Shriners Children hospitals....

[KFC911]

I know they do some outstanding things for children at no cost (first hand experience)...but...

I'm a cynic at heart....what % of their donations are spent on TV ads asking for more $....it's non-stop ...

I'm just glad cute puppies don't talk

[mattdavis11]

I too see them all the time. However, I have no cable, just an antennae. I think they might be free advertisement via Public Service Announcements that are mandated by the government. Not sure they pay a dime for it, but we would.

I did see a worthless movie the other day where the daughter of the Shriners hospital founder (Thomas), plays the roll of grandma. Maybe she is putting some of the revenue from films towards ads, which in turn generates more wealth for her and also helps her father's mission.

[Chocaholic]

I donated to them a couple of years ago. The onslaught of junk mail, e-mail in addition to the endless television ads convinced me to shift charity elsewhere. I also donated to the American Cancer Foundation with the same result. An e-mail from an ACF rep encouraging me to donate now so he could hit his quarterly forecast put an end to that too.

[flatbutt]

Much of my donation $$$s go to St Judes (72% of donations go to actual care programs).

[BeyGon]

I just can't stand commercials with dubbed in supposed child like voices

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by BeyGon

I just can't stand commercials with dubbed in supposed child like voices

The kid in the wheelchair who speaks the most, that is his voice.
Had I seen this yesterday, I would have asked for you . The reason for so many ads is the work, and wish so much competition they are required. Our membership has suffered from older members dying off and not enough new membership. We are doing things to attract younger members, like the car show, swapmeet and music festival April 25th.
Every Parade that I have ever participated in I have had many people come up to me to thank me because at some point in their life, the Shrine organization has helped them or someone close to them. When you see us in our dune buggies, tiny cars ect, we personally pay for those , and all the money we collect at the parades , 100% goes to the Shriners hospitals. As to comments on what some are paid to run the organization, we have to complete with large for profit organizations to the best qualified, and sadly, that doesn't come free.

[Racerbvd]

[rfuerst911sc]

Byron thanks for posting , it was a good read . Unfortunately there are so many charities today it is very easy to be cynical as to their true intent . Looks like you are doing some good work there I'm sure the community benefits from your effort .

[wdfifteen]

Good for you Byron. It's good to know how you folks operate.
We only donate to the local children's cancer fund raisers for our local children's hospital and to the local animal rescue shelter. We know the people and we know how the money is spent.

[MRM]

There are certainly charities that are really fundraising machines and others that are true charities. The best are like the Shriners who fund the overhead of their foundations out of their own pockets and use 100% of the donations go to programming. Another very worthwhile charity is the Salvation Army. You can be confident your money is being well spent with either of them. It’s pretty easy to check a charity’s record. The legitimate ones report the percentage of funds used for overhead/marketing versus actual charity work. My understanding is that several of the most visible breast cancer foundations are some of the worst offenders in terms of money actually going to research or survivors.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by KC911

I know they do some outstanding things for children at no cost (first hand experience)...but...

I'm a cynic at heart....what % of their donations are spent on TV ads asking for more $....it's non-stop ...

I'm just glad cute puppies don't talk

Discussed here recently.

Basically, they spend a fair amount on non-direct stuff (marketing, admin, executive salaries, etc.), but less than most (as a percentage).

[KFC911]

Thanks all....

I usually give to the Salvation Army, and remembered my corporate life of being "almost blackmailed" to give 1% (2% if you were an exec) of my salary to the United Way. A highly paid exec would be given a paid work sabatacal for his role, and the local UW salaried folks were paid executive salaries. I only donated a few hundred each year to the UW...never made the corner office either

Scrooge

edited: Byron, how did you get involved? I've been by that place a few times...

[SCadaddle]

I got a buddy. He's a lawyer and a Shriner. He used to post to social media his "official Shriner's trips" with pics and discussion of the Eggs Benedict in the airports, Lobster Thermidor, fine wines and whiskey for dinner.

Then someone called him out on it.

Next thing you know it's photos of him in a wooden trailer handing out ice cream cones to kids.

That's all I know.

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

I did see a worthless movie the other day where the daughter of the Shriners hospital founder (Thomas), plays the roll of grandma. Maybe she is putting some of the revenue from films towards ads, which in turn generates more wealth for her and also helps her father's mission.

You do realize those are two different hospitals? Shriner's was founded by the Shriner's. Danny Thomas founded St. Jude's.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by SCadaddle

I got a buddy. He's a lawyer and a Shriner. He used to post to social media his "official Shriner's trips" with pics and discussion of the Eggs Benedict in the airports, Lobster Thermidor, fine wines and whiskey for dinner.

Then someone called him out on it.

Next thing you know it's photos of him in a wooden trailer handing out ice cream cones to kids.

That's all I know.

Yes, we have big events, but we pay for these events out of our own pockets. And yes, we spend A lot of Money, but it is our own money, not the Shrines or donations. There is a huge difference.

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

You do realize those are two different hospitals? Shriner's was founded by the Shriner's. Danny Thomas founded St. Jude's.

I do now. Got them mixed up, sorry. I don't see any shriners commercials. Tons of St. Judes though.

[KFC911]

I see "That Girl" ads for St. Judes too....but a fraction of those featuring Kaleb . Don't know the older child's name....but I ain't falling for that single tear running down his face....for the eleventyeth dozen time.

No disrespect intended to you Byron, or for the Shriners, but ever since I was teen and saw all the "old party animals" in their tiny cars at the beach every year...let's just say it does not make me think of giving them more $...fwiw.

I might reconsider...

Thanks!

edited: We used to call them moon shriners

[flatbutt]

FWIW Gary Sinises foundation rates a 90% use of donations for its' programs.

[Mike Andrew]

I do the local food pantry thing now. Live in a relatively affluent area and it kills me that neighbors have to avail themselves of this option. Big plus for me is that I drop off food - no receipt, no name, and no mail looking for more donations.
MIL just died and gave to several organizations, mainly catholic. Her mail comes here now and I cannot believe how many organizations have gotten her data and are after money.

KC911 - my company had a donation program where employees donated via deductions, the company matched and a committee selected local charities for donations. Most contributed and we were spreading well above $100K a year around Addison, IL at a luncheon in house. The reaction of some of the recipients was often humbling and very moving. Azzclowns that bought us(TransDigm) stopped the program immediately as it was "too costly" to administer. A bloody shame.

[Racerbvd]

edited: Byron, how did you get involved? I've been by that place a few times...

My Grandfather was a Master Mason, Shriner and Scottish Rite, my Father was a Master Mason, and had friends Fathers who were also members when I was a kid.


I have my Fathers and Grandfather's Masonic jewelry, and Apron , Fez and rings

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Good for you Byron. It's good to know how you folks operate.
We only donate to the local children's cancer fund raisers for our local children's hospital and to the local animal rescue shelter. We know the people and we know how the money is spent.

Thanks, like you, other than the Shrine , I mainly donate to no kill animal shelters, be it time, money, services, they are big on my list.
As to the Shrine and such, I wish that I had started earlier in life, and I had made sure to keep a low profile, as I have been on boards for clubs, chamber, and city stuff since my 20s, and I wanted a break from the added responsibilities. Well, I was drafted into the band by a childhood friend, and while we performed at the parades, so many people would come up to me and tell me how the Shrine has helped them and their families, with so much genuine appreciation I was blown away. We are disbanding our Oriental Band this year, our members literally range from W.W.II veterans, Gulf war veterans and more, but the band leader, for literally vlose to 60 years passed a few years ago, and it has been hard to keep that flame alive and devastated several of members.

https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20150928/NEWS/801254079




Funny thing how I ended up doing the car show, I got a call from one of my Brothers telling me that the Potentate wanted a car and music related event and someone said that I had expected doing that type of thing, so next thing I know I was organizing, with a very short amount of time, an event to bring people to out Shrine Temple, and even though it poured and had many car events conflicting with the day they chose, it was considered a success and now I have the responsibility of building and growing it, plus starting a car association and a cigar assembly, so much for remaining on the sidelines. I hope my Pelican Brothers in the region come to the car show and swapmeet, as some know, I use to work with Brumos and the local pca region to do swapmeets. So bring cars, bring "stuff" and come out and have fun.