A Barrow Downs Charity Idea
 

I posted this idea on the Facebook Barrow Downs page and thought I should also post it here as there are quite a few forum Downers who don't FB. (I love neologisms.) There's a fair bit of interest in the idea on our FB group page.

Here's what I posted: "I was looking through the World Vision Gift Catalogue for Christmas and had an idea. The catalogue lists things people can sponsor as gifts--goats, chickens, pigs, sheep, hens and roosters, cows, even beehives, as well as food and medical supplies. A goat costs $100, three little pigs $120. These items are provided to a child or family in need in a developing country.

Is there any interest in us contributing to one of these gifts? It would be a gift from "the Barrow Downs". I'm not sure exactly how this could be done--maybe through indigogo? (I have no experience with indigogo but I think the Brit moot Downers do.)

I've tried to see if there are other organisations doing similar work for Christmas but haven't found anything really similar. Are there other organisations people would be interested in supporting?

Information about the program and about World Vision can be found here;the link is to World Vision Canada but it is an international organisation. Its Mission Statement is to support people in need regardless of race, religion, gender, or ethnicity. My understanding is that while World Vision is a Christian evangelical organisation it does not proselytise. Any interest? :

World Vision Christmas Gift Catalogue"

It was suggested that indigogo is not a very reliable source, so I am researching other ways to gather our contributions together. I've written World Vision about the idea to see if we can use their "Wish List" page on their website. We could also use my paypal account.

One Downer suggested the Heifer International charity but that charity is based only in the US, so tax receipts would be issued only for the American IRS. If I read the comments correctly, there's support for using World Vision, which I think can give receipts for many countries. World Vision uses the word "steward" to describe its actions and I think that fits well with some of Tolkien's use too.

If forum folks are interested, you can reply here and I will keep this thread updated. Once plans are clear I can PM any information that requires privacy.

Though I'm in the dark on how this sort of thing works with regard to how one contributes, I'll be glad to do what I can.

Thanks, Inzil. Once we figure it out too I'll let you know. :D

Would it be possible to set up some sort of paypal and have anyone who is interested put in what they will? Then transfer the funds to World Vision? Is such madness even possible?

I have used the Good gifts catalogue for years which guarantees that the money is used as described and is wanted by 5he community.

Can an organisation really be evangelist an non proselytising? Seems unlikely that both could be true.

It is a nice idea but it might also waste a lot of money in exchange and transfer fees.

Kitanna, I've been told that paypal will not make deductions for gifts--as opposed to sales agreements--but I'm checking out their policies to determine other costs with them. I have a paypal account folks could use. I've written to World Vision to see if they have a payment site of their own we could use directly.


Hi Mithalwen! Thanks for your comments.

On the Facebook page, several members have spoken in praise of World Vision, having used it before and in one case, often. In the link I provided, World Vision provides a chart describing how it's resources are attributed. 81% of revenues goes to the program, a little under 14% goes to fundraising, and slightly more than 5% goes to admin. From what I've read about such charities, World Vision has a very good if not excellent track record. It's mission statement claims that it helps people regardless of religion, which to me means no strings attached. I don't doubt that there are Christians who help others without shouting about their faith to the rooftops, the point being their own work and faith in action rather than persuading others, but I wasn't looking specifically for a Christian charity, just one applicable and reliable. *shrugs*

But I'll check out Good Gifts and see if folks on FB would prefer it. There's a larger response on the FB page.

I wasn't advocating goodgifts over world vision just commenting that I had used them. And I am not antI Christian charities - one of my main ones is, just the evangelism, I am a bit chary of, especially in the developing world, maybe Brits of my generation are a bit paranoid about imperialism even if just cultural...

Disregard my comments since in the light of the huge and immediate need, while I think the joint gift is a sweet idea, I shall be giving what I can afford to Shelterbox, a charity I know and trust and which has already started distributing in the Phillipines. Given that two of our Phillipine downers inexplicably buy enchantingly adopted me as their cybermum it seemed the obvious thing for me personally. :smokin:

Splendid idea, Mithalwen! Thanks for telling us about this charity and the idea.

I’d also be happy to do this instead, under the circumstances.

My father was a rotarian and Rotary is a partner organisation. They really do marvellous work.
Www.shelterbox.org

There are affiliate organisation in Canada, the States, and Aus though no doubt there are other worthy options. For me the virtue of shelterbox scheme is that through Rotary it can work with local networks of charitably inclined indiviuals.

I think the Shelterbox idea is wonderful for any who wish to use it. Because my brother in law's wife is from the Philippines, we've been following this story and working with them before Mithalwen announced her idea (the Canadian government is matching donations made to Canadian charities), so I've also gone ahead and set up the World Vision Wish List. There are others on FB who want to use that.

The Wish List can be accessed by searching using my real life name and email on any World Vision website. The name of my wish list is The Barrow Downs and I've used the site logo image. If you wish to donate, PM me and I'll send you my email addy and my RL name. Here's the link I was sent for it: The Barrow Downs Wish List

I've been told there are no charges for currency exchanges. World Vision has websites for the US, UK, Canada, Finland, Germany, Australia and more. World Vision will issue tax receipts for a minimum donation (in Canada that is $15CAD) but it is up to each country to decide to accept the receipt for tax purposes.

For gifts I've suggested a goat ($100) or a goat and chickens ($150), so I've managed to work in a moot joke. :)

Sorry don't get it...

I don't either. It's not working the way I was told it would. I've emailed for clarification. :( :confused:

Mith CBC just ran a news story on ShelterboxCanada. Apparently it was already in the Philippines because of the earthquake that hit Bohol a few weeks ago, but new boxes and 504 tents are already there and more on the way. They are aiming to help 4000 families in Cebu, Bohol and Tacloba, with more evaluation coming.

I meant I didn't get the joke.

It started when A Little Green and Hookbill got overly excited about this video and started yelling at each other.