Rants, Raves, and Praise → [Rant] Salvation Army

Its a shame how they waste stuff like crazy here!!!

YESTERDAY I WAS THERE AND THEY WERE "ROTATING" DISHES....... They took alot of dishes OFF THE SHELF AND LET THEM SMASH APART IN A WASTE BAG!!!!! (PERFECTLY GOOD DISHES that didnt sell so they throw them out INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM AWAY FREE)

Its kind of sickening!!

Who would they give them away to?

Why didn't you buy them?

Uh, how much lower does the chain go from the Sally Anne?

They were donated to a thrift shop; the thrift shop couldn't sell them, probably for 25 cents or so a piece...

What's left, but the landfill?

I doubt they would have had any more luck giving them away for free. They were probably already trying to sell them at rock-bottom prices.

From their perspective, I can totally understand not giving the stuff away for free. It just takes up space on the shelves that could otherwise be used for items that actually will sell at a price. They have to cover their costs and keep the place running somehow. If they fill up the whole store with free items they're having trouble giving away, they're gonna be in trouble eventually.

The unfortunate reality about the developed world, is that there is such a surplus of consumer "stuff" that no one wants and all that's left to do is throw it away.

Perhaps they were throwing away damaged plates? Who want's plates with cracks or big chips?

When we were kids the plates all had lead that leeched into our food AND WE LIKED IT THAT WAY!

A number of years ago, I wanted to donate a 6 piece childrens bedroom set to them. They asked what condition it was in. Of course for being 40 years old, it had some nicks & ware, but honestly it was great shape. Because the set would need a little refurbishing, they said they wouldn't take it. I was like "what"; then give it to a needy family. They said: "sorry sir, we don't do that". OMG...really. I couldn't believe it. I called a local church and they found a needy family who lost everything in a fire.

Anyway; Salvation Army; you suck!!

I'm with you. I used to give the xmas bell ringers money, but no more.

They are not a charity. They are a religion, and because of that they do not reveal their finances.

They are not a fraud. They actually do a lot of good work. But with no public financial statements, who know what percent goes to helping the unfortunate, expenses, and pay?

I'd rather give to charities with published financials that help from a humanitarian standpoint, not one that pushes religion on the vulnerable.

All very good replies on this guys!!!!

Thank you for your input

theres a reason theres no public statements. nobody would donate if they saw 90%+ was going to "administration" e.g. the fatcats caddy payment, ins, fuel and CEO type salary.

Isn't Salvation Army just a place where people dump the old stuff for tax deduction receipts?

DUMPING STUFF was SO MUCH BETTER in the 80S! IT WAS MUCH DUMPIER BACK THEN!!!!!

Well YES but not just for that reason....... (I give stuff to them (I dont want any reciept either))

No, they dump stuff at Salvation Army because they were unable to sell it on Craigslist.

Sometimes things just need to be thrown away.

They should have given the dishes to Good Will...keep the circle-jerk going.

From Salvation Army's 2012 financial report.
"During 2012, the Army spent $3.29 billion serving people, up from $3.23 billion the prior year. Eighty-two cents of every dollar spent, or $2.71 billion, went toward program services; the remainder was accounted for by management and general expenses of $381 million and by fund raising costs of $203 million. Approximately 79% of these expenditures were funded by public and other operating support received during the year, with the remaining funding provided by the release of net assets that were previously donor-restricted or board-designated for long-term projects."

So its more like 11% for administration and general expenses, 6% for fund raising costs AND 82% FOR PROGRAM SERVICES.

Not bad for a charity.

Oh they do file public reports... but you would have known that if you wanted to.... right?

here is their 2012 report:

»salvationarmyannualreport.org/

Goodwill might be a better option for some donations and some donors. I remember after hurricane Katrina there was a discussion about the differences among the Goodwill, Red Cross and Salvation Army operations. It got a lot of people around my community to concentrate more on Goodwill donations. Goodwill has opened some new stores in our area and expanded other Goodwill job training programs. The Salvation Army has shrunk in influence. I think if putting a certain amount of money in the kettle would stop the bell ringing for a specified time they would probably generate more money. How about a silent battery/solar/crank powered LED light show instead of the bells?

Goodwill is just as bad. Their "training" programs are they're way of providing labor to businesses and cashing in while paying well below wages to those people. Goodwill operates a cleaning service similar to ServPro or any other large cleaning company and cleans banks, Sears and K-Mart stores and beyond. They charge HUGE amounts for this service and their employees make about $3 or 5 an hour. That is not training but taking honest people who are trying to work and learn and making them slaves.

And have you seen prices in many of the new Goodwill stores? For what they charge for much of that stuff- I can buy brand new for the same price!

Here is goodwills statement »www.goodwill.org/wp-cont ··· ment.pdf

its not just them, many so called "disabled help organizations" pull that mess, we talked to a disabled fella at our local goodwill not to long ago, know what he gets a day? $0.50, its 100% legal, because 1st they can pay well below min wage (around $2/hr) to any one disabled, then they can take out "fees" for taking that person to and from work, providing the "training" and any other "services" they provide.

a lot of these joints pull the "pay per piece" scam, and yes i call it a scam even if the law doesnt. we have a local org that does it. heres a general example using product "X" the company makes it locally but doesnt have machines to pack it. so, your friendly local "help the disabled" joint comes in, offers to supply workers at $0.01 per item packaged, each package holds 100 "items" so for every 100 items packaged the "worker" gets $1

they do this to avoid having to 1. pay payroll tax, 2. pay medical. this keeps the disabled folks on ssi, which all so keeps them on medicaid. and means they will NEVER pay in to ssdi..

and yet people feel sooooo great about these "charities"

what they should be doing is finding people real jobs, and working with employers to work around the limitations of the diabled folks, but thats not how they do it.

You can find every charity's financial statements..

What if they chose to do nothing at all?

then they wouldnt be taking advantage of disabled people for nearly free labor, while making the average citizen think there doing such great great work helpin disabled folks get real jobs? works for me. or did you completely miss the point? paying some one $0.50 a day while saying how much great work they do at getting people self sufficient is a sham at best.

So they do nothing positive at all?

In my opinion they do!!

They sell Records,VHS tapes and other good stuff!!!!