Bragging About Volunteering or Charity

[HawkOptimist]

With the holidays in full swing, it’s the most wonderful time of the year for attention whores and self absorbed narcissists everywhere to volunteer at a soup kitchen and make sure they post all about it on Facebook. Like, “Giving back to my community at (fill in the name of local soup kitchen) by helping those less fortunate this holiday season!” accompanied by a pic of said attention whore serving a meal…. most likely a filtered pic.

Or give a ginormous tip at the local Applebees and post a photo of them, the waiter or waitress, and a copy of the receipt and amount of said tip on Instagram. Probably with some condescending caption like, “I did a thing at Applebees. So blessed! #HelpingtheLessFortunate”

Isn’t there some verse or quote about this sort of thing? Something about, if you have to brag or boast about volunteering or giving back or donating money or goods, you’re only in it for yourself and the attention you receive? That the ones who do all this anonymously are the most genuine, selfless and sincere?

 

[fivecardstud14]

We've seen this with Ted Danson & his anonymous donation.

"It's fake philanthropy & faux anonymity. How bout that!"

 

[ThorneStockton]

 

[tumorboy]

The best is still the charities set up as a business for celebrities and rich folks. The majority of the money raised goes towards throwing the gals or straight into their other companies pockets.

 

[bhawk24bob]

You guys ever have to sit in a meeting and explain why your employees are below the organization's norm for everybody's favorite corporate holiday charity?

 

[JMNSHO]

Maybe Matthew 6:16?

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”

 

[Whatsgoingonwitgyouguys0190]

You guys ever have to sit in a meeting and explain why your employees are below the organization's norm for everybody's favorite corporate holiday charity?

I worked in a warehouse for a bit in college, noone on my level was even making $10 and hour. During the annual charity drive you’d get raffle tickets for every $25 you donated to put toward some small items and one like low end tv. Pick line dude set it up to take $100 out every paycheck, like over a quarter of his paycheck because he was part time like me. He won a couple items but if he had saved for a year that $2600 would have bought way better stuff and he could still afford to eat.

 

[bhawk24bob]

I worked in a warehouse for a bit in college, noone on my level was even making $10 and hour. During the annual charity drive you’d get raffle tickets for every $25 you donated to put toward some small items and one like low end tv. Pick line dude set it up to take $100 out every paycheck, like over a quarter of his paycheck because he was part time like me. He won a couple items but if he had saved for a year that $2600 would have bought way better stuff and he could still afford to eat.

Do you know how good that looked for his manager on the powerpoint slide?

 

[Bro D]

Woman pretends to board up windows using a worker's drill for a photo then drives off in a Mercedes

woman pretends to board up windows using a worker's drill for a photo then drives off in a Mercedes

www.youtube.com

SOTE

 

[JupiterHawk]

My good deed for this year was paying the balance of what a woman owed for her groceries. I think it was 19 dollars or something. She was in tears thanking me. My main purpose for doing so was to get out of the store because I was going to be late for work.

 

[NoleATL]

Isn’t there some verse or quote about this sort of thing? Something about, if you have to brag or boast about volunteering or giving back or donating money or goods, you’re only in it for yourself and the attention you receive?

It's usually he same ones who brag or boast about being Christian.

 

[General Tso]

Best stay off of LinkedIn of you're looking to avoid the folks in the OP

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Tis the season. But f ‘em the rest of the year.

 

[pink shizzle]

Kinda dumb to brag about but at the end of the day if actual charity was done and people in need were helped then it's all good in my book.

 

[DooBi]

I understand the op. However, even though it may look bad for the person doing it, I don't think anyone has the right to be the gatekeeper for how charity is done. If it's benefiting the greater good, then it's great good.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Best stay off of LinkedIn of you're looking to avoid the folks in the OP

Man, you aren’t kidding! Like this?

A couple weeks ago I was late at the office and met Ramon, our cleaning person, for the first time.

As Thanksgiving approached, I naturally thought about those less fortunate.

So I decided to do something about it.

And I brought Ramon a $5 off a turkey coupon.

It’s the little things that make a difference.

Step out of our comfort zones.

Meet someone new.

Be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

(PS, here’s a pic of Ramon and his coupon. There is nothing like making someone smile!)

 

[DBQStarHawk]

I saw that USPS just opened their "Operation Santa" this year, so I signed up to see if I could adopt a family or kid to help bring holiday joy. The Santa letter requests are obnoxious. My favorite was a 17yo girl asking Santa for the full 50 Shades of Grey DVD set. I mean who even uses DVDs anymore?!?

Help Santa Deliver Cheer This Year!

Santa receives more letters than he can answer. You can help! Adopt a letter today and fulfill someone’s holiday wish with USPS Operation Santa®.

www.uspsoperationsanta.com

 

[seminole97]

 

[NDallasRuss]

I do think the corporations are worse than individuals. The corporations do it as a way to advertise themselves, and it's almost always money collected from employees or customers, rather than out of the company's own funds.

 

[Whatsgoingonwitgyouguys0190]

Do you know how good that looked for his manager on the powerpoint slide?

Yeah, I don’t like corporations claiming all that they donated when the corporation itself is responsible for maybe half of it if they did a match of what the employees donated. I know they all do it, but it seems sleazy to even ask people to donate when they are barely getting by themselves. And then they do it while everyone is together and if there are prizes for donating that’s all a big show to try to persuade people further. I hate it. I give when I can but would never look down on someone for not donating because I don’t know your life and how much a dollar means to your family.

 

[bhawk24bob]

Yeah, I don’t like corporations claiming all that they donated when the corporation itself is responsible for maybe half of it if they did a match of what the employees donated. I know they all do it, but it seems sleazy to even ask people to donate when they are barely getting by themselves. And then they do it while everyone is together and if there are prizes for donating that’s all a big show to try to persuade people further. I hate it. I give when I can but would never look down on someone for not donating because I don’t know your life and how much a dollar means to your family.

I've always encouraged people to donate to the charity of their choice, they don't need to broadcast who or what it is or even whether they donate. Not my business and it drives every corporate giving office crazy when I explain this and that they would find out where they donate if they would match the donations.

 

[General Tso]

Man, you aren’t kidding! Like this?

A couple weeks ago I was late at the office and met Ramon, our cleaning person, for the first time.

As Thanksgiving approached, I naturally thought about those less fortunate.

So I decided to do something about it.

And I brought Ramon a $5 off a turkey coupon.

It’s the little things that make a difference.

Step out of our comfort zones.

Meet someone new.

Be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

(PS, here’s a pic of Ramon and his coupon. There is nothing like making someone smile!)

That's basically the formula for every third LinkedIn post I see. And WTF is with skipping a line after every sentence?

 

[LuciousBDragon]

Agree that charity humble-bragging is in poor taste.

That being said, I will always brag to the IRS about my charity more than OP’s Mom brags about how fast the line moves at her house.

 

[fredjr82]

I love telling the who conference call how much I gave to the food drive or toy drive. Helps make me feel superior to let them know how much charity I provide. I like to look down upon those that don't give back, especially in a monetary fashion.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

That's basically the formula for every third LinkedIn post I see. And WTF is with skipping a line after every sentence?

Yep, it’s vomit-inducing.

Check out LinkedIncringe on Reddit.

 

[SoProudNole]

A company I used to work for had a charity auction to support St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Held every year the same week Christmas bonuses were issued. People tried to outdo each other in the event.

One year I bought a homemade apple pie for $1,500 and someone's bag of old Halloween decorations for $700. LOL

 

[Aardvark86]

Yeah, whether it's your charitable donations or works, or your recycling fetish, or whatever other good deed you think you're doing, just keep it to yourself. Not only is it more consistent with the true nature of charity, it also keeps you from looking like a fool.

My local favorite is a young local couple who 'brag' about not having kids so as to limit their carbon footprint. So I ask myself, if that's what we're all supposed to be doing, just who, pray tell, are we supposed to be 'saving' the planet for? And of course, the answer is, "themselves." Which of course makes total sense given that they're driving around in an $80k car.

 

[fredjr82]

My local favorite is a young local couple who 'brag' about not having kids so as to limit their carbon footprint. So I ask myself, if that's what we're all supposed to be doing, just who, pray tell, are we supposed to be 'saving' the planet for? And of course, the answer is, "themselves." Which of course makes total sense given that they're driving around in an $80k car.

Someone sounds a little jelly their pull out game wasn't better. I get it, I have 3 of my own. Expensive as hell.

 

[Aardvark86]

Someone sounds a little jelly their pull out game wasn't better. I get it, I have 3 of my own. Expensive as hell.

Jelly? Hell no. I've been blessed with two, and the means to raise them, and would have welcomed more.

 

[fredjr82]

Jelly? Hell no. I've been blessed with two, and the means to raise them, and would have welcomed more.

Sorry, bad joke. Yeah, I'm thankful to have a good job. I couldn't imagine trying to raise 3 in my early to mid 20s

 

[Titus Andronicus]

Here is an innovative way to make sure your employees don't help themselves to tips:

Panda lately has been having their employees ask if you want to donate your change to their in-house charity. They no longer are allowed to post tip jars front and center near the cash register.

I now ask if they are allowed to accept personal tips, and they always say no ... and then equivocate a bit. ... so I usually give the cashier a couple of dollars stressing that it for them personally. While they do look around for a couple of seconds to see where the manager is, they always take it.

...............

So you (in this case, Panda) have minimum wage employees dealing with the public, selling your brand and then you want to override the tipping system that has built reputations for so many great restaurants?

This seems sinister to me; sort of like screwing your employees.

.........................

In any event if you are out there posting pictures of yourself handing out monster tips, do so with care at Panda. You might just cost someone their job.

 

[hawkeyemike17]

Maybe Matthew 6:16?

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”

Close, it’s actually Matthew 6 1:4. I’ll paraphrase: Don’t help the needy just to be seen and give in secret. Basically what the op said.

 

[Aardvark86]

Sorry, bad joke. Yeah, I'm thankful to have a good job. I couldn't imagine trying to raise 3 in my early to mid 20s

No worries. I'm fairly confident that we all have some sort of evolutionary amnesiac embedded in our DNA that makes us forget the misery of playing zone defense.

 

[hawkifann]

I remember back in a previous job where the company asked us to log volunteering time (of course to make themselves look good), but I did it - I volunteer a ton with our local Little League. I’ve coached, spent hours working on fields, served on the board, covered a variety of admin tasks, etc. Our boss I think intended to highlight all the things being done on a larger call but instead basically wound up ranking what he thought were the best things and telling some (myself included) to use volunteer time on “better things”.

So, I never logged another hour. So stupid. Give back somewhere and do it because you believe in it or because it means something to you or because you enjoy it.