Merry Xmas: Target & Walmart Boot Out Salvation Army

Peace on earth, Goodwill towards mankind. Not at Target and Walmart. These multi million dollar corporations have banned the little old ladies and gents who man the donation kettles during the holiday season.

Target Corp. issued a statement that the Salvation Army could no longer be an exception to its "no solicitation" policy.

I'm not religous/Christian yet am always touched by these kindly folk who do the work that society and other denominations won't. They do not badger or preach, they simply man the kettles and smile and thank you when you slip a bill in.

They look after the people that no one else will. The money you donate does not fund huge office buildings and conferences on "The Dissaffected: Strategies for a New Millenium"

They give mentally ill street people something to eat and a place to sleep. They keep the lowest echelon of society alive. They are to be commended.

Walmart and Target think they are bad for business. Walmart and Target are wrong and need to be told.

"We receive an increasing number of solicitation inquires from nonprofit organizations each year and determined that if we continue to allow the Salvation Army to solicit, then it opens the door to other groups that wish to solicit our guests," according to the statement.

The Salvation Army is NOT just another group. They solicit in places like Target ONLY during Christmas and they DO make a difference.

It used to be that Christmas was one time where society could temporarily drop the "F*** You Jack, I Got Mine" attitude and slip a few bucks to the Sally Ann to assuage their conscience.

But Business is Business. Charity begins at home. Happy Holidays.
www.sacbee.com...

I have to be honest here. Not having to hear the annoying bell is a relief. Not to mention here in Nor. California, they seem to get more and more agressive each year.

That being said, while the Red Cross gets all the headlines, the Salvation Army tends to stick around and help after the press has gone away.

People want political correctness and equality for every darn thing. THis i swhat ya get. But i can see there mindset. They ahve an estblished rule and they could be sued.

Yeah, if we let YOU help the poor, why, shick, EVERYBODY will want to view Christmas as a time for Charity instead of commercialism!

I'm not a Christian, but I know for a fact that "Good King Wenceslas" is not remembered for his buying fever. It's because he ventured out in a killing snowstorm to bring food to the poor.

You don't have to be a Salvation Army evangelical to appreciate their contribution to the betterment of humanity.

Piss on Walmart & Target. I'm buying all my gifts for my American satraps elsewhere!!!
--Fu Man Chu say "Fu kyu!" Walmart!

Originally posted by FredT
I have to be honest here. Not having to hear the annoying bell is a relief. Not to mention here in Nor. California, they seem to get more and more agressive each year.

That being said, while the Red Cross gets all the headlines, the Salvation Army tends to stick around and help after the press has gone away.

Imagine hearing the bell in your head 24/7 along with other noises. And you're hungry. And cold. And broke.

Now why doesn't this surprise me ?

Scrooge lives !!!!

Another thing that pisses me off is those supermarkets who throw food away at the end of the day rather than donate it to places like the Sally Army. Some of them have even been seen to pour washing liquid over the food they throw away to stop the homeless getting it.

Sick evil bastards !

[edit on 29-10-2004 by Pisky]

What the hell would they do this for? I'm glad we don't have many walmart's or targets here in canada. At least not where I live.

I hope whoever signed this off, needs help one day, and doesn't get it.

....from an ex Wal-mart employee that when you buy something from the store and drop it in the charity box it ends up right back on the shelf for someone else to buy. Make of it what you will.

I don't like people panhandling period.

I also don't trust 3rd party transactions of this sort. If I want to donate, I go direct to the charity.

I have to be honest here. Not having to hear the annoying bell is a relief. Not to mention here in Nor. California, they seem to get more and more agressive each year.

Amen to the bell. But I do enjoy giving to those who will play Christmas carols on a horn or other instrument, versus ringing the bell. If they changed their policy towards only allowing these types, it'd be good for BOTH of them...

Originally posted by sen5e
I also don't trust 3rd party transactions of this sort. If I want to donate, I go direct to the charity.

My sentiments as well. I have several organizations that I donate to - the local women's shelter, a local homeless shelter and a couple of animal rescue groups. I know exactly how my money is being used and who it is benefiting. Another reason for supporting local groups was the impact on donations after 9/11 - these guys lost alot of their patrons and any state or local monies were drastically reduced or terminated altogether.


B

Originally posted by Bleys

Originally posted by sen5e
I also don't trust 3rd party transactions of this sort. If I want to donate, I go direct to the charity.

My sentiments as well. I have several organizations that I donate to - the local women's shelter, a local homeless shelter and a couple of animal rescue groups. I know exactly how my money is being used and who it is benefiting. Another reason for supporting local groups was the impact on donations after 9/11 - these guys lost alot of their patrons and any state or local monies were drastically reduced or terminated altogether.

And what is the cause of distrust to the Salvation Army? Is it some new dotcom era bogus charity?

I just remembered a girlfriend who recently broke up with a cheating boyfriend. She was on her way to dump the expensive fur coat he bought her to some charity box when she came across a homeless lady. She gave the homeless lady the fur coat. This is better because whoever works for the charity could collect the coat for themselves instead of giving it to the less fortunate.

Originally posted by Aelita
And what is the cause of distrust to the Salvation Army? Is it some new dotcom era bogus charity?

Mind you - I never made any allegation that the Salvation Army is guilty of misappropriation. My comments were meant to reflect my choice to donate to organizations where I can see results and have a say in how they are spent.

Why give to a third party when you can contribute directly to those you want to help?

I can't stand those annoying bells either. Bah humbug.
You know many of those guys with the bells pocket a good amount of that cash anyway.

Originally posted by Pisky

Another thing that pisses me off is those supermarkets who throw food away at the end of the day rather than donate it to places like the Sally Army.

Well, thanks to all the legal issues Pesky they can't donate it. I've never heard of the stores pouring chemicals on the thrown out food though. When I was a kid I remember a guy that would dumpster dive at the local store & come out with some pretty nice produce.

I even met some scammers once that would call the pizza place & order a pizza by phone & never pick it up - till they threw it in the dumpster.

I'd pay them to STOP the bell ringing...

Originally posted by Bleys
Why give to a third party when you can contribute directly to those you want to help?

I can't argue with your desire to help exactly who you want to help. I also admire your continuous contributions to those people.

I don't this there is a large difference. I know that the Salvation Army operates a number of facilities for the less provileged. If they do operate a shelter (which I know they do), it's not too indirect a donation in my book.

As to the topic, which is expelling SA from Walmart...

I get inundated with letters (asking for donations) form various health research groups (because I donated a few times to certain foundations, and they appear to share mailing lists) and I find it almost annoying... I think the SA bells are almost better than that. Also, it's traditional.

I don't mind seeing charities around supermarkets, but that's just my opinion.

Originally posted by deevee
It used to be that Christmas was one time where society could temporarily drop the "F*** You Jack, I Got Mine" attitude and slip a few bucks to the Sally Ann to assuage their conscience.

I gave a substantial amount of money to the Salvation Army after 9/11. Only to discover that instead of using it for disaster relief and the victims of the attack, like they had assured me they would, it went into a slush fun for corporate operating expenses. The real slap in the face came when they balked at paying the victim's bills. They eventually did, but only after a public outcry embaressed them enough.

So long as I live, the Salvation Army will never see another penny from me. And, if I have anything to do with it, nor will they recieve money from my friends, my families, my employees, and anyone else I come into contact with.

Give money directly to the shelters and the soup kitchens, skip the middle men.

How very Christian of Walmart & Target. How compassionate and human of them - not !

Well, thats what we are going to have to expect from now on. Greed greed greed, thats the name of the game. We can't offend the few customers who don't like the sound of the bells or they may go somewhere else. And if they do that, our Board directors won't get their twenty thousand dollar bonus and what a terrible Christmas they will have if that happens !

This makes me want to

And a Merry Christmas one and all ! :shk:

People know nothing of the salvation army or the so called good will.
I on the other hand know to much and have lived that life that only thous people in thoes war zones have worse.
I PERSONLY have seen warehouses fulll Of NEW items (furnicher shoes cloths toys im talking millions of dollors worth LOADED into semis being shiped to REGULAR stors never to see the poor side of town.
THIS stuff the stuff you think your helping a poor family with is lining the pockets the the COS of thoes compines.
I was On the streets I have seen where YOUR donations end up personly . Im now a home owner marred with 6 boys I fought my way back into socoity never once getting help from anyof thous so called charites.
NORE do I know any who have gotton help. Becides a few cans of vegies .
I personly saw a mother with a three week old BABY KIKed out of a shelter on a very cold december morning at 6 am along with the men .
I have seen intire familys living in there cars because of there jobs being shut down these wernt bums these were people just like you untill the factery closed its doors .
Let me tell you wile you sit warm in your house this winter there will be people here in the states frezzing to death and salvation army no ware to be found.
So when I do try to help people i help the people I see and never trust a charty to do it for me.Nore give it to the chruch so a man can live in a fance house? even these little churches in my town i assure you the prechers have caddes and 250,000$ homes . what a crime help the needed sure give them a million they dole out a hundred and call the rest opperation cost.
LOOK it up the amount grosed by salvation army good will its in the BILLIONS now go to the poor section of your town and tell me that money is getting there.
Ps sorry for the rant but I live that life i know the pain these people go through.