posted
Shall I just make this an official thread, and edit the post to set up the process? I guess I'm collecting.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just FYI, I'll be doing my donation direct to Operation Smile, and will put Hatrack in the "in honor of" section. kq, I'll use your email address for the in honor of notify, so you can add it to the hatrack total.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's fine. I have to figure out which of our Paypal accounts is active and clear it out if there's anything in it anyway.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm gonna go ahead and sticky this, but it sure went awfully fast from "Does someone want to organize" to "I'll do it" to "Anyone have suggestions" to "Everyone ok with my suggestion" to "Ok, this is the one we're doing." It's possible that many people haven't had a chance to weigh in as yet. If it's gonna be the official unofficial thread/charity, then anyone who wishes should get a chance to nominate a charity, and perhaps voting could take place after that. I am the Papa, I speak for the lurkers.
posted
I'm happy to change it if anyone objects. It just didn't seem to get any responses other than "okay."
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I am researching Operation Smile on a couple of trusted websites and something I found something on Give.org that is a little concerning. It appears they do not meet their high standards:
quote: This charity does not meet one or more of the 20 standards for Charity Accountability.
I am reading more to find out why. All of the other charities I like to donate to do have their seal of approval, so that is why I'm looking a little deeper.
Note: Heifer gets the O.K. from the site, but not First Book.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm sorry if I came off snotty -- wasn't my intention. It's just -- it hasn't even been a whole day since this thread was posted, so its not getting negative responses may not mean much. Last year, just as an example, it was four days from when the thread was posted to when a vote tally was taken, and that was with four nominations. Also there's (to me) a very notable difference between "Does anyone have any suggestions?" and "Does anyone have a problem with this?" I can have no problem with one charity and still think another would be a better choice.
I was hoping for First Book again, but since there's a good chance we won't be contributing this year anyway, I wasn't planning on saying anything (it was one of my best laid plans, too). But they were so excited about it last year, and I know there had been talk about setting up a "Virtual Bookdrive" with them, though we probably waited too long this year again. I also recognize that people may well wish to donate to somewhere we haven't donated before; I just don't think having the choice there is a negative thing.
posted
(And also, yeah. No one had started the thread and I kinda wanted to just get something going because the holiday season seems to be going so fast this year.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Valentine, I'd love to know why they don't meet the standards.
It's a charity my mom has volunteered with in the past and so have her co-workers, and they have all been very pleased with it.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
KQ, perhaps if the topic said something like "2007 Hatrack Charitable Contribution: Accepting Nominations for Charities" people might realize that they could make a suggestion, and with more people helping in the choice there might be more "ownership" of it (to get all managery-sounding).
This isn't to suggest that Operation Smile isn't a good charity. But even with the question mark in the topic, it doesn't (to me) seem very conducive to suggestions. And I hope I'm not coming off sounding as negatively as I could imagine myself sounding if my tone were negative. I'm not trying to be negative.
posted
Sorry you feel that way, kq. Obviously I'm stepping on toes where I didn't intend to, so do it however you want.
Posts: 6213 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'll take it over, if no one else will. Our three nominees so far:
Operation Smile Heifer International First Book
I'll check back Wednesday, and whichever choice has the most votes, will be the charity this year. I will be doing a match of the first $X, but I don't know what that will be yet.
We had a darn good year last year, but I think we can do better this year. Once a charity is chosen, if people could make donations "on behalf of" Hatrack River Forums, and forward me the confirmation email (with any personal info removed, but with the amount given/pledged) and I will update the charity amount.
All donations will need to be made through January 1st, 2008.
posted
Will someone who's good with the search-fu throw up some non-sketchy links that give reliable information on the three nominees, please?
Posts: 1355 | Registered: Jul 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Bok, if you take over you should start a new thread, so you can change the title as necessary. Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
CMC: The link I provided above and the link I will again provide for you here links you to the official Better Business Bureau reports on charities. To make it even easier, I will even link to the three charities Bok has listed:
To clarify further, the BBB has given their seal of approval to Heifer only out of these three. I urge everyone to glance at these links and decide for yourself if they are worthy of our donation.
Classic favorites. I usually collect for UNICEF every year at Halloween when I go out at all. It's a good organization, noted for the amount of the contribution that actually goes to aid, and not to advertising or administration. Second Harvest gets high marks in that regard as well.
Happily, I might even be in a position to contribute this year, but other than those suggestions, I'll just go along with whatever Bok chooses.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
(And after reading the BBB objections, they won't stand in the way of my continued giving to OS, either.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Not having paid staff on the board is pretty standard in non-profit. It's puzzling, but that's how it's done. I don't understand how, in that respect, the abuses that occassionally pop up happen.
In terms of "not what we've done before", what have we done, historically?
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Cool! It must work because people are voting. This is my first Survey Monkey survey. When should we close voting?
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Pooka, we've done First Book multiple times (two, three maybe more) and Heifer Project once. I'd vote First Book all the way, this is an author's website.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Bokonon mentioned he'd go through Wednesday with the voting. It looks like he's still waiting for an 'okay' from ketchupqueen to start a new thread (giving him the rights to change the title).
edit: Thank You, Valentine014, for the links to the Better Business Bureau.
Posts: 1355 | Registered: Jul 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Val, I think it's backwards of what you put, I think we did First book in 06, Heifer in 05, and First Book in 04 (I don't knwo before that). But that's going on memory and you may have searched.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ok, that's fine, just as long as it's right in this thread so people don't think their minds are going.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I voted for firstbook because it's all about getting kids addicted to reading. Where is the next generation of hatcrackheads coming from if we can't be their pushers up front?
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
So, who's in charge of all of this? I think the title needs to be changed to reflect the survey or a new thread needs to be made so a decision can be made.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I am assuming a new thread will be made when Bok decides what to do. He volunteered to take over collection.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
