Absolute or Relative?
A few months ago, a survey was done in our local English paper. In the survey, it was mentioned that the lower and middle income people in Singapore gives a higher proportion of their income to charity compare to higher income people. In my opinion, it paints a picture that rich people are misers while the lower income people in Singapore are more charitable.
I have a second opinion to that. Let’s say a certain charity organization needs to get 100 beds for the elderly staying there next year. They would need to raise $20000 (Assuming the cost of everything from mattress to pillows costs $200). Assuming on average a lower or middle income people each donate $200 a year. Charity organization would need to find 100 of such people. But assuming a higher income person donates $1000 a year, the organization would need only to find 20 such people only. From 200 to 20 people, look at the tremendous drop in the number of people to seek and the effort saved by the organization.
Moreover, if they practiced targeted fund seeking, it is easy to raise such an amount than to approach the man on the street to raise the same amount. Now I am not disputing the charitable goodwill given by the man on the street. The point I want to bring across is, when helping charity, it is not a matter of how much of ones’ income is given to charity but the absolute amount that the charity organization receive is more important. $1000 definitely would help an organization tremendously compared to $100.
Anyway any form of donation is always welcome by charitable organization. So fellow Singaporeans do give more generously to charities, of course within your means but please be more aware of who you are donating to. I would always ask the flag sellers what the organization I am donating is. I am selective. Hehe!
Cheers!
I have a second opinion to that. Let’s say a certain charity organization needs to get 100 beds for the elderly staying there next year. They would need to raise $20000 (Assuming the cost of everything from mattress to pillows costs $200). Assuming on average a lower or middle income people each donate $200 a year. Charity organization would need to find 100 of such people. But assuming a higher income person donates $1000 a year, the organization would need only to find 20 such people only. From 200 to 20 people, look at the tremendous drop in the number of people to seek and the effort saved by the organization.
Moreover, if they practiced targeted fund seeking, it is easy to raise such an amount than to approach the man on the street to raise the same amount. Now I am not disputing the charitable goodwill given by the man on the street. The point I want to bring across is, when helping charity, it is not a matter of how much of ones’ income is given to charity but the absolute amount that the charity organization receive is more important. $1000 definitely would help an organization tremendously compared to $100.
Anyway any form of donation is always welcome by charitable organization. So fellow Singaporeans do give more generously to charities, of course within your means but please be more aware of who you are donating to. I would always ask the flag sellers what the organization I am donating is. I am selective. Hehe!
Cheers!
posted by Strategist at 11:13 AM
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