2 new cars in the driveway and a big screen TV, with kids playing video games. Some people take advantage of the giving nature of others. These folks don't need MY money.
It is important to check out these organizations. We have a right to know who benefits. I still give to homeless shelters and a few groups, but I personnally check them first.

I have experienced the exact same thing. My money or donation will go nowhere unless I know exactly where it's going and for a fact it's going there.

nntrixie wrote:

Also, many illegals have discovered flea markets - big time. I would be willing to bet many of these toys will find their way to flea markets.

You hit the nail on the head.
In California, all most every city has it's own flea market, swap meet, or farmers market. I remember after Christmas and New Years you could go to one of these place and it would be filled with Mexicans/Hispanics selling most every kind of kids item you could think of.

I give to the Vietnam vets who seem to be largely forgotten these days.

Originally Posted by Cribster

I give to the Vietnam vets who seem to be largely forgotten these days.

I do too...they need more help !

I give to no-kill, non profit animal shelters. They get zero funds from the government and rely on donations from individuals only. Don't forget the animals this holiday season.

I am not giving to Salvation Army or any of the local organizations, because all I see using them are illegals.

I will give directly to people and organizations that I know have nothing to do with illegals.

Now they return the stuff to the stores or sell it on eBay.

The other day, I saw a pretty sad looking bunch of kids and a father wheeling a flat screen TV by in the shopping cart. All I could think was well there goes your Christmas. I hoped they were signed up for charity gifts.

I've worked for charity and people lie about being needy. They even lie to the government about income and expenses to get welfare. I know of at least two women that ran around to every charity in town getting gifts and they are not the only ones.

It's sad that turly needy people don't get the help they need or have too much pride to accept the gifts.

Dixie

I agree with you all on this issue. Only donate to a group with accountability. Foster kids are a great way to help, they go without the most, and more often than not, need someone just to care, and will not remember a toy given anonymously, rather than someone who took interest in them.

The Salvation Army ARC, my husband and I worked there for a while, I was Admin. Assistant, and the intake Secretary. Most of the men I saw were Vietnam Vets, and most really wanted to do better for themselves, and gifts of needed items can be a huge blessing, that, or shelters in the area.

The toy drives these days are overbloated and let's be honest with ourselves, even the most modest incomes can afford a couple of gifts for the kids. I can say this about growing up in a working class family, last of six kids and both parents worked, money was ALWAYS tight and Christmas was simple, however, I cannot remember ONE gift I was given in particular, over the memories of family being together, relatives cramming in from out of town into our small home. These are the memories we all have, it was not about what we got, and todays kids are no different. They need to have their parents build memories for them, not an overflowing toybox.

I have seen my illegal neighbors, last year for example, coming home with their cars crammed full fo donated food and toys, and at the time, we had NO car, and they had near brand new cars. I felt this was infuritating, but then I got my bearings and realized that the often all too good intentions by people feeds this group and helps them feel as though they have been welcomed, or maybe it just feeds their ability to stay, either way, Americans in need are not usually benefitting.