" Penny, I can appreciate your care and compassion for the misery abroad and while I wish it were not true, sending money to them only aids their regimes who keep them in harm. The money doesn't ever get to the needy, those dicatators in power get the money, food and medicine and then sell it at extremely marked up prices, after watering it down or cutting it with junk and using that money to buy guns and ammo to kill and pillage the poor. Sending money does more harm than good. You are better off giving money to US food banks, shelters and other entities that help those you seek to help. Yes, some of it is skimmed off the top by greedy bureaucrats but much more of your money will go to actually feed, house and educate the poor. "

" The Salvation Army is my choice for contributing. They have a very good ratio when it comes to spending money for services versus overhead. Unlike organizations like the Red Cross, which is top heavy with 6 figure management types, their executives receive very modest salaries. "

" Reference post by Harry Potter:

I agree with the comments of Mr. Potter. When my father was a police officer (1955-1985) he occasionally came in contact with a family traveling through Mattoon in need of assistance.

He found the Salvation Army to be of great assistance without a thousand questions being asked. There were several local churches who also maintained funds and were helpful to those in need and were passing through town.

Occasionally, he was not able to make contact with anyone and used his own money to help the family out.

Usually it was a family whose old car broke down and they needed money to repair the car and feed the kids. It seemed that happened more frequently when Route 45 was being used before I-57 was built. He has also commented that there were a few repair shops that were locally owned and were very generous by discounting or donating their services occasionally. Seems many of these needs for assistance were on weekends and at night.

He did learn to make sure the money was used for the purpose it was intended. He arranged that no money was given directly to the family, it was paid direct to the auto repair shop or restaurant. I think he got fooled a couple of times when he was a young patrol officer and learned from his experiences.

I frequently suggest that before donating to anyone, check out if most of the donation is going to the charity or is a large portion going to the fund raising company. Also check out to determine how much the charitiy pays it's executives. The Red Cross does a lot of good, but they do pay their top executives large salaries and benefits. If I donated to the Red Cross I would give to the local chapter versus the national organization as I know they have been helpful in the local community in the past. "

" Well said Mr. Senteney and Mr. Potter and I hope folks don't forget that there is something they can give that is more valuable than money, their time. "

" oh Penny you know us, we are all to worried about how much we gotta pay for a burger or a smoke, a close friend of mine from Ukraine recently died and before he did he spoke of how Americans lack true compassion for the people around them, people whine about gas and such, in other countries they don't worry about getting to the tee ball game on time, they wake up and head underground so as not to be blown up "

" shumphreys wrote on Jun 2, 2009 11:04 AM:
" Well said Mr. Senteney and Mr. Potter"""


ditto....giving to the red cross is like giving to the united way. a large percentage of your donation goes to "administration". your actual dollars are drastically reduced by the time they're used for the purpose intended. "

" jrussell wrote on Jun 2, 2009 11:17 AM:

" oh Penny you know us, we are all to worried about how much we gotta pay for a burger or a smoke, a close friend of mine from Ukraine recently died and before he did he spoke of how Americans lack true compassion for the people around them,"

Oh brother, here we go again with the mean ol' American's again. If Americans were so darn cold, why is it the USA is the largest contributor of food, medicine, education, and just about anything else we can provide for the poor in other countries? When disasters strike around us, we rally around our neighbors and help by the hundreds! We don't have to hind in bunkers because we fought our oppressors and signed into law our Constituion. It's not our fault that other regimes out there treat their people like dogs and I'm not going to feel guilty living in our great country...EVER! "

" Penny I love the compassion your letter expresses. I have no problems with giving time or money when I have it but I prefer to help those who live in poverty who live in America first. Many residents all over this country are homeless, hungry, and live in dire poverty more than half of these people from all I've read in Newsweek and seen on CNN are children. There is a Feed the Children organization in Oklahoma that uses all the money they collect to feed hungry children in America. I feel that donating to other countries is fine too, I just prefer to help Americans and then help those in other parts of the world. "

" If someone could figure out how keep a starving child alive for just one buck they'd be rich. "

" While there is nothing wrong in looking nationally or globally for ways to help one should not, in their zeal, overlook those who may be right next door who could use some assistance. They may not need money, but maybe they could use some help mowing their yard in the summer or shoveling their walk and drive in the winter, or even simpler yet just a friendly chat every once in a while. "

" I get so tired of people complaining about greedy Americans. Yes, we have greedy Americans. But I remember after 9/11 having people give me all the money in their wallets when I was collecting money to support Red Cross efforts, or the little boy who rode his bike home and brought me his entire piggy bank to donate. We give money at home and send a lot of it overseas, yet some feel it is never enough. Giving should be an individual decision - and we need to do what we can to help others, whether it be monetary or through our time. But please, stop perpetuating the concept that all Americans are greedy and selfish - it simply isn't true. "

" Good post Jim1969. I doubt however that we will ever get folks to care about those in other countries when we can't get them to care about those next door to them or just down the street. This country does have a great number of caring individuals as Beaches said but the job is too overwhelming (too many in need and too few willing or able to help) for them. Somehow or another this country needs to figure out a way to teach young people how to be more caring and more compassionate human beings. "

" He has also commented that there were a few repair shops that were locally owned and were very generous by discounting or donating their services occasionally.

A while back I was getting new tires at Wal-Mart in Charleston, (same tires were $40 less in Charleston, don't know why) anyway, 2 college girls came in driving a Jeep with a flat tire in the back end, they wanted to get it fixed, the counter man needed to know what kind of vehicle it was from, Duhhh, he's fixing a flt tire, does it make a difference, as I stood there, I remarked, don't you miss the old service stations, they all 3 remarked in unison, What's a Service Station?

I once saw my dad buy $20 worth of gas for a soldier heading towards Ft. Campbell Ky. He was visiting family in Chicago and didn't have enough gas to get back.

I sure miss some of his stories, from 2000 - 2007, after mom passed away, I took dad on 3 hour rides around town, I believe I have knowledge that people twice my age don't, just from listening to him. More later if anyone wants to know some of this stuff. "

" shumphreys wrote on Jun 3, 2009 3:08 PM:
" Good post Jim1969. I doubt however that we will ever get folks to care about those in other countries when we can't get them to care about those next door to them or just down the street. This country does have a great number of caring individuals as Beaches said but the job is too overwhelming (too many in need and too few willing or able to help) for them. Somehow or another this country needs to figure out a way to teach young people how to be more caring and more compassionate human beings. "

Susan I know we all say it but you are right in saying, "Somehow or another this country needs to figure out a way to teach young people how to be more caring and more compassionate human beings." It seems like each new generation gets worse and worse with their "I deserve it", or "Who cares about them" attitudes. Instead of getting out and helping someone elder put their groceries in the car, now they set there honking for them to hurry up. I mean it is two spaces closer to the door then the open spot. "

" Thankyou Mr. Hendren and I don't mean to antagonize you but this is why I keep saying to look at peoples day to day actions towards their fellow man, that is what is important, not their religious beliefs or their sexual orientation. Often it is the little actions that show a persons TRUE character, whether they park away from the front door of the store leaving that spot for someone who can't walk as easily as they can, returning their shopping cart to the cart corral and taking another cart that was left out with them as they go, offering to get something off of a high shelf for those that are a little too short to reach, as someone else said mowing a lawn, shoveling snow off of a sidewalk, saying hello and listening to someone who needs a friend to talk to, who recycles and who doesn't. Those are the things that tell us about a persons character and will make this world a better place for all. "