# How often do you drop coins in the Salvation Army bucket? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 4, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008 "2004-12-04T02:34:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/41 "2004-12-05T13:19:04Z")
I can understand your predicament as I’m currently going through a situation where I’m being forced to rely on other’s charity as well. It sucks and I’m glad they helped you. That doesn’t mean our “bitching” is without cause nor does our lack of charity towards you make them somehow more saintly as **1)** it was seven years ago and, most likely, none of us knew you and **2)** this isn’t a contest. What was your point in even phrasing it that way? ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/42 "2004-12-05T13:32:09Z")
Just wondering how long I have to be beholden to an organization that helped keep us warm and fed with no political preaching whatsoever. I know it was years ago, but it gave me a heads-up on what charities can do. Apparently there’s a cut-off date for appreciation to those that helped us out so much. I guess if a charity is there to help in immediate need, but should be forgotten because of, um, how many years is the rule?, we should abandon them. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/43 "2004-12-05T13:32:46Z")
As a rule, I do not put any money in buckets at red lights or street corners. I like to see where my efforts go. My Grandfather considered the Salvation Army one of the only really worthy charities and I agree, I do work whereever I can. Since they got a large piece of Ray Croc’s pie last year, I don’t feel bad walking by a bell-ringer. (I realize his widow put some half-assed stipulations on the donation, bitch) ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/44 "2004-12-05T13:41:29Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Just wondering how long I have to be beholden to an organization that helped keep us warm and fed with no political preaching whatsoever. I know it was years ago, but it gave me a heads-up on what charities can do. Apparently there’s a cut-off date for appreciation to those that helped us out so much. > > I guess if a charity is there to help in immediate need, but should be forgotten because of, um, how many years is the rule?, we should abandon them. > > Got it. Please show me the line or lines in any of my previous posts where that was said or even implied. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/45 "2004-12-05T13:52:11Z")
> [@hlanelee](#): > > As a rule, I do not put any money in buckets at red lights or street corners. I like to see where my efforts go. My Grandfather considered the Salvation Army one of the only really worthy charities and I agree, I do work whereever I can. Since they got a large piece of Ray Croc’s pie last year, I don’t feel bad walking by a bell-ringer. (I realize his widow put some half-assed stipulations on the donation, bitch) First, the name is Kroc. His wife, Joan also helped us [out](http://www.geo.mtu.edu/department/classes/ge404/mlbroder/after.html). Check the 3rd paragraph. It helped us buy a generator to run a space heater and power washer to clean out the “black mold”. Water was relatively quick to get back. Electricity and gas, on the other hand… Sometimes it’s too easy to refute slander. The SA is worthy of your pocket change. My family is proof. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/46 "2004-12-05T13:58:19Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > **1)** it was seven years ago and, most likely, none of us knew you and **2)** this isn’t a contest. I’m certainly not trying to start a confrontation with you, but this is what I was referring to in my response. Is seven years enough time to forget what they did for us? If not, please, again, I ask you to tell me what the time limit is for contributing to an organization that helps so many unquestionably. Or maybe we just have a different way of looking at the same thing we support? I’m honestly lost if not. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/47 "2004-12-05T14:03:12Z")
That was in reply to your statement that “_[the Salvation Army] helped feed and clothe us back in 1997. Whatever you think of them, **they did more to keep us going than any of you** bitching about them_.” If I’m reading that right, you’re saying they helped you more than we did which is why I said “_it was seven years ago **and, most likely, none of us knew you** _” and why I asked you why you stated your post in such a manner. Comparing us to them is pointless, especially when none of us knew you. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/48 "2004-12-05T14:05:28Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > First, the name is Kroc. His wife, Joan also helped us [out](http://www.geo.mtu.edu/department/classes/ge404/mlbroder/after.html). Check the 3rd paragraph. It helped us buy a generator to run a space heater and power washer to clean out the “black mold”. Water was relatively quick to get back. Electricity and gas, on the other hand… > > Sometimes it’s too easy to refute slander. The SA is worthy of your pocket change. My family is proof. Please point me towards the “slander” in this thread, because either I missed it our you’re misrepresenting it. All positions cited are available from the Salvation Army’s website at the link provided above. I’m happy your family received the help it needed in a terrible time. I’m not standing next to bell ringers hauranging people who do decide to give. But this thread asked a specific question and I gave a specific answer. I do agree with you that recieving help from an organization is likely to make me more inclined to overlook their policies. As I said, in the case of the Shriners, the help they provided my family and others overwhelmed their gender discrimination policies. In the Salvation Army’s case, for me personally, their works do not overcome the vast gulf of difference in our positions on key issues. I think what \*\*Aesiron \*\*was stating with the 7-years comment was that, had we personally known you seven years ago when this happened, we might very well have helped your family out just as much if not more than the Salvation Army and Red Cross did. Your comment that “Whatever you think of them, they did more to keep us going than any of you bitching about them.” was pretty harsh and unjustified. I’ve seen countless threads where Dopers are helping out other Dopers, financially and otherwise. No one’s saying you shouldn’t donate to the Salvation Army. I’m just saying why I don’t. There’s no reason to become uncivil here. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/49 "2004-12-05T14:11:32Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Your comment that “Whatever you think of them, they did more to keep us going than any of you bitching about them.” was pretty harsh and unjustified. I’ve seen countless threads where Dopers are helping out other Dopers, financially and otherwise. Indeed. I work for a Doper that gave me a job when I was in a bad place and in dire need of a job, a goodly amount of my flatware and dishware came from another Doper, and within easy reach are two or three VHS tapes, at least half a dozen get well cards, a box of books, two stuffed animals, and plenty of other assorted miscellania all from a dozen or so others. All completely unasked for. Okay, except the tapes. I pester vivalostwages for those. If the board had been around then, people would have been coming out of the woodwork to help him, much as they did for me when I had my accident a month ago. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/50 "2004-12-05T15:14:26Z")
**WhyNot** and **Aesiron** , I didn’t mean to make this personal and I apologize profusely if you took it as such. While there is no way either of you, nor the SDMB community as a whole, could have done a fraction of what the SA or RC did for my city, I have no doubt that I would have found a lot of help here. Through my personal experience I have an admitted knee-jerk reaction to anyone saying anything bad about either organization. They really did help us out. It didn’t matter what company you worked for. Or even if you worked. They helped in any way they could. One side note. This could could open a new Pit thread, so take it there if you must. The local Target store has stuck with the national ban on “kettle ringers” while Wal-Mart still allows them. _In a city that has has given back so much to an organisation that helped us pull through_. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/51 "2004-12-05T16:15:16Z")
> [@Spongemom](#): > > [Here](http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn.nsf/vw-dynamic-arrays/85256DDC007274DF80256B7D004F2F81?openDocument) you’ll find where they stand on a number of issues. Thank you. Since the Salvation Army has lobbyists and they oppose abortion, pornography and homosexuality, they don’t get my coin any more. I wholeheartedly approve of their help for people who are down on their luck, but I’m not funding their lobbyists to oppose my viewpoints. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/52 "2004-12-05T16:19:18Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Don’t like the Salvation Army? They helped feed and clothe us back in 1997. Whatever you think of them, they did more to keep us going than any of you bitching about them. Red Cross included. > > [Salvation Army](http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/1997-arlx010.html) > > [Red Cross](http://www.disasterrelief.org/Disasters/980515dakota/) > > Maybe we’re a different breed where we appreciate and don’t forget those that helped us in a time of need. We’re a proud and stubborn group and hate, **HATE** having to ask for outside help. We just didn’t have a choice in this. The RC and SA helped make sure we all had warm clothes (it was still early May and no gas service) as well as hot meals. > > I give any spare change every time I pass a kettle. I’ve seen what they use the money for, and I wish I could give more. C’mon, duffer. It’s not like you’re generally opposed to their positions on the issues. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/53 "2004-12-05T16:28:26Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Thank you. Since the Salvation Army has lobbyists and they oppose abortion, pornography and homosexuality No they don’t. Your news is about three years out of date; the Salvation Army last retained lobbyists in 2001. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/54 "2004-12-05T17:57:45Z")
If I have change on me, I’ll drop a few coins in, but I rarely carry cash. My debit card is my friend… ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/55 "2004-12-05T19:06:11Z")
I once had a SA worker ask me for a donation (I know they’re not supposed to, but this was in a small, white-bread town and they probably thought there was no harm). I said; “I don’t give to religious organizations” and kept walking. Nothing’s changed. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/56 "2004-12-05T20:22:25Z")
I suppose I have an unpopular opinion, but I simply will not give money to people who are ringing bells. They make my head hurt. I can’t imagine it’s fun for the bell-ringer, though maybe they are able to tune it out. It’s entirely possible that I’m over-sensitive to high-pitched noises because I hate whistling too. I usually make my donations by mail or online and I’ve been known to give someone spare change if they ask for it (not always, but sometimes), but I simply cannot tolerate the bells. I don’t feel particularly guilty because I avoid supporting religious-based charities anyway. ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/57 "2004-12-05T21:12:14Z")
**Walloon** wrote: “No they don’t. Your news is about three years out of date; the Salvation Army last retained lobbyists in 2001.” Does this change anyone’s mind? WRS/Thû ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/58 "2004-12-05T22:30:47Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > C’mon, duffer. It’s not like you’re generally opposed to their positions on the issues. The thing is, I really don’t _care_ what their positions are, so long as they don’t advocate kicking puppies or forcing religious conversions. I’m basing my stance on what good I’ve seen them do. Remember, this is IMHO, so take it or leave it at that. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Cloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@Little\_Cloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Cloud)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008/59 "2004-12-06T02:51:46Z")
I sent a dollar to the SA when I was a child and got a lovely handwritten letter in return. I have read in the past that they were the charity with the lowest administrative costs (their “soldiers” work for next to nothing) and the largest percentage of donations going to direct help for those in need. Although I disagree with many of their positions, I have not heard of them spending money to lobby for these issues. They state that people of all sexual orientations are welcome to their assistance when needed. I doubt they would turn away a battered woman who had an abortion either. They get my money when I see them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-drop-coins-in-the-salvation-army-bucket/278008.md?page=2)