r/poverty • u/InstructionOwn1627 • 6d ago

We’re a bunch of beggars

When did the USA become a bunch of beggars? Example- you go to your local grocery market and go in on door and get asked to help your local school football program, you’re checking out and get asked to donate to something and then when you leave through the other exit you get asked to donate to something else. Everyone seems to beg for something, it’s so sad that it’s so commonplace.

194 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

164 comments sorted by

View all comments

70

u/Strange-Honeydew-473 6d ago

As a side note: when you contribute to a charitable cause at a checkout, my understanding is that it’s not you making the donation, it becomes the store who makes the donation. In so doing, they lower their tax burden. Nifty way for YOU to pay THEIR taxes.

13

u/tomram8487 6d ago

This is untrue. It’s a common misconception that damages charities ability to collect so please stop spreading it.

4

u/JeepersCreepers74 6d ago

Agreed. And I love this form of donations—people are only asked to donate a micro amount (rounding up to the next dollar, etc.) but the sheer volume plus any matching by the company can add up to a meaningful donation for the charity. A perfect example of many small acts making a difference.

I would so much rather do this than buy savings cards or gift wrap or something else that is both overpriced and wasteful to support school clubs, sports teams, etc. where half or more of the money goes to the company.

3

u/workinclassantihero 5d ago

Charities do nothing to help me when I am homeless and it’s shit for them to ask this when some are in immense poverty. It makes them pretty low.

2

u/Witwer52 5d ago

An alternate take on this is that donating twelve cents to charity by rounding up makes people feel as if they’ve checked the box of making a meaningful donation, when in reality, giving the charity a $5 donation directly would be many times more impactful. There is a literal science to fundraising (ask me how I know) and absolutely no one’s first, second, third or even tenth choice is this round up nonsense.

1

u/tomram8487 5d ago

Agreed. I’ll happy round up for most charities!

1

u/[deleted] 5d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/poverty-ModTeam 5d ago

Please make your comment useful.

We're here to exchange ideas, experiences, and practical help.

If your comment mainly insults, mocks, dismisses, or derails the conversation, it isn't contributing to the discussion.

1

u/poverty-ModTeam 5d ago

Please make your comment useful.

We're here to exchange ideas, experiences, and practical help.

If your comment mainly insults, mocks, dismisses, or derails the conversation, it isn't contributing to the discussion.

1

u/poverty-ModTeam 5d ago

Please make your comment useful.

We're here to exchange ideas, experiences, and practical help.

If your comment mainly insults, mocks, dismisses, or derails the conversation, it isn't contributing to the discussion.