Giving Directly to the Poor

Helping unfortunate strangers is a virtue seldom practiced. Most people rely on the government or private agencies to help those in need. But for every dollar that is supposed to go to the needy only ten cents gets there, the rest is spent on administrative costs. Some executive workings for charities have incomes of over a million dollars a year. They have little concern for others. Human greed and corruption is only partially the blame.

Fund raising is not easy. It takes talent to get people to part with their hard earned money. Some fundraisers are paid commissions as high as fifty percent. They deserve it because without their talents there would be nothing collected. Not only politicians use fund raisers but also organizations that help the needy. A poor person would not even get a dime if the fundraiser was not collecting a dollar. This system has been going on since the beginning of time. The fund raiser has always been a needed part of society.

Houses of worship are known for their humanitarianism. They are always speaking about the poor and how important it is to help them. But they could never exist without charitable donations. That is why the poor box is passed around at religious services. Most of that money goes to church workers who have to eat and pay their expenses. The rest is given to the poor. The success of a church leader is based on how much is collected. The most popular ones collect millions. They could be called fund raisers rather than raisers of the spirit. But without them religious organizations would go broke.

There are better ways to help the poor or unfortunate besides having others doing it for you. The best way is to deal directly with them. The first thing you should do is put a lot of thought into the type of person you would like to help. We all have our preferences. Donors want their money going to people that deserves it most, not the lazy types that do not make any attempt to help themselves. The most deserving I believe are those that are the victims of unfortunate circumstances. Workers who have lost their jobs and are on the verge of having to lose their homes are most deserving of our compassion. We don't have to go far to find them.

The anonymous donor is the most virtuous because what is given is not for recognition but for compassion. If you would like to help, but don't know how to start, put whatever is affordable into an unsigned envelope. Drop it into the mailbox of some unfortunate person. In that way you will be eliminating the necessity of the fundraiser and every dollar will go directly to those that need it most. If you would rather let the fundraisers or the government be responsible for helping the poor or unfortunate you are neglecting your duty as a humanitarian.
melpol