Sally Ann Gets Picky about Donated Toys

[WhiteTiger]

Reference article: http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alber.../16477556.html

A quote: "The Salvation Army is refusing to distribute Harry Potter and Twilight toys collected for needy children, saying they’re incompatible with the charity’s Christian beliefs."

Reading through the article, it seems that a warehouse worker for the SA found out that a bunch of Harry Potter and Twilight toys are being discarded after donation instead of given out to needy children. He says that he asked if the toys were given to another charitable agency to distribute instead, and was told that they weren't.

A spokesperson for the SA said that the toys were given to other agencies and "They’re distributed in another manner where parents can choose." But, she can't name any other agencies that they are given to, or any other ways the toys are distributed...

I find this a bit fishy. Ok, fine, the SA decides to stick to some of it's guns (they don't distribute war-like toys...but they do...) and oppose giving these toys to boys and girls on a religious basis. Ok, fine, it's their company, it's their rules. I don't think that anyone would have a problem with them saying "This doesn't match our company's goals." and giving the toys to another agency or posting signs around their collection sites that they don't take those toys. But they don't. Or, don't seem to.

I also find it interesting that the spokesperson for the SA said that of course the toys are given to another agency and that parents are allowed to choose...but could provide no names of these other agencies or any further details about this choosing.

I can see this becoming quite a can of worms for the SA.

Also, there is some pretty good/amusing commentary on both sides of the coin in the comments section. One stood out, though: "Solution. Send your donations to the childrens hospital, it's the best bang for your buck going as 100% of donation gets to the intended."

I think that this year, my wife's and I's donations WILL go to the Children's Hospital.

[Phaneuf3]

Not really surprising. Read through some of the stuff on their site:
http://www.salvationarmy.org/ind/www...7?opendocument

On one hand... they do good work in helping people, will help anyone and are a very efficiently run charity. On the other hand, I find some of their stances on social issues, particularly homosexuality, very distasteful. Personally, my charity dollars go elsewhere.

[ricoFlame]

so what? why do you feel you need to justify why/where you donate to everyone. All of these charities do amazing work (for the most part).

Why can't people just have their reasons and donate what they will to who they will without announcing the downfalls of other agencies. Better yet, just give what you can, be satisfied that you helped out and let it rest.

Charities can have a stance, you do.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

so what? why do you feel you need to justify why/where you donate to everyone. All of these charities do amazing work (for the most part).

Why can't people just have their reasons and donate what they will to who they will without announcing the downfalls of other agencies. Better yet, just give what you can, be satisfied that you helped out and let it rest.

Charities can have a stance, you do.

Agreed. I mean, I make plenty of donations to the sperm bank, and I bet that most of that ends up at the Childrens Hospital, but you don't see me bragging about it.

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

so what? why do you feel you need to justify why/where you donate to everyone. All of these charities do amazing work (for the most part).

Why can't people just have their reasons and donate what they will to who they will without announcing the downfalls of other agencies. Better yet, just give what you can, be satisfied that you helped out and let it rest.

Charities can have a stance, you do.

Yup... they're free to have a stance on this stuff for sure. However, a lot of people aren't aware of their stance. Previously I had donated to the Salvation Army. Through something not too different from a thread like this, I found out about some of their stances and policies and don't donate to them anymore.

I don't hold it against someone if they do want to donate to the Sally Ann - they do a lot of good work - it's just not for me. There's no harm in spreading information about them though.

[Finny61]

Twilight toys? They SHOULD be thrown out or burned. I'll stop before I start ranting about how the 80s were much more fulfilling.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

so what? why do you feel you need to justify why/where you donate to everyone. All of these charities do amazing work (for the most part).

Why can't people just have their reasons and donate what they will to who they will without announcing the downfalls of other agencies. Better yet, just give what you can, be satisfied that you helped out and let it rest.

Charities can have a stance, you do.

PETA does some good work too.... but I also believe that people should be aware of the bad things that they do as well. And since there are organizations doing far more good, I'm willing to give my charitable donations to them instead. I think announcing downfalls of other agencies is important means for people to make informed decisions of where to donate.

And it was because of Salvation Army's religious views, including those on homosexuality, which makes me walk past the person with the bell in the mall.

http://www.salvationarmy.org/ind%5Cw...3?openDocument

[CaptainCrunch]

I think that Sally Ann should have been more honest.

They don't want to accept Twilight toys because frankly its just awful and contributes to the dumbing down of our nations youth. In fact the Salvation Army has mobilized to annihilate any traces of Twilight as part of our humanitarian mission. First stop, we need funds to build a Delorian with a flux capacitor so that we can go back and time and convince Stephanie Myer that a book about angsty glittery teen vampires is a lousy book and movie idea, and a better idea would be about a talking horse with uncontrollable rage issues and no bowel control.

Twilight is well really it is just terrible.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

And it was because of Salvation Army's religious views, including those on homosexuality, which makes me walk past the person with the bell in the mall.

http://www.salvationarmy.org/ind%5Cw...3?openDocument

What's wrong with that?

[troutman]

Charity should not have strings attached.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

Yup... they're free to have a stance on this stuff for sure. However, a lot of people aren't aware of their stance. Previously I had donated to the Salvation Army. Through something not too different from a thread like this, I found out about some of their stances and policies and don't donate to them anymore.

I don't hold it against someone if they do want to donate to the Sally Ann - they do a lot of good work - it's just not for me. There's no harm in spreading information about them though.

They have an entire page of controversial beleifs in plain writing! It's up to the donor to dig up this stuff... what their going to have a 9-page disclaimer you have to sign before dropping your change in the donation bin?

[Winsor_Pilates]

On the one hand, I like it when charity and religion are separated.

But on the other, if it's their Christian beliefs that have encouraged them to become the charitable organization that they are and do so much of the good they do, I can't really argue with that.

It may be strange, but they're fully within their right to not collect these toys and the good they do far outweighs this small oddity, so no big deal.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

Not really surprising. Read through some of the stuff on their site:
http://www.salvationarmy.org/ind/www...7?opendocument

On one hand... they do good work in helping people, will help anyone and are a very efficiently run charity. On the other hand, I find some of their stances on social issues, particularly homosexuality, very distasteful. Personally, my charity dollars go elsewhere.

Wow, I had no idea. I hope the SA has enjoyed my donations, because I'm never supporting them again.

[Ashartus]

I stopped supporting the SA years ago because they kept rejecting donations of perfectly good furniture etc. on the basis of it not being the current style or not new enough (you'd think someone who doesn't have anything would be happy just to have a couch or bed and not worry about how trendy it is). Their social policies just reinforce that decision.

[Huntingwhale]

How does Harry Potter go against Christian beliefs???

[AMG_G]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

How does Harry Potter go against Christian beliefs???

Witchcraft and Sorcery.

[Thor]

Wow had no idea on their stances, I'll be donating elsewhere for sure from now on.

[Puppet Guy]

[QUOTE=WhiteTiger;2831639]Reference article:

"Solution. Send your donations to the childrens hospital, it's the best bang for your buck going as 100% of donation gets to the intended."

This, 110%.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

How does Harry Potter go against Christian beliefs???

While the rest of the world sees this series as fun, harmless, imaginative story telling- Some Christians are completely out of touch with the boundries of fantasy and reality... (I have grandparents that wouldn't let my little bro watch Disney's Hercules)

Seriously. Many Christians make themselves look ignorant when they adamently reject harmless fun.

[CaptainCrunch]

Lets not blanket statement all christians or anything.