I'm a strong advocate for direct, individual charity. Charity within your own community also has a pretty good chance of helping the people who actually need it. If I know someone who needs help, and I can help them I will. It doesn't have to be in money form all the time either that way. You can actually give them what they can use to help themselves. Plus if you know at least a few basic details about a person, you can pretty much tell if they will put the donation to good use or not. If I didn't have to pay so much in taxes, I would probably do more of that.

I am a Scoutmaster for the BSA overseeing between 12 and 20 young men 11-13. I spend one night a week and one weekend a month training boys to become men and leaders, respectful of others, and unafraid to take the challenges of life head-on. I also teach merit badges including Citizenship in the Nation (required) which requires a discussion of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and at least one historical speech. I also teach first aid, fire safety, knife safety, online safety, and the standard knots, outdoor code, camping, flag ceremonies, and a host of other self-reliance skills. We also bring in expert guests to go over a variety of other topics of interest.

Call it charity if you wish. I call it a defense against the looter mentality.

I hardly ever use the word "charity" because of its association with altruism in the minds of most people: giving without any expectation of return. I contribute to organizations that share and promote my values, such as Institute for Justice and the Atlas Society.

I tend to give time to charitable organizations I want to see successful. That way I have a better understanding of how the organization works. I have always had a strict rule that I would not give to an organization that 1. bullies people into participating (United Way through employers) and 2. their overall administrative costs capped at no more than 15%. 3. no high profile spokesperson that is paid an outrageous stipend for their "honorary"

Having become a private pilot in later life when my kids were enrolled in the university, I figured out a way to fly frequently -- as a volunteer pilot for two organizations: Angel Flight Southeast/Mercy Flight Southeast and EAA Chapter 74/OYAC. This means providing an aircraft and paying all expenses in conjunction with the flights. Over the years I have also taken on various leadership roles in these organizations.

With respect to other charities, I had similar experiences described in Allosaur's comments above.

I worked untold hours for years with a local scout troop. I did it so my kids could have a great experience, because I enjoyed teaching kids and because I enjoyed all the camping trips. Such a selfish guy...

I only donate to charities in which I have a vested interest. Most notably, such charity goes to the purchase of equipment for my nanotech minor program. The students then repair the equipment and get first right to use it in our research.

Sarah, I can only do a part of the things which I would
like to get done in this life, so I "hire" others -- with the
few bucks which I have -- to get more done. . that includes
businesses which include charities. . one of my favorites
is the Gary Sinise charity. . Gary played "Lieutenant Dan"
in "Forrest Gump" and has set up a charity which
helps military members who have problems, from
injuries to boredom. . he plays the bass guitar in the
Lt Dan Band which tours overseas like Bob Hope did
decades ago. . his foundation builds homes for servicepeople
who are wheelchair-bound, blind, deaf, etc. for free.
they provide education and someone-to-call for those
who need help. . I can't do all of that, sitting here in
our kitchen nursing emphysema. . they can.

I am also a ham radio person, and hams are often
available for emergency communications when
disasters hit. . I have never met a ham whom I
didn't like. . we have many here in the gulch.

but my favorite volunteer "service" is right here
in the gulch. . I love these people and want to help
in any way I can. . we together can help others to
learn how their lives mean more than they have ever
thought -- including creativity and self-ownership
for a much better world tomorrow.

You Are Our Future, Sarah, and Here's To YOU!!! -- john
.

I once worked for a charity that didn't want money!! They only need you to give two weeks of the year to look after a child who was born near the Chernobyl area, I was sent to Belarus to help repair things in the cancer ward for the children.

I give to the Disabled vets to thank them for their service.
I give to the fire fighters to thank them for being there in the event of an emergency.
I give to the Rescue Mission in hopes that I never need their services.

My local fire fighters are not volunteer, but they raise money to help children that were burned in a fire.

I have no problem with Charity. It's welfare that rubs my fur the wrong way.

Almost any energy or funds I would normally give to a charity, all efforts I would have spent being a coach (which I view as a form of charity) is going to my son. I do, on occasion, give some to St. Jude's.

I don't see charity as a bad thing as long as it's really done from the heart, isn't compulsory, and the person giving can do so without endangering their own financial well being. A lot of elderly really get suckered, unfortunately.

Although I very occasionally donate money; more often, I do community service and and other forms of pro bono (meaning no direct monetary compensation) work. This part of my life is of value to me and I do a good bit of it. I have two primary criterion for selecting what/whom I get involved in.

1. I have read variations on this above, but I have an articulated personal mission, around which I try to align and guide all areas and efforts of my life. I am committed to having an impact on the world of very specific nature that is true to my specific nature as a unique individual human being - to leave a concrete legacy in other words. So if an undertaking supports this mission more productively than other options for my use of that time and energy (and occasionally money), I'm "in".

2. I try to do pick this work so that I also profit- i.e., serve other objectives in my life simultaneously with serving that organization, cause, value or person (my mission). Examples might be marketing my business ventures, having fun, meeting new people, traveling to new places, learning/personal and professional growth, etc.

I do not consider it a major virtue,and above
all, I do not consider it a moral duty. There is nothing wrong in helping other people, if and when they are worthy of the help and you can afford to help them.I regard charity
as a marginal issue. What I am fighting is
the idea that charity is a moral duty and a
primary issue. Ayn Rand. My sentiments
exactly.

First of all, my husband and I tithe through our church. We stipulate that our tithe stays with our local church and does not go to the national church. (The national church is very Liberal, and I don't trust it.) Secondly, we give to the Salvation Army. I support charitable giving if it comes through the individual and not through taxes. No one should be forced to give to a charity.

Having helped out various charities over his many years, Old Dino can get downright ornery when folks try to manipulate his often too big heart that shrinks annually.
Occasionally a charity will stick a dollar bill or a coin or two to trigger a guilt trip.
That worked a couple of the very first times back during the 70s.
Then I resented the mind game being pulled and kept the money without donating anything.
Charities still send me money decades later. Last week I made $1.02 in cash just for opening two letters and tossing the rest into File 13.
I also save the strings of one cent stamps that aren't already pasted on a return envelope that hits File 13.
A decade ago I gave $20 or so to an American Indian charity though I was sent an unasked for "bad dream catcher" hoop with feathers hanging off of it.
I should have known better.
Next thing I know every freaking tribe in the southwest is sending me all kinds of stuff and pictures of cute children
Old Dino's big heart hardened like the pharaoh in Book of Genesis.
I have about 30 bad dream catchers and a cheap and thin Indian blanket hung by my bed.
Did I send back money for any of that? Just the first one buried under all the rest.
About five years ago some charity sent me a calculator with my name printed on it.
I sent back a small donation. Again,I should have known better.
One year later the same charity sent me another calculator with my name on it.
I realized that I would start piling up calculators with my name on it on an annual basis.
So I just kept it. Period.
A month later I was sent a complaining letter about how I was sent a calculator and please mark and pay us an amount by one of these boxes.
I threw it away.
This year history repeated itself.when I donated money to a sheriff deputy group. They rewarded my kindness by sending me a calculator that had a crooked sticker with my name on it.
Supposing I may get the same thing on an annual basis, I kept the calculator and sent back nothing.
Last week I received a letter of calculated calculator complaint with boxes to mark.
Tough luck, sheriff deputies.
Being manipulated matters.
How much a CEO makes also factors into a decision to help out this or that charity.
During 2014, the CEO of Wounded Warriors received a $100,000 raise to raise his annual income to $475,015,. If you wish, look that up like I did.
Mail from some charities I do not even bother to open. Hint, hint!

Good discussion and thoughts on the matter. I contribute financially to various social activist groups (most seem to be suing the government in one way or another to stop the feds from doing things they should not be doing) or providing education in limiting intrusion from the federal government. I also give of my time to youth mentoring. From Ben Carson I take that while individuals should "tithe" to do charitable work (which they select themselves), the additional 10% he talks about is probably a reasonable number to go to the federal government to do those few (19 I think) things in the Constitution that are the "necessary evils" it is difficult to see individuals dong effectively (e.g. protect our shores). In the modern age, I could see eliminating "deliver the mail" from the purview of the federal government. I lobby constantly for laws to "sundown" so the things we do as a society are limited to current needs (no policy would be no more than 9 years out of date from the perceived societal need)

I'm a little cynical of most charities, when you read their federal non-profit filings, it usually has very little to do with 'charity' and more with being a free high-paid job for the employees. Non-profit doesn't mean "no money", it just means "no profit after paying ourselves".

Are you being coerced into forced volunteerism by your high school? The State of Florida offers scholarships to students with sufficiently high GPA's, but requires 120 hours of community service over 4 years for eligibility, for example.

I have found that the welfare state I live in has destroyed my impulse toward charity. For many years I paid an extra tuition at the private school my children went to among other things. Today I look around and know there is a government "program" that I pay for to provide whatever people need.

I give to two causes that I have investigated who spend around 90% of their intake for good works. One of them is religious based, but their what they do supersedes their religiosity. Being retired I strictly limit my contributions other than if I choose to help someone on a one to one basis.

We have a "shared leave" program, where I work. If I get close to max'ing out my annual leave, I will often donate it to a needy coworker. I, also, give blood at the local blood bank.

Together, these are what constitute my charitable giving...oh, there are also my donations of unused items to Habitat or Goodwill.

None of these give me a guilty feeling if I don't donate.

Charity is an attempt to repeal the Law of Natural Selection.

My first criteria for giving funds or donating time is where the organizations funds come from. If they apply for or receive any government funding they are disqualified instantly. If they don't take government money then I look at their administrative costs, if there is a possibility of producing work for the organization or how much I care about the cause. I either have to gain work or care greatly about the cause to proceed donating money/in-kind service or time to the organization.

Yes to local animal rescue groups where I can go see that they are actually doing something I support and not high living for the executives.