Give a day will COST US MONEY!!!!

[dzorn]

After seeing it refrenced so many times in this thread, I googled "project Linus".....Frankly, it strikes me as a pretty silly "charity" as well. Children could care less whether their "blankie" is handmade or not.... When I think of the cost put into these blankets (on this thread people are quoting $40-$60 just for supplies, then shipping, delivery, etc) I am just baffled that so many people would consider this a reasonable "charitable" cause. Don't you think that the overwhelming majority of children already have a security object? Does anyone really think that a traumatized or ill child is going to trade their security object for a blanket because it is handmade by someone they have never even met? The money, time and effort that are going into making and delivering 3 million of these blankets could actually provide health care or other needed services for these children......

If you do not like it then by all means do not contribute to it but there is no reason to bash someone elses choices, especially when it does not cost you anything. How Rude!

Denise in MI

 

[ccgirl]

Wow....just wow....
This thread has become a mess. The point is, people could choose what charities to donate their time/money to. Other posters have stated that the Bear Charity did have stated how much the bear would cost. If you do not want to spend that much, search for another charity. As to the person that doesn't think Project Linus is a worthy cause... my DD was brought to the hospital in an emergency situation when little. No, we did not have any of her nice little things with us - no need to get into the specifics. The hospital gave her a little teddy bear. This really calmed my DD and she still has the bear 5 years later. A blanket would have had a similiar effect. And to say that foster kids would like a Nintendo DS and telling people to donate that is ridiculous. Actually, while they may like it at first, the reality is that it will probably get stolen (I speak from experience). Who pays for the new batteries and games? That is not really practical either. Bottom line....give what you can and you will make the world a better place. Don't judge others for what they decide to give.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

If you do not like it then by all means do not contribute to it but there is no reason to bash someone elses choices, especially when it does not cost you anything. How Rude!

Denise in MI

Let it go. That poster has obviously never been involved with children in crisis, or the NICU where the parent might need some comfort, too. I work with kids that often go from place to place with a trash bag full of all of their stuff. (We collect suitcases for them.) That poster might think that there isn't a need for suitcases because they already HAVE something to put their stuff in.

 

[MKCP5]

Wow! I never thought this thread would digress this way. I guess the bottom line to everything is to each his own!!!!!

 

[DeirdreTours]

Way to bash a charitable project.

You are free to donate your funds as you wish, but don't pretend with your commentary that you aren't bashing the good deeds of others. It's just camaflouge to your true thoughts.

I am not making the slightest effort to camaflouge my thoughts-- I am saying, quite directly, that I think this charitable undertaking, while well meaning, has very little actual benefit to the children. I think the most important part of charitable work is the actual relief it provides to those in need. This one eats a lot of resources to provide very little benefit. I work hundreds of hours per year with homeless families and a few hours each year with children in crisis transition (usually to foster care). My observation is that these children would much rather have toys, clothes and even the occassion bit of money to spend themselves rather than a blanket that has sentimental value only to the unknown donor.

In response to the later poster about her son's attachment to his Disney blankie-- You are exactly right in that security objects can be hard to predict, the one thing they all have in common though is that they are chosen by the child (usually gradually, over time), not assigned by a donor.

Again, I don't want to pick on Project Linus. I would urge people to carefully consider the actual impact their dollars and hours can have and try, when possible, to maximize them. IF, on the other hand, the real joy is in making the blanket, and Project Linus is just a way to get some small use from it (and an excuse to keep making more), that seems perfectly fine too.

 

[leight]

wow- I've been following this thread and I am surprised at some of the comments. Originally I thought the thread was started by the OP so she can vent that costs for her volunteer program were not clearly stated in the description and she felt that it was a bit deceptive by the Bear company.

My family donates in different ways and I am super careful to make sure that the organization is one that distributes the majority of my funds to the people in need. But I have stopped donating items at work since my company gets a tax deduction- and I don't. My company matches $ for $ on cash donations that I make so I choose that avenue rather than donate cash at the supermarket, school, Mc Donalds' etc. Both my kids' schools have been relentless in asking for different donations. I encourage them to set aside their own funds for these or during food/supply drives I'll buy extra to have the kids bring it in. But sometimes it feels like I am donating something every week. I donate time at specific organizations and am teaching my girls to do the same.

This past year and a half we lost about 25% of our income. That means less extras across the board. We can still afford to do small vacations - but this year it would have been really tight. I did the Give a Day promotion purely for the tickets- and I am not ashamed to say it. I would not have made 40 cat blankets for a cat rescue group if I was not getting the tickets. Total out of pocket cost was about $70(I didn't know exactly how much it would be but knew I'd provide the materials-it was clearly stated in the project description) but we've gotten 4 vouchers and will upgrade these to 4 day FL dream passes for very little cost. The blankets each took about 2 hrs to make since I don't have a sewing machine and the knot system on such small blankets was just as time consuming.SO it was around 80 hrs donated plus time, gas & $ to buy materials and deliver the blankets. I enjoyed it and am glad that it will provide comfort for poor cats that are stuck in cages while on display until they get adopted. My time & money could probably have benefited more needy people in more ways but I did this specifically for the tickets- so that my family can still have a vacation as well as visit my mother in law in NY this summer- she's quite sick and we try to get there at least once a year. It was either NY or a family vacation and we are now able to do both.

I'm sure Disney is getting tax deductions for the free tickets (as well as profits from having people in their parks on those free days). The organizations got volunteers that, like me, wouldn't have helped this particular organization in this way without the promotion. I will probably volunteer with my 12 yr old at the cat rescue during the summer since we really liked the organization. I think it is win-win all around.

 

[rumrunnergirl]

.

 

[sumertime]

Out of curiosity... why? If the child was being taken from her home, why could not a least of change of clothing and a precious toy or stuffed animal have gone with her?

Loooong story, but all of the girl's possessions were locked in her mom's car. Mom was arrested for public intoxication and the police did not have access to the contents of the car. Mom got into a fight with her boyfriend about her drinking and decided that she was going to pick up and move out of the state.

I stayed with her while CPS called and called a person that was in charge of finding donations. We waited for over an hour and they still could not get ahold of the person. I was surprised that they didn't have anything on hand. While CPS drove her to her foster home, my boss and I drove around town to our co-workers to collect anything we could. I just really wanted this little girl to know that the situation she was in was totally awful, but we were there for her. I begged them to let her come home with me, but I wasn't certified as a foster parent. Her dad was able to drive in from out of state and pick her up the next day.