There are so many charity events in SL, and the number of events increase yearly. I have a question for event organizers, designers, and shoppers. Do you feel that a donation receipt (proof of donation) should be posted after the charity event has ended?
I think that some proof of donation should be posted, cos it’s more reassuring to see that proof that the money has been properly donated.
Although designers are the ones doing the donating, and we as shopper are merely exchanging Lindens for their goodies, I think that a charity event motivates lots of us to buy something we may not normally buy. In my mind, when I shop at a charity event I am “donating” too.
What do you think?
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I like to see the receipt not just to confirm the money’s been donated to the charity, but also to see what the fundraising totaled in RL currency after cashout. Given that many of the contributions tend to be microtransactions, it’s amazing to see how all those little sums add up to a bigger donation than any of us shopppers may have been able to contribute on our own.
Unless it’s someone I know personally in SL doing the event or if it’s known for doing charity in SL…I don’t donate or buy. There are so many scammers in this world you have to be careful. There are people out there who are just for themseleves and will go to those low places most shall not tread. It’s just how it is. This is speaking in RL and SL haha. The human species is scary. But, yes I agree I’d love to know proof of the donations ACTUALLY going to the charity. And going to the one that was sponsored and not to some charity I don’t beleive in. False advertisment is a no-no.
I did charity sales for the Australian fires a couple of years ago with another av. I made sure the donation was posted on my blog even though it was small.
I would rather put up some sales and quietly let the proceeds be transferred to the charitable organization of my choice.
I insist on knowing which organization will be receiving the donations. I have my own qualms with some of the big ones.
this is a hard one i think, i go to charity events, i buy what i want but only items with 100%. but does this make me feel as a donor ? no not really but it does make me feel that i did help someone else donate that might not have. it is hard to trust any charity case be it SL or RL and proof is always a good thing and it should be made visible in any case.
i am strange when it comes to charity, i like to help whenever i can but what makes me feel the best is charity with the smallest voice and not some big and major organisation
I like to see the receipt.
While it’d nice to be able to trust that the money is going to where it should go, the world we live in now doesn’t allow for that kind of blind trust anymore, especially through an electronic medium.
I’m actually glad this question came up!! I’m wanting to plan a charity event that will help raise funds for a horse rescue here in Texas. I had the intention of posting a tax receipt at the event’s conclusion along with a thank you letter to those who participated. We have been on the news in San Antonio as well as Austin, and are indeed the real deal. You can come down and meet us! Caring for 86 horses and 2 donkeys can be a bit difficult at times, but it is our passion. There’s nothing like watching a horse that came to you near dealth, loading up into the trailer to go to their new home, with new and better lives ahead of them.
SL is great because it allows us to reach more people than we ever could out in the real world. So I have high hopes for this event.
We are still in our early stages, so if you don’t mind me plugging about it – Anyone that is interested in taking part of this event, please contact me via IM or notecard in-game (Jessie Skodlow).
Gogo I completely agree.
I decided to run a small event from the Qld floods, because it has personally affected myself and my family. My step sister has lost her home and is currently still stranded because of the water. She is seperated from her 5 year old and our whole family is hurting.
I decided to donate the sales from my store this week to the Red Cross and made a commitment before doing so that I would donate this Friday and upload a reciept which would be sent to my group on Saturday.
I figure this is the least I can do, and for me I want to continue to foster the trust that I have with my customers.
Well yes. It’s always a blog created about the event, at least they should post in the blog about the donation. I know it can be faked, but sometimes I have to trust people.
I stoped to participate in such events.Because its realy seems like all who wants began to organise charity projects.Most of the time i didnt see any documents to be sure that is realy was help for people who need it and not for evenr organisers.Im sure that half part of such events just helping to Oranisers with rl holidays and another heir needs.I dont believe they.I want to see documents that money was transfered to ppl who need it,i will no participate in such events anymore if im not sure.Im not bad.I always donate in rl.I always try to help kids.And i hate liars.And like creator,and like shopper ”Yes! I want to know if the money has been properly donated” im not must to work for liars and also will not pay for they.Sooorry my bad bad english
I think it could be a good idea, but truthfully it’s not up to the designers.
Take for instance the Relay for Life clothing fair. I’ve participated for a number of years now.
We as designers are given a vendor, to which we put our items in. When a person buys that item, the money goes to us for a split second, before it is transferred to another avatar – the “money holder” for the said charity.
I don’t know if this is how it works for all charities, because I have only worked with the ACS (American Cancer Society).
Thus, I would not be able to give you any inkling about if the money actually went to the charity or not – moments after you pay me, the money is out of my hands. You would have to contact the charity itself to see.
I would suppose that others are like this, and if they weren’t, I would be hesitant to participate in, or give money to it.
“We as designers are given a vendor, to which we put our items in. When a person buys that item, the money goes to us for a split second, before it is transferred to another avatar – the “money holder” for the said charity.”
Sabina,
in that case I would expect the avatar who is the “money holder” for the charity to submit the final receipt, and the designers who participated to link back to it.
Hey! I like the new Header ALOT better!<3 :p
With charities in sl, I only buy things I like anymore. I wont buy it just to buy it so I can think I’m helping. If I like an item and the money goes to charity then good but if not then oh well my inv is way too big as is to fill it with things I know what I wont ever use. Right now I’m avoiding a lot of charity events that are essentially out of the US, because I know so many people that are suffering here in the us (my family included) that are struggling just to pay the bills and put food on the table. I feel like we donate too much to other countries when literally our neighbors are starving. Christmas was aweful for most people, a lot of parents couldn’t even buy a gift for their children, they had to save their money just to put food on the table. I’d like to see more charity events for US charities. We might be a more wealthy nation but not all of us our wealthy and many are unemployed, laid off, etc. And unemployment, welfare etc only go so far. Most barely cover the essentials.
I agree completely, as selfish as it may sound our country should be put first. We are so busy helping others and ignoring whats happening right here in the U.S. I haven’t done too many charities but one that I had participated in made me wonder how many of these charities are real. The Amaretto team posted rl pictures as proof of the proceeds from the breast cancer awareness horses going to the charity. I think it should be a rule that proof must be provided!
i honestly don’t trust any these charity events… so easy for them to take the money and go…
i really only go to get the rare goods you will never see again…
Surely it wouldn’t be too hard to scan in a physical reciept (blanking out any personal details),
or make a virtual reciept into an image.
Granted, it also wouldn’t be too hard to falsify this information…
Victoria, I’m Australian and I’m a bit hurt by your attitude. Compared to the US, we have a small population, yet we give freely and enthusiastically in RL and SL to the US and other countries when they have disasters such as one caused by the Hurricane Katrina.
I am sorry that your family is suffering. We also suffered in the global financial crisis, particularly in Queensland, and this flood disaster has now impacted on 75% of my state, with significant financial repercussions.
SL is borderless and is a true reflection of the global society in which we all now live. One thing I do know is that your insular outlook is your right, but that doesn’t make it right. I’m also pretty sure that your view is not shared by the majority of your fellow Americans, who have always been more than generous when it comes to helping others.
And, yes, I agree – a receipt would be good to see, but I guess we just have to trust that it’s genuine.
I think it would be a good idea to show proof that the money is donated. Now that I think of it, when I shop at these events, I always go for items that are donating at least 50%, and I notice myself shaking my head at stores with one single item donating like 10% or less. So I suppose I actually do feel like I’m donating, and it would be nice to confirm that by having proof that the money is donated, even if I only contributed a tiny bit.
Victoria and Ellie,your comments sound great.”We are so busy helping others and ignoring whats happening right here in the U.S.”-Like these words especially.I am sorry for what i saying,I love all people in the world and im not rassist etc…But as i know(i meet people from different countries),all nationals have stranges.and many U.S people love to say that they pure,they need help….is ok,i dont say that they dont need it.but im sure they dont need it more then others.sometimes im sure they need it less then others.Many countries have great problems and they already dont think about gifts for kids because they cant buy food even…U.S dont need it more then other.And dont be egoist.All people try to help each other..Well.i try.And if its will be a ‘real’ event and not lie,ill help.
From Russia with love..YEAH!!!!!!We live here much better then you in U.S.for sure.Ill help U.S asap
I hate donating money, especially in SL. Who knows where the money is REALLY going. The last time I donated in rl was at my college, and the last time I donated in SL was for my school as well. It’s just so hard to trust people these days. I’m even skeptical about all those Breast Cancer Awareness funds that are everywhere in rl and sl…who knows if proceeds are actually being donated or not. It’s not hard to put a pink ribbon on something and call it a charity fund. Let’s see some proof!
About helping people in our own countries, I have lived in both USA and Australia and neither of their governments know how to wipe their own asses when it comes to taking care of people affected by such disasters as this in their own countries, but they are quite generous when it comes to others.
I am not gonna avoid charities that aren’t in the USA. What’s the difference to me if an Aussie or an American gets a blanket? Some human being that was in need got a blanket.
I would rather buy a hobo a sandwich and hope he didn’t throw it back in my face and say “I ASKED YOU FOR A DOLLAR IDIOT” anyway.
I think charities are a wonderful idea on SL, and I’m not interested in “proof” so much as- “WHERE DID MY LINDENS GO TO!?” I just want to see the difference made in someone’s life because of it. I want to see if the charity I donated to ACTUALLY made a difference to someone. Isn’t that the same as real life though? If I donate to some charity in real life I want to see the results of my actions, since that’s what will inspire me to donate again.
I agree with showing reciepts. While I’ve never actually run a charity myself. Every christmas I donate (personally, and quietly) to a local childrens hospital. I dont call out for donations because its localized, in my city..and I dont feel like asking an international population for donations is right considering..again, its localized, and they probably have big fish to fry themselves.
Anywho this year something happened and I posted an angry letter to the uh..I guess griefer is a good word for it. Over night I got a few donations in response to my open letter, which was kind, and unprovoked. I promptly donated the funds given to me and posted the entire donation for those who wanted to see.
I guess this is semi unrelated since it wasnt an event. But I guess my point is, people appreciate proof, even if they dont have doubts, its nice to see, on and off here, where your money is going..and its nice to know it’s doing good.