Using toy drives to proselytize to needy families

[PennySycamore]

@tankgirl,  Days for Girls sounds fantastic!

[Pukingpearl]

I'm not a big fan of OCC for the reasons people have stated, but I still put together a box when asked. I did it subversively though and filled my box for a girl with school supplies. I'm a big fan of using charity navigator to select where to do my giving. And also supporting local missions. A lot of times nonprofits need your time more than your money! Sorting out food donations goes a long way. 

[faraway]

We just put a box together yesterday with the sister organization of OCC in Germany.

I have to say, I just started researching the organization after we did it and didn't really think about it before. I also have an issue with the environmental aspect, they transport the packages in trucks at vast distances. On the other hand I am aware of the poverty in those places and I do think the kids should get those packages. I read that the German organization has become far less aggressive in proselytizing after some criticism. They now also have some type of accreditation for NGOs. I have to say I'm kind of torn on the issue and don't know what I will do next year. I don't know if there are good local options, the situation here is a lot different than f.ex. in the US. I also like the idea of people being helped in 2nd of 3rd world countries but maybe in a more sustaining way. 

The catholic church here is pretty critical about OCC, they complain about the whole "helping with strings attached". I agree, but do Catholics really do it differently? Does anyone know?

[clueliss]

2 hours ago, Pukingpearl said:

I'm not a big fan of OCC for the reasons people have stated, but I still put together a box when asked. I did it subversively though and filled my box for a girl with school supplies. I'm a big fan of using charity navigator to select where to do my giving. And also supporting local missions. A lot of times nonprofits need your time more than your money! Sorting out food donations goes a long way. 

 

This!  When I've done OCC in the past - mine is always heavy with paper, pens, pencils and always a solar calculator (if I give you the ability to do quick math I have opened huge potential for you and your family - I'm also an accountant) 

[slickcat79]

2 hours ago, clueliss said:

4 hours ago, Pukingpearl said:

I'm not a big fan of OCC for the reasons people have stated, but I still put together a box when asked. I did it subversively though and filled my box for a girl with school supplies. I'm a big fan of using charity navigator to select where to do my giving. And also supporting local missions. A lot of times nonprofits need your time more than your money! Sorting out food donations goes a long way. 

 

This!  When I've done OCC in the past - mine is always heavy with paper, pens, pencils and always a solar calculator (if I give you the ability to do quick math I have opened huge potential for you and your family - I'm also an accountant)

I always did that too when I did boxes. Also flash cards for younger girls - number or picture related so language barrier wouldn't be an issue, and science/logic toys. Knowing what I know now, I just hope that someone at OCC didn't decide that they weren't "girly" enough and replace that stuff with some proverbs and a doll or something 

[Rubaiyat]

On 11/13/2016 at 3:15 AM, formergothardite said:

Would you mind sharing what makes you undecided on the issue? 

And I do not get the people trying to make pets vegan. It makes no sense, these animals were not meant to live that way and if you care about animals you need to provide them with the food they eat. In nature a lot of animals are out there killing other animals. 

I don't mind at all, forgive me for taking so long.  I've usually just got my dinky little table keyboard, which doesn't lend itself to the clear expression of one's ideas due to stupid autocorrect.  Today I'm all signed on the the big computer for a bit.  

I'm all for responsible and ethical "helping" in whatever form.  Having said that, stories from people on the receiving end tend to carry a lot of weight for me.  This is not something we'll support regularly (or possibly ever again) but this year our homeskool (type deliberate, we find ourselves hilarious most days) co-op did a box or two from each class.  We tried very hard to be thoughtfully deliberate about what we included, and leave it at that.  

@tankgirl, thank you for the link!  I will look into that!  I've sent literally hundreds of pads with multiple missions/groups overseas.  I'm very careful with cultural concerns, fabric, design, pattern, etc...  I'd prefer to include them on the off chance that they can be helpful.  Anything that couple possibly keep a child in school.  Very interested in your link!  

Hope all that made sense!  

[CrazyLurkerLady]

Does anyone have info about the Angel Trees they have in malls and stuff? When we can afford it I let my kids get someone their age and gender and pick out stuff to donate. I'm not entirely sure what organization actually runs them or they're part of a hardcore fundie group or anything.

[slickcat79]

31 minutes ago, CrazyLurkerLady said:

Does anyone have info about the Angel Trees they have in malls and stuff? When we can afford it I let my kids get someone their age and gender and pick out stuff to donate. I'm not entirely sure what organization actually runs them or they're part of a hardcore fundie group or anything.

I don't think there's a universal source for those, but it should say somewhere on or around the tree. They may be Salvation Army, which is a controversial org too, but many are probably Toys for Tots, which is run by the US Marine Corps. 

If it doesn't say on the tree, you might consider asking mall management. 

[smittykins]

I think most of them are sponsored by local organizations.