This post isn't funny. This post is for reals.
I just saw this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/22/the-passage-cardboard-signs_n_4319568.html
I think this is absolutely amazing. I really love the idea, and I think it is a real attention grabber.
This Thanksgiving I have no real plans. I didn't have the funds to go home. I don't have any close friends who are sticking around Miami and hosting a meal. It will probably be just me and Zoe Buttons hanging around the house and possibly pretending to do work. Also, I despise everything about Black Friday, and I've already completed my holiday shopping. Since that is the case, I think I can find a better way to spend my time than having my own personal Dexter marathon--now that it streams on Netties.
The question is, do I do this, then give the money to Oxfam (https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com/), which is one of my favorite charities with a decent rating (http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4288#.UpNgNuKn-Hg). OR do I find some other way to be useful this Thanksgiving? For example, I could volunteer at a kitchen or shelter of some kind, though I've heard that those kinds of places generally get overrun on T-gives, and I might be too late to sign up.
I could easily make a sign that says, "I have a home. I have a job. I'm raising money for someone who doesn't.", then provide the Oxfam website. I bet if I did this and stood near Fresh Market's entrance or near Coco Walk on Black Friday that I'd raise a decent amount of money. Whatdoyathink? Terrible plan? Mediocre plan? Get real, Erica, this might work in Portland, but you're not in Portland anymore...
I give money to feeding south florida
ReplyDeletehttp://www.feedingsouthflorida.org/home.htm
There was a good comment about that "experiment" that I agree with saying that the main reason people don't give to actual homeless people with signs is the uncertainty of how they will spend the money (if in fact they are homeless and not just preying on people's charity). Having someone else gather money provides a legitimacy to it where "givers" can have more faith in that the money will be spent "wisely".
I agree with that comment, too, Matt. For better or worse, that is reality, but I do think that a clean-cut, White girl holding a sign like that also works to give people a bit of pause to think about those exact issues and whether they are legitimate or not.
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