Goodwill v Salvation Army

[easysurfer]

I much prefer donating to Goodwill instead of The Salvation Army.

Goodwill stores by me seem more staffed. However, the Salvation Army accepts things that Goodwill does not. For example, about a year ago, I dropped off two almost new infrared heaters at the Salvation Army but Goodwill's policy is to not accept them.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Personally, I think CEO pay is a big issue not just for charities but for a healthy economy for all. It does matter to me how much CEOs are paid. Goodwill pays some of its disabled employees less than minimum wage while multiple executives make millions:

"More than 100 Goodwill entities employ workers through the Special Wage Certificate program, a Depression-era loophole in federal labor law that allows organizations to pay subminimum wages to people with disabilities. According to Goodwill, 7,300 of its 105,000 employees are subject to the minimum wage exemption that affects 300,000 workers nationwide. My investigation revealed that these same Goodwill entities that use the special wage program simultaneously spent $53.7 million in total executive compensation."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-hrabe/goodwill-minimum-wage_b_3246824.html

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have had contact with both agencies thru my former f.t. job. Locally when our Goodwill got new management they fired all the disabled workers & hired other non-disabled for minimum wage. SA uses most of the $ to serve the community. I only donate to them now. The people at SA that work the stores are doing so for free room & board in their alcohol/drug treatment program so the attitude of workers really varies. This program lasts 6 months & they hook up the recovering addicts with local agencies to help them transition into work, housing, etc. It is a great program!

 

[Brat]

I have examined the compensation practices of social service organizations who are authorized to pay sub-minimum wages, sheltered workshops. Under my guidance they paid piece rates based on the prevailing rate for similar work in the community; some of them in fact earned, and were paid, in excess of the minimum wage. Employees paid those rates are severely disabled. If an employer were to guarantee them the minimum wage they couldn't afford to make up the difference and the sheltered workshop would go bankrupt.

Basically a sheltered workshop provides a work activity. Many require substantial supervision because of behavior issues.

Perhaps the Goodwill mentioned above found that the cost of administering the sheltered workshop program was more than they could handle and changed their goal to providing work training to those who could transition to regular employment. My nephew has schizophrenia, has a college degree, and is full of self importance. He was fired within two weeks of starting at Goodwill for not accepting supervision and frankly I don't blame them. He was fired after a brief period of employment from another white collar job.

 

[samclem]

I have examined the compensation practices of social service organizations who are authorized to pay sub-minimum wages, sheltered workshops. Under my guidance they paid piece rates based on the prevailing rate for similar work in the community; some of them in fact earned, and were paid, in excess of the minimum wage. Employees paid those rates are severely disabled. If an employer were to guarantee them the minimum wage they couldn't afford to make up the difference and the sheltered workshop would go bankrupt.

Basically a sheltered workshop provides a work activity. Many require substantial supervision because of behavior issues.

We have close friends with an adult child with Downs Syndrome. He is profoundly affected and would be unemployable at minimum wage. He works at a sheltered workshop and it has made a huge difference in his life. It is where his friends are, he likes the work, and he is earning money to buy things he wants. He feels he is helping to pay his own way.

 

[yakers]

I know these agencies change over time and place. Some years back I was on the CFC/United Way team reviewing their operations in Los Angeles. Both really good agencies at the time. I remember GW setting aside block of funds and training mental challenged individuals to work at McDonalds. Terrible job for most of us but a dream for them, many became independent based on this work. The program was called, not kidding, McJobs, maybe where the term was borrowed from for other purposes. My favorite group was one that later turned into Homeboys, they make a serious social contribution working with people getting out of prison. And SA is a good organization, DW has been a bellringer and never got paid. We slightly prefer SA where we are but check out how you feel about your local operation. Once I was moving and had some large appliances & furniture. I called GW & SA and they could not do a pick up for at least a week. I called the local Catholic Charity and in a couple hours a couple guys with a pick up lead by a nun were there and took everything, she said the items would be in someones home that evening. I'm not Catholic but it felt good to see such a good connection between donation & use.

 

[powerplay]

I know these agencies change over time and place. Some years back I was on the CFC/United Way team reviewing their operations in Los Angeles. Both really good agencies at the time. I remember GW setting aside block of funds and training mental challenged individuals to work at McDonalds. Terrible job for most of us but a dream for them, many became independent based on this work. The program was called, not kidding, McJobs, maybe where the term was borrowed from for other purposes. My favorite group was one that later turned into Homeboys, they make a serious social contribution working with people getting out of prison. And SA is a good organization, DW has been a bellringer and never got paid. We slightly prefer SA where we are but check out how you feel about your local operation. Once I was moving and had some large appliances & furniture. I called GW & SA and they could not do a pick up for at least a week. I called the local Catholic Charity and in a couple hours a couple guys with a pick up lead by a nun were there and took everything, she said the items would be in someones home that evening. I'm not Catholic but it felt good to see such a good connection between donation & use.

Quite a few years ago I also was involved with the CFC drive at work and we toured the local GW facility. The programs impressed me and we saw the severely disabled at work doing things such as stuffing envelopes and were told details of another program that taught office type work skills along with showing up on time and dressing appropriately. Some very basic programs, but evidently very much needed. Don't know if GW still does these specific programs, but it was interesting to be able to see what exactly they were doing.

Another thing that many people don't think about is how much crap these charities have to pay to dump. We all want to think our discarded junk is so precious and valuable, well not always!

There is a small cat thrift store that I like to donate to with things I think fit with their style. A few times I have been there and saw stuff being donated that looked abysmal with dirt and animal hair all over it. Yuk, I would be ashamed to "donate" stuff that looked that bad and should have been garbage.

 

[Katiek]

I bring "stuff" to Goodwill because their donation center is near me and has convenient parking. But I donate to Salvation Army because they were very helpful when Superstorm Sandy left my neighborhood without power for weeks. They set up in a community with a lot of elderly residents and provided meals, hot drinks and a heated refuge for my town. They were there until everyone had power back.

 

[target2019]

We use Vietnam Veterans of America for most donations. They send postal cards notifying of the pickup date. We call the evening before pickup, and they take care of the rest.

 

[imoldernu]

Charitable Salaries:
repost:snopes.com: Executive Salaries in Charities
Were there a Salvation Army center nearby, we would support with used article donations, as we have had a close-in opportunities to see the good that they do.
excerpt:

The Salvation Army
Commissioner, Todd Bassett receives a small salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization.
96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause.

We donate to two local recycle stores, both of which have wide open books that show the accounting and we know exactly where the money goes. Both all volunteer workers, except for the "store" manager who gets a minimal salary.

..................................................................
RE: Red Cross... it's true that one bad experience should not reflect a permanent attitude toward anything or anybody, and we're trying to remember that, but one memory sticks in our mind.

After Hurricane Andrew, in 2004, two of our dear friends who were Majors in the SA, spent a week working in a sister community that was devastated by the storm, with 65 housing units destroyed. They were there two hours after the hurricane hit and stayed to help, working 16 hours/day. On the third day after the storm at four in the afternoon, a Red Cross truck showed up, along with a camera crew from an Orlando TV station. Side awning swung out, two volunteers appeared inside, a small group of residents were assembled for the video, a dozen coffees handed out, and a half hour later, everything was closed up and the two vehicles disappeared. Evening news featured the event, with a plea for Red cross $$ donations.
Hard to forget...

 

[braumeister]

No, you quoted an erroneous email that was QUOTED on snopes, not the actual item, which was:

Salvation Army: The information presented above is outdated, as W. Todd Bassett stepped down as National Commander of The Salvation Army in April 2006; the current National Commander of the Salvation Army (since 2010) is William A. Roberts. The Salvation Army is not required to file a Form 990 with the IRS because it is primarily a religious organization, but according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Roberts' last reported total annual compensation was $126,920, much higher than the $13,000 reported above. Forbes rates this organization's efficiency at 82%, a fair bit lower than the 93% figure claimed in the e-mail.

 

[imoldernu]

No, you quoted an erroneous email that was QUOTED on snopes, not the actual item, which was:

Ya pays ya money and ya takes your choice...
Think Twice Before Giving Donations to the Salvation Army

My friends who are (were) Majors in the SA, had a salary that was the same as a dishwasher. Major is a pretty high-up position in the SA. Their salary does not mean the value received for their services. As directors of the SA Army in Michgan and later in Kansas, they received other benefits. A very nice home, automobiles, a household staff, retirement benefits, health benefits, and as leaders, were often feted at events, as well as dinners and other travel as befitting their position.

 

[Brat]

And their wives, essentially, work for free.