Ring My Bell!

[chloe]

I just don't trust that my money goes the way they say. Im pessimisstic. United Way must have some good deal with the companies & vice versa......

 

[tigerbob]

At my most recent company (in England) we used to have what I thought was a brilliant scheme. I wonder if something similar exists in the US.

I used to give £30 (about $50) a month from my net salary to something called the Charities Aid Foundation. Because I was a high rate taxpayer, the tax paid on that would be reclaimed by CAF, making my donation equivalent to £50. My company would then match this donation, turning the total monthly donation into £100.

CAF would send me a checkbook, and I could then write a check to any registered British charity for any amount up to the total amount my CAF account was in credit.

I always used to save the donations up. When I left England in June, I wrote checks to a local school my children had attended ($5000), an after school play group they went to that received very little in the way of funding ($2000) and the British Diabetes Association ($3000).

It only cost £30 a month, but the feeling I got when I wrote out those checks was one of the best I've ever known.

 

[Anguille]

I don't like to donate money to any group, but my company always pressures me to give to United Way so I end up doing to because of the high personal pressure. Id rather give to individuals myself or give items I no longer need. i gave a fax machine to a rehab for women & children and some furniture & clothes. Im really controlling about my donations.....he he

United Way was really corrupt a few years back. I never trusted them, or needed them to make my decisions for me anyway.

 

[Anguille]

At my most recent company (in England) we used to have what I thought was a brilliant scheme. I wonder if something similar exists in the US.

I used to give £30 (about $50) a month from my net salary to something called the Charities Aid Foundation. Because I was a high rate taxpayer, the tax paid on that would be reclaimed by CAF, making my donation equivalent to £50. My company would then match this donation, turning the total monthly donation into £100.

CAF would send me a checkbook, and I could then write a check to any registered British charity for any amount up to the total amount my CAF account was in credit.

I always used to save the donations up. When I left England in June, I wrote checks to a local school my children had attended ($5000), an after school play group they went to that received very little in the way of funding ($2000) and the British Diabetes Association ($3000).

It only cost £30 a month, but the feeling I got when I wrote out those checks was one of the best I've ever known.

That's a great way to do it. There are similar programs in the US.

 

[tigerbob]

They HIGHLY encourge us to donate to the United Way where I work too, I wonder if companies get some kind of reward if they have a lot of employees donate? Not that I mind, I've given to the Lupus Foundation every year, my sister in law and my friend from high school have both died from Lupus.

Maybe the United Way incentivizes directors of big companies. I would guess it would enhance one's social standing to be made a non exec director of a charity......

 

[chloe]

United Way was really corrupt a few years back. I never trusted them, or needed them to make my decisions for me anyway.

we are in sync

 

[tigerbob]

That's a great way to do it. There are similar programs in the US.

You don't happen to know what they are called by any chance? I might look into it.

 

[random3434]

At my most recent company (in England) we used to have what I thought was a brilliant scheme. I wonder if something similar exists in the US.

I used to give £30 (about $50) a month from my net salary to something called the Charities Aid Foundation. Because I was a high rate taxpayer, the tax paid on that would be reclaimed by CAF, making my donation equivalent to £50. My company would then match this donation, turning the total monthly donation into £100.

CAF would send me a checkbook, and I could then write a check to any registered British charity for any amount up to the total amount my CAF account was in credit.

I always used to save the donations up. When I left England in June, I wrote checks to a local school my children had attended ($5000), an after school play group they went to that received very little in the way of funding ($2000) and the British Diabetes Association ($3000).

It only cost £30 a month, but the feeling I got when I wrote out those checks was one of the best I've ever known.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that idea! You know exactly where your money is going, and it's being matched by your company! And I bet they loved getting those checks! Nice!

 

[Anguille]

You don't happen to know what they are called by any chance? I might look into it.

All I know of are employers who agree to match employee donations to certain charities that the employers chose. I don't know of a single organization that arranges that.
Also, a charity might have a donor who agrees to match all donations during a certain period of a fund drive.

 

[Shadow]

Yes, I give the bell ringers what ever change I have on me when I see them..

 

[tigerbob]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that idea! You know exactly where your money is going, and it's being matched by your company! And I bet they loved getting those checks! Nice!

Yeah, much better than the United Way arm twisting method.