Comments on: The most obscene “guilt mailing” I’ve ever seen

By: jik

jik — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:46:25 +0000

It's pretty hard for most people to donate "directly to the children"; the involvement of some organization is usually required. That's why, as you said, it's extremely important to carefully research any organization to which you donate to make sure they're going to use your donation as you intended. I am a member of Charity Watch, and I won't donate to any organization which they grade lower than a B-. St. Joseph's, in particular, is not graded by Charity Watch because they refused to provide the detailed financial information that Charity Watch needs to produce its ratings. Lack of transparency of that sort should be a huge red flag to potential donors.

By: M HUTCHINS

M HUTCHINS — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:01:40 +0000

It infuriates me when adults take from children. If you want to donate, do it directly to the children not thru and organization. Also watch donating to the tribal elders also. You need to do your homework when donating to any organization – a lot of homework!

By: chuck

chuck — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:56:03 +0000

I just was there and can tell you that there are native kids there. I meet at less 3o of them

By: Jackpine

Jackpine — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:45:52 +0000

I was about to write a check until I read the BBB report on this outfit. They donated $1,000,000 to the priest’s retirement home. They also spend millions on fund raising, but still made a profit of $11,000,000 in 2010. I was guilty but now I am free.

By: Kara

Kara — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:00:00 +0000

We need a ‘like’ button for comments.

By: Kara

Kara — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:09:37 +0000

Ummm ….. read up on native residential schools (which are nearly always ran by ‘christian’ groups) and native children sometime. I guarantee that you will not cut the school any slack after that even without knowing anything about this particular one!

The mailer goes on and on about the bad conditions the children have so the solution they see is to take the children away. Which of course ignores the other option: improving the conditions so ALL of the children (and adults) there benefit.

To say nothing of the ‘gifts’ themselves. Their keynote one is a cheaply made dreamcatcher. Then, to add a HUGE insult, they ruin it by turning it into an object for making people feel guilty.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:38:04 +0000

I got the Dream Catcher also, and “Made in China” did it for me. There are plenty of serious charities helping Native Americans; we don’t need to be buying doo-dads from China to help them.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:09:20 +0000

They sell their donor list, unashamedly! Look: http://lists.nextmark.com/market?page=order/online/datacard&id=63188

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 04:35:49 +0000

Not true. Crazy assertion.

By: Linda

Linda — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:40:41 +0000

What do you mean “no Indians in the school?” St Joseph’s has a website with pictures of the children. Can you explain? Thanks.