Charity this Christmas?

[Marie78]

I wanted to start this thread to see how others feel about donating this Christmas. I give to 3 local charities every month on a regular basis. I have a set amount that I donate to: Food Bank, Rescue Mission, and United Way. I work for a non-profit agency so we work closely with these organizations and it makes me feel good to help, you never know when your own luck will change.

However, this Christmas I find myself donating until I feel the "squeeze." I donate extra to the Food Bank and Rescue Mission this time of year. Then my agency does an angel tree that I donate to, then there are the families that we support that don't always qualify for help at Christmas...so my agency takes up donations to help them (and there have been so many more of them this year). Then we did a donation to help the Salvation Army buy turkeys for families this holiday season. All these donations on top of buying for my own family has me feeling the "squeeze." Has anyone else found themselves being asked to donate more this year than in the past years?

I give every Christmas, but this year there have been so many more places looking for donations from the "middle" to "lower middle" class that I am at the point of screaming if we are asked to help one more charity this year. I don't mind giving, but it has felt endless...

[DJ1972]

We have done food donations to the food bank, and I have adopted a family. I don't go through any organization to adopt a family. As most of you know, I am an in-home visiting nurse, so I run across several people on a daily basis that need help, so I am playing secret santa to one of those families. If I ever start to feel sorry for myself, all I have to do is think about the houses I visit on the job and the situation some of those people live in....I am surely blessed.

[homesteadmamma]

As a family, we have found a couple of places we donate to. That's it. We can't do the impossible with the finances we have. I love giving and will give to these two organizations as much as I can. I've heard giving is down this year and that is sad. I wish we could do more, however at this point we can't.

[Marie78]

This is the first year I have felt taken advantage of in regards to giving. I have always enjoyed giving and this year I have really felt burdened by it. I feel like the Grinch! I know the economy is in rough shape right now and I think that, coupled with working in a non-profit agency have put an extra demand on non-profit employees.

I don't remember ever being asked or obligated to donate so much in any other field I have worked in. I do feel bad that the economy is the way it is, and I feel for the families that need so much help, but I'm in the middle/lower middle class and I don't have the kind of resources to help like I have been asked to. I think the needs have become much greater and the resources even more limited this year. I know we can only give what we can give, but how do you feel joyful about giving when you feel your pockets have been cleaned out and people are still looking to you and your co-workers for more money? I feel like the spirit of giving has gone for me....

[geckoace]

i set aside a giving amount as part of my christmas budget and thats all i give. i may give some food stuffs if the school has a drive. but i realized i can only give what i have. we give throughout the year as well

[peanut]

I've found since inheriting some money I've become popular with certain people in town. I've decided to just grow a cold heart on this one. I'm not giving it all away. I will give where I feel called to give...not where others call me to give.

I give my time and talents a lot...to different organizations and charities in town...and to the church. But the reality is my own family needs to be clothed and fed first. When they are in the clear, then I will open up the purse strings again...if God calls me to do that.

In my faith we are called to give only when we can do so with a free spirit, without begrudging the act. Otherwise it is not a gift pleasing to the Lord.

Jean

[frugal-fannie]

I used to be on every call list. I now only give to church and a few charities. Like World vision I usually do gifts like angel tree also. But this year just the amount of people at work that have needed help for funerals and just getting myself in better financial shape in case I need to help my sister out, as it looks like she will loose her job soon. Those are the only things that I give to.

[kittykatstrong]

I give when I can but I dont have a set amount. If I have alittle left over from the grocery budget I will give that. Or this year I gave to kids being clothed going back to school. It was important to me.