Letter to the editor

I receive through the mail and my emails many contacts asking for donations to help people in need.

Cancer foundation, Save the Animals, the Fred Hollow Foundation and it goes on.

These are all worthy items to support, especially for the underprivileged and needy.

But when you receive a pair of socks, a calendar or greeting cards in an envelope to encourage you to donate, I wonder why the cost of that gift is not put to the donation asked for.

I think that some of the advertising costs may well be supplemented by the advertising company but how much goes to the management.

If for example , Save the Animals, is not supported by tax payers, who pays for the people that actually run the charity.

I know sometimes wealthy people or companies may well make large donations, and some are tax deductable, but I hesitate to donate to a charity not knowing how the donation will be spent or if indeed, any of it will actually go to the coal face where it is needed.

I think it should be mandatory when a charity is asking for personal donations through advertising that the percentage of the donation should be explained in the original communication of how much goes to admin and how much goes to the what the charity is supporting.

I am not talking about, donation tins on business counters nor people collecting at traffic lights for the Good Friday Appeal, I just want clarification that the bulk of my donation, say for “Save the Animals”, is going to save the animals not pay some actor or management their wage.

Kevin Saxton

Shepparton