Don't know why I answered the phone. This America first crap is disgusting.

[RB TexLa]

Before you read about the phone call, I have given money that helps children in Africa and in Ireland this month. I'm not opposed to giving something to help others.

I answer the phone they ask for me. The person then begins her script. "As you may or may not know we provide help to children living right here in North Texas, not one dollar ever leaves..." I asked her to stop and said goodbye.

I would guess the next words would have to do with no dollars ever leaves the country. I don't know if it's the charity itself that feels they should make sure no human outside of the US gets anything from them or if they think people won't give if non-American human beings receive something. Either way it really is sick.

[NoodleBoy]

1. I work for a nonprofit, where not one dollar ever lives the state I'm in

are you saying it's a bad thing to contribute to a nonprofit that helps Americans?

Our problems are definitely not as grave as those of the rest of the world, but we still have problems, you know.

[dansolo]

2. That speech usually refers to leaving the state

I've heard it before, and the point of it is that the management of the charity is local, as opposed to some group soliciting nation-wide. I think you might have overreacted a little.

[RB TexLa]

3. Leaves the country or leaves the state, same mentality

[tammywammy]

4. I think they were referring that it's a local charity

I prefer donating to the local homeless or women's shelter versus giving to the Red Cross. :shrug: But I also donate to specific charities that work overseas.

I think you're way overreacting.

[OzarkDem]

5. You may have misunderstood

Charities today have a difficult time competing with the large, national charities. Many national charities today have billion dollar budgets but little money makes its way to meet local needs in communities, leaving the local and regional charities to try to meet the needs in the community while competing with the big guys. As government funding shrinks, more burden is placed on the local charities to make up the difference.

The competition isn't with charities that send money overseas, its with large national ones that are raising a lot of money, but not sending it back to local communities. A good example is large breast cancer charities that engage in massive marketing campaigns, but provide little actual assistance at the local level. People buy all kinds of pink ribbon junk thinking their money is helping out in their community, but it isn't.

There's been a backlash growing against some of these large corporate charities among donors. These days, if you're a local or regional charity, their best bet to raise funds is to assure donors that their money is staying locally. The charity that called you was probably trying to send that message.

[RB TexLa]

6. Humanity isn't one's community?

[Berry Cool]

7. Yeah, it wasn't "America first," it was "Our local community first."

The idea behind it being that it improves the place you live, that you can see the positive effects of your donation all around you.

So, if you already do help people in other countries, why not, as the old hymn says, brighten the corner where you are, too?