Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:
I was reading the story on Friday’s front page titled “Charity not helping?” and have a few comments. The reason the red donation boxes are being used so much is down to three words. Convenience, convenience and convenience. You can put your old clothes, shoes, etc. in the car with you and leave the house knowing that you will probably see one of these boxes on your way to work.
The article seemed to focus on the fact that these donations do not stay in Shawnee to help local folks in need. What makes the difference who benefits from your charitable donations? A person in need is the same, whether they live next door, in another state or even in another country.
Charities should not be in competition with each other. The Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries were mentioned in this article. These are both great organizations and do indeed help the needy. However, I don’t think either of them would guarantee all of your money or articles donated will stay in Shawnee. When you see a person on television in a Third World nation wearing a Nike shirt, it was probably donated to a mainstream charity like the above mentioned.
The “red boxes” will not put these charities out of business. Maybe we could take a lesson from their method of receiving donations.
Here is the point. There is only one way you can absolutely know you are helping someone in need. Give directly to that person! You see them every day. If you see someone who is hungry, buy them a meal. In fact, join them for lunch. They are probably lonely too. On a cold winter day, when you’re driving along in your heated, comfortable car and you see someone on the street with no coat, stop your car, take off yours and give it to them. I’ll bet you can afford to buy a new one for yourself. If you are uncomfortable with that, place your donations in a “red box” or at any other charitable organization, but don’t complain about how they are distributed.
No matter where you live in Shawnee, I can guarantee you someone is in need within 10 minutes of your home. Step out of your comfort zone and make a direct impact on one of your local residents. Charity begins at home.
Ray Mullen Sr.
Shawnee