Are you donating money to Pakistan Flood Relief Charities?

[Daamien]

This is a simple poll to see the donor response to the 2010 Pakistan Floods (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Pakistan_floods) which has claimed the lives of over 2,000 Pakistanis and has affected over 20 million inhabitants, exceeding the combined total of the affectees of 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_tsunami), the 2005 Kashmir earthquake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Kashmir_earthquake) and the 2010 Haiti earthquake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake).

If you are not donating, then feel free to reply why with your concerns. Furthermore, have you donated in the past to help foreigners (e.g. to Haiti earthquake relief)?

Participating Charities:


UN Relief Agency (http://www.unhcr.org/emergency/pakistanfloods/global_landing.html) (Text the word “SWAT” to the number, 50555, and reply “yes” when asked to confirm, in order to make a $10 donation)
American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org/)
Unicef United States Fund (http://www.unicefusa.org/)
AmeriCares (https://secure.americares.org/site/Donation2?df_id=6536&6536.donation=form1)
Oxfam America (http://www.oxfam.org/en/emergencies/pakistan-floods-2010#donate)
International Rescue Committee (https://www.theirc.org/donate/donate-now?ms=ws_ircz_zzz_dnow_zz_zzzzzz)

[buck000]

I gave a bit to the International Rescue Committee (https://www.theirc.org/donate/donate-now?ms=ws_ircz_zzz_dnow_zz_zzzzzz), since they were pretty highly rated by various charity watchdog groups...

[Elwar]

I gave a lot at www.irs.gov

[Daamien]

I gave a lot at www.irs.gov

Keep in mind that charitable contributions can generally be used to write-off future federal tax expenses.

[Daamien]

I'm curious regarding the reasons why people have chosen not to donate and whether those people donated to other foreign crises like in the aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake.

[oyarde]

I'm curious regarding the reasons why people have chosen not to donate and whether those people donated to other foreign crises like in the aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake.

In order for your donation to get to who it is intended you would probably have to find a charity that has boots on the ground.

[tremendoustie]

I donated then, and donated this time.

The primary goal is of course to help the people in need, but I also think that if we're going to eliminate government "charity" we need to demonstrate that people are willing and able to help each other out directly.

[Jack Bauer]

Being from a neighboring country, all I can say is do NOT donate to any organization based in Pakistan.

That aid will almost never reach those affect with the disaster. Corruption is rampant in South Asia to an almost unfathomable extent.

If you donate, please donate it to a reputed international organization that is working to help the flood victims.

[Daamien]

Some international organizations have been located in the region for years such as UNICEF and of course those who participated in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake response.

[oyarde]

Being from a neighboring country, all I can say is do NOT donate to any organization based in Pakistan.

That aid will almost never reach those affect with the disaster. Corruption is rampant in South Asia to an almost unfathomable extent.

If you donate, please donate it to a reputed international organization that is working to help the flood victims.

This is pretty much correct.If your donation is is so much as touched by the Pak govt. , or any organizations that are not international , you can forget about any of it going to the people who need it.

[BULBASAUR!]

So can someone make this easy for me and tell me what would be the best organization to give my money to?

[Minuteman2012]

I didn't hear about it until it was mentioned here, and I won't give money.

[Minuteman2012]

Being from a neighboring country, all I can say is do NOT donate to any organization based in Pakistan.

That aid will almost never reach those affect with the disaster. Corruption is rampant in South Asia to an almost unfathomable extent.

If you donate, please donate it to a reputed international organization that is working to help the flood victims.

Are you from India by any chance?

India is a great country I hear, and the standard of living is improving and the middle class is growing due to free trade. It is a shame America aligned itself politically with an islamic dictator like Musharaaf instead of siding with a free and secular representative government like India.

[specsaregood]

Let me see if I get this right. We need to borrow $10 billion from China, and then we give it to Musharraf, who is a military dictator, who overthrew an elected government. -- Dr. Ron Paul

It seems to me that us Americans have given pakistan enough already. Let them use some of the money we already gave them.

[oyarde]

So can someone make this easy for me and tell me what would be the best organization to give my money to?

I can give you two suggestions, but you should look at them first.To ensure you are ok with them.They have web sites.The only reason I suggest these , is that they already had people on the ground there prior to this disaster. Action Against Hunger and Catholic Relief Sevices.

[oyarde]

I can give you two suggestions, but you should look at them first.To ensure you are ok with them.They have web sites.The only reason I suggest these , is that they already had people on the ground there prior to this disaster. Action Against Hunger and Catholic Relief Sevices.

I am not Catholic.

[oyarde]

The real severe problems will probably just be starting.Crop loss will cause food shortage , food prices will rise and there will be water borne disease from people drinking water that will now all be contaminated with waste.

[oyarde]

There is one other charity on the ground.I know nothing about it , it is Save The Children.It has been there for a few years.

[libertybrewcity]

The United States gov just gave them 300 million dollars in aid, right?:)

So why would Americans need to be informed or even care about fellow humans in Pakistan?

[oyarde]

The United States gov just gave them 300 million dollars in aid, right?:)

So why would Americans need to be informed or even care about fellow humans in Pakistan?

I think I read 200 some odd, so yes you are right.Most of the money going into the private charities on the ground are also Western dollars.

[oyarde]

The United States gov just gave them 300 million dollars in aid, right?:)

So why would Americans need to be informed or even care about fellow humans in Pakistan?

The only reason I took the time to inform was that someone asked.

[libertybrewcity]

The only reason I took the time to inform was that someone asked.

I was making a joke. It was found that some of the money was being embezzled by the government for non-aid things.

I was implying that because the government "takes care" of others and is charitable, why should the American people give money? I am making an argument for no taxes so people would be the driving force behind charity.

[oyarde]

I was making a joke. It was found that some of the money was being embezzled by the government for non-aid things.

I was implying that because the government "takes care" of others and is charitable, why should the American people give money? I am making an argument for no taxes so people would be the driving force behind charity.

Our govt giving the Pak govt money is a waste and mistake.None of it will reach the needy.If people wanted to help the money would have to go to the private charities already on the ground.

[oyarde]

I was making a joke. It was found that some of the money was being embezzled by the government for non-aid things.

I was implying that because the government "takes care" of others and is charitable, why should the American people give money? I am making an argument for no taxes so people would be the driving force behind charity.

The govt ( ours ) does not need to be charitable. Let the charitable people be voluntarily charitable to the charites that are there and will supervise things are going where needed. I agree.

[Daamien]

I definitely sympathize with arguments against donating that cite government assistance as already providing relief on behalf of American taxpayers. Individuals rather than the government should lead donations. That being said, private charitable donations can be used to write-off future federal personal income tax expenses. Also, it seems like an act of cutting off the nose to spite the face to withhold donations to alleviate human suffering that one might otherwise make if not for the government aid.

No one should ever feel obligated or pressured to donate. You should donate within your means if it makes you feel better and if you believe it will improve the situation.

I am simply curious as to why individuals are not donating in response to this crisis with the same frequency and enthusiasm as seen in past natural disasters.

[oyarde]

I definitely sympathize with arguments against donating that cite government assistance as already providing relief on behalf of American taxpayers. Individuals rather than the government should lead donations. That being said, private charitable donations can be used to write-off future federal personal income tax expenses. Also, it seems like an act of cutting off the nose to spite the face to withhold donations to alleviate human suffering that one might otherwise make if not for the government aid.

No one should ever feel obligated or pressured to donate. You should donate within your means if it makes you feel better and if you believe it will improve the situation.

I am simply curious as to why individuals are not donating in response to this crisis with the same frequency and enthusiasm as seen in past natural disasters.

One Factor may be it has not been covered as much.

[oyarde]

I think Action Against Hunger works in the North which was one of the hard hit areas. I think the Catholic charity works in the South.

[oyarde]

We currently have 19 US helicopters working on humanitarian missions in Pakistan now.

[Jack Bauer]

Are you from India by any chance?

India is a great country I hear, and the standard of living is improving and the middle class is growing due to free trade. It is a shame America aligned itself politically with an islamic dictator like Musharaaf instead of siding with a free and secular representative government like India.

Yes, my roots are Indian. Although I do believe that Musharaaf (even though he started the Kargil conflict when he was the general of the army under the nose of the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharrif and later on directed a coup against him) was one of the better Presidents of Pakistan. Things could have been much worse.

[oyarde]

Yes, my roots are Indian. Although I do believe that Musharaaf (even though he started the Kargil conflict when he was the general of the army under the nose of the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharrif and later on directed a coup against him) was one of the better Presidents of Pakistan. Things could have been much worse.

I think it appeared he had more control than many of the others.

[susano]

I gave a lot at www.irs.gov



lol


I got mail from the UN. How the hell they got my email addy, I don't know. I wrote back and told them to clean up their child trafficking.

[oyarde]

lol


I got mail from the UN. How the hell they got my email addy, I don't know. I wrote back and told them to clean up their child trafficking.

Mail from the UN ? I hope you covered some other topics too.

[oyarde]

35 percent of the poll said they cannot afford to make any donations.

[bruce leeroy]

cant afford to donate, but later this year I might buy a khyber pass copy, does that count?