Last year, the local Salvation Army used our homeless dudes as troops to man the donation kettles. Which made for a rather bizarre donation experience. But this year? No one mans the kettle at all. Just the kettle, standing alone in the entry way of the Yooper grocery. And no one was donating. What is going on in your neck of the Christmas woods, red kettle wise?

I’ve seen couple manned by the same people you observed. However most are just sitting there w/ no one around.

People still remember the stunt TSA pulled couple years ago.

Kettles manned by presentable people (one in a Santa costume) at both entrances of ChinaMart.

There was a bell ringer outside the Hobby Lobby here.

But I decided to be nice and not burden them with any of my evil white racist male blood money.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
People still remember the stunt TSA pulled couple years ago.

What TSA stunt?

quote:

Originally posted by sgalczyn:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
People still remember the stunt TSA pulled couple years ago.

What TSA stunt?

TSA= The Salvation Army in 2021 had a document on their website that said racism is systemic and the whole white people bad routine. Many people felt they had gone DEI awoke and quit giving. If i recall their kettle donations that year fell off a cliff. They tried to do damage control but it was too late. 2 years later, many of us have found other charities to give to. Google it and you will find many news stories from that time. Was widely publicised

According to this news link, they are claiming reduced giving to all charities, not just TSA.
That might be true, but for me, I walked by the kettle. I donate my time & money to local charities that I know are helping and not being political.

https://www.abc27.com/local-ne...donations-this-year/

They took good care of my father when he was a 18 y.o. sailor during WW II. I give each year in his memory.

I used to give to Salvation Army throughout the year.

That stopped when they put out the "resource guide" Let's Talk About Racism

link here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20...20COMPLETE%20SET.pdf

The now-deleted, 67-page pamphlet, titled “Let's Talk About Racism" was created under The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission. The document noted that race and racism were “born of sinful human design” and “have no basis in science or biblical thought.” The organization further asked that salvationists “lament, repent and apologize for biases or racist ideologies held and actions committed.”

Followers were also advised to “engage in conversations about race and racism” and that they “must keep in mind that sincere repentance and apologies are necessary … to move towards racial reconciliation.”

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
People still remember the stunt TSA pulled couple years ago.

Yes I remember, and will never forget them telling me to appologize for being white. This year I sent a $100 Walmart gift card to a family that has taken in 4 children. My organized giving in the future will be of this nature.

I guess it's a sign of the times but I'm suspicious of the larger charity organizations. I'm sure some do good work but others are top heavy bloated marketing machines that skim off as much as give to anyone actually needy and deserving.
With that in mind, I have a number of local charities that take zero off for management and are much easier to see where things go.

The Salvation Army got one or more donations from my wife and I every Christmas. That came to a screeching halt with their "Let's Talk About Racism" nonsense.

As for what's going on outside the stores I would not know. My wife and I stopped with the Christmas gift-giving madness two or three years back, so I spend little to no time in or around stores this time of year.

My parents and many members of their church used to be bell ringers. That stopped when TSA accused them of being racist because of the color of their skin. So did the annual donations out of their own pockets.

No bell ringer in my little burg. Thank God. I don't care for the incessant ringing, the placement of their kettles directly in front of business doors such that you need to detour to get around them, the guilt trip they invariably put on you, or the woke shit. I"ll not give my money/business to organizations which irritate the hell out of me or stand for issues abhorrent to me.

Like stiab, I will find individuals in need and give directly.

Had shady looking bell ringers at the Kroger. I will not apologize for being white or give them a damn cent

^^^^^^^
Frigging AWESOME, Swede!!!

Was tired of carrying around $0.74 in pennies, nickels, and dimes...dropped that in their kettle at Kroger. Aside from that, TSA (and the other TSA) can both go jump off a high bridge over a deep ravine as far as I'm concerned.

I used to give but haven't. And it's not because of the DEI stuff; I can forgive them for one lapse of good judgment.

But I don't give cash either to the kettles. I send an e-check or give online.

I don't know how long I've done it; I'd like to think close to 35 years I give a small amount monthly to Pacific Garden Missions in Chicago for being my free bed and breakfast place when I was a sailor stationed in Great Lakes. I'd get drunk in Chicago and they kept beds for military people and in the morning, we'd get breakfast. The only difference between us and the homeless on the other side is I think they got cigarettes. I first found them when late at night after eating at a Burger King, we were running being chased by a group of men who followed us from Burger King. I ran around the corner, saw the sign "Jesus Saves," knocked on the door, and it opened. Me and the other guy went inside, the door was closed and we could hear the group after us running by.

Many years later, my wife and I visited Chicago and took a tour. They told me then they never opened the door after dark so it was a wonder who opened the door for us that night.

Around here, someone always chucks one of these into the kettle each year. Used to be South African Krugerrands, but that’s too “politically incorrect” now, so they’ve switched to US Gold Eagles or Canadian Gold Maple Leaves.

https://www.wave3.com/2023/12/...ated-salvation-army/

For many years I gave to the Salvation Army and never to the Red Cross. Back in Vietnam, in, IIRC, '68 the Salvation Army came by and gave us donuts and coffee, wouldn't take any money. Pretty gals, very friendly and nice. Asked us where we were from, and things of that sort.

A month or so later, the Red Cross came by and also brought coffee and donuts. But they sold the donuts for 25 cents each and if the guy had no money-no donut. Coffee was for sale, too, but I didn't drink coffee, so I don't know the price.

Gals were pretty, but I thought them snotty as they wouldn't even talk to us.

Maybe I was wrong, but I never, ever gave to
Red Cross when I got out. Now, never again to the Salvation Army.

Bob