I would not donate large amounts to them, but a lot of the people who receive services are the ones ringing the bells, so I do drop some change here and a dollar there when I pass by.
Although I strongly disagree with their stance on people who are LGBTQ, the Salvation Army does provide much needed services. I avoid corporate organizations who express similar stances, but it's hard for me to walk by a bell ringer without putting something in the red bucket.
I want so badly to volunteer at a homeless shelter on thanksgiving. I have told DH that as soon as both of our kids are old enough to come with I want to make this a tradition.
For what it's worth, the soup kitchens around here book up with volunteers 2 years in advance for Thanksgiving, and six months in advance for Christmas and Easter. It's during the rest of the year, especially the winter, that many of them actually need help.
I feel like the SA is getting a bad rap in this post. Many local chapters don't require any participation or adherence to Christian rules as a prerequisite for receiving their services. The SA works around the world to help refugees, those suffering from hunger, persecution, illness, and all sorts of other issues. They are closely tied into governments and the military, and are therefore often one of the first organizations allowed into places after natural disasters or battles. While they do have a mission beyond what many individuals may entirely agree with, I feel it's unfair to paint the entire organization with a broad stroke as a result and say they don't deserve your help as a result. Especially in the way of donations, which can be ear-marked to causes you may support.
I want so badly to volunteer at a homeless shelter on thanksgiving. I have told DH that as soon as both of our kids are old enough to come with I want to make this a tradition.
For what it's worth, the soup kitchens around here book up with volunteers 2 years in advance for Thanksgiving, and six months in advance for Christmas and Easter. It's during the rest of the year, especially the winter, that many of them actually need help.
I feel like the SA is getting a bad rap in this post. Many local chapters don't require any participation or adherence to Christian rules as a prerequisite for receiving their services. The SA works around the world to help refugees, those suffering from hunger, persecution, illness, and all sorts of other issues. They are closely tied into governments and the military, and are therefore often one of the first organizations allowed into places after natural disasters or battles. While they do have a mission beyond what many individuals may entirely agree with, I feel it's unfair to paint the entire organization with a broad stroke as a result and say they don't deserve your help as a result. Especially in the way of donations, which can be ear-marked to causes you may support.
Good to know!
I can't believe they book up so far in advance for holidays. I guessed that's when no one would come out.
it does seem like it varies depending on where you live in some cases. There was an article last week about local shelters that discriminate based on sexual orientation and the Salvation Army was not one of them. I had stopped giving to the bell ringers a couple of years ago but if the money is staying local I may be okay with it since ours has taken a stand on welcoming all individuals and families and letting them shelter together.
I will say that I donate and help SA. They were there for me and DH when we were homeless and struggling when so many other "worthy" organizations weren't, back when social services didn't step up and the VA was denying disability. I know they have issues that others have recounted, but they had my back so I have at least some residual need to pay back. There was no proselytizing and no requirement that I find God to find food (though I am Christian, my faith is a bit more liberal and I strongly support LGBTQ issues.) So I donate food to their food pantry and toiletries to their shelters.
Here Ronald McDonald House encourages children to volunteer. One of the most common activities is decorating brown lunch bags (stickers,coloring, happy/positive messages) for the families to stock their lunch from the pantry.
The families often cook group meals and leave it refrigerated for others to heat and eat. Maybe make a large enough meal with the kids to deliver? Our RMH houses up to six families, but is rarely at capacity.
As a complete aside, we stayed at the Ronald McDonald House when M had his surgery, and it was a complete godsend. We found out the day before his surgery was scheduled, so we hadn't been able to plan anything, and in Philadelphia hotels were expensive. In all, we were there a week. The first few days they were over capacity, and they just gave us a huge discount to a very nice hotel right across the street from the hospital. I've rooms opened up, we moved into the house, which was about 1-2 miles away, but free with a shuttle to and from the hospital.
To be honest, my husband and I stayed there in shifts and we only used the house to sleep, so I don't remember all the specifics with the food and cafeteria. I remember some stuff was there or you could cook yourself. Regardless, to not have to worry about where we were going to stay out anything else about us (as opposed to just concentrating on M) during that time was just amazing and felt like a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders. I will never stop giving to the RMD House as a result.
Here Ronald McDonald House encourages children to volunteer. One of the most common activities is decorating brown lunch bags (stickers,coloring, happy/positive messages) for the families to stock their lunch from the pantry.
The families often cook group meals and leave it refrigerated for others to heat and eat. Maybe make a large enough meal with the kids to deliver? Our RMH houses up to six families, but is rarely at capacity.
As a complete aside, we stayed at the Ronald McDonald House when M had his surgery, and it was a complete godsend. We found out the day before his surgery was scheduled, so we hadn't been able to plan anything, and in Philadelphia hotels were expensive. In all, we were there a week. The first few days they were over capacity, and they just gave us a huge discount to a very nice hotel right across the street from the hospital. I've rooms opened up, we moved into the house, which was about 1-2 miles away, but free with a shuttle to and from the hospital.
To be honest, my husband and I stayed there in shifts and we only used the house to sleep, so I don't remember all the specifics with the food and cafeteria. I remember some stuff was there or you could cook yourself. Regardless, to not have to worry about where we were going to stay out anything else about us (as opposed to just concentrating on M) during that time was juist amazing and felt like a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders. I will never stop giving to the RMD House as a result.
Most people don't know that they also award college scholarships to needy kids. Many of them are foster children or wards of the state; each RMH disburses funds to kids locally. They aren't just applicants, the staff and administrators get to know them on a personal level and mentor them throughout college.