Charities & Causes

Monthly income turns to charity greed

Charities & Causes

Posted by: mermaid

22nd Oct 2009 11:50pm

Some time ago I volunteered for a local charity believing my support of those in need were met. In our weekly meeting the manager shared an email from upper level management for all stores to increase monthly sales targets yes targets, from $2,000 to $3,500.00.

This was met with much distaste amongst the large pool of volunteers, who questioned why? The manager shared the same view and set off to identify the need vs greed syndrome and this is what we learned.......

more than $210 billion of institutionalised ''charity'' is now part of Australia's society and is embedded in the economy rather than being an optional extra. Old-fashioned charity is just $9 billion, 4 per cent of the total or less than 3 per cent if we acknowledge governments' financial support to charities.

There are approximately 10,400 charities in Australia with almost 12,000 outlets or branches.
120,000 staff are employees vs tens of thousands of volunteers; this figure does not include volunteers who work for schools, clubs and associations. Total wages are about $3.9 billion.

Salvation Army (eastern and southern divisions only) revenue approx $650 million, smaller average less than $800,000 per year (a extraordinary figure).
Compare these figures to an average business employing staff, with a revenue of $3.8 million - or approx five times the average charity.

Reality is charities are a business and these figures are Australian, given the number of charity organisations in Australia also exist worldwide the math just does not add up.

When presenting these figures to senior management, the manager was told rising inflation restricted the charity from performing.

The result, the manager and 3/4's of the pooled volunteers left and within 2 years the charity have employed 4 managers. The days of charity truly have gone!

What are your thoughts?

SereneBee
  • 5th Oct 2011 02:27pm

The thing is berger123 that an op=shop serves two purposes. It's an opportunity for people -anyone- to get a bargain and by doing so the charity has the opportunity to do good in the community. Just yesterday, we had two people with vouchers go out with $100.00 worth of goods each. People in dire straits have 2 community-minded volunteers go out and assess their situation; if proven they are given the voucher for what they really need. Two years ago I had two people who needed black clothes for funeral purposes come in with a voucher. As an aside, I annoyed my sister by wearing navy blue to your Mother's funeral~~


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