I rarely have "time" in abundance to help others but when I do, it's always local. That is the way America had always acted before big government, We'll do it for you nonsense.
I also, like many here, only support organizations that reflect our values and preferred behaviors and philosophies, Like Hillsdale College and Mercury One for instance.

However, as most of us have come to realize, as we are more and more forced to pay for everyone else, we have less and less to help others with if we so desire, not to mention, less and less for our own survival.

Altruism is a faux and bizarre concept: there is Not one cell in your body that would sacrifice itself for another cell...that's nature, however, what makes us amazing humans is the fact that once our survival needs are satisfied, just like every cell in your body, the excess value, what ever remains in abundance, is automatically shared or passed on.

I am sure everyone here has done this without thinking...like offering food to someone that unintentionally drops in at supper time.
Just one of many examples.

I generally do not participate in any charity. I do however support the efforts of local "charities" like the local High School trip to Chicago for the Kids. I know who benefits and who is or is not getting money off the top.

I do believe in charity but not necessarily financially. As such I volunteer on our counties rescue team, assist our Local Emergency Planning Committee as a Haz-mat specialist and provide disaster survival training to local communities. I believe in putting back to the community I take from, I just prefer to keep my cash close!

Be sure that you can make it into Florida Tech. I can see to that.

Having helped out various charities over his many years, Old Dino can get downright ornery when folks try to manipulate his often too big heart that shrinks annually.
Occasionally a charity will stick a dollar bill or a coin or two to trigger a guilt trip.
That worked a couple of the very first times back during the 70s.
Then I resented the mind game being pulled and kept the money without donating anything.
Charities still send me money decades later. Last week I made $1.02 in cash just for opening two letters and tossing the rest into File 13.
I also save the strings of one cent stamps that aren't already pasted on a return envelope that hits File 13.
A decade ago I gave $20 or so to an American Indian charity though I was sent an unasked for "bad dream catcher" hoop with feathers hanging off of it.
I should have known better.
Next thing I know every freaking tribe in the southwest is sending me all kinds of stuff and pictures of cute children
Old Dino's big heart hardened like the pharaoh in Book of Genesis.
I have about 30 bad dream catchers and a cheap and thin Indian blanket hung by my bed.
Did I send back money for any of that? Just the first one buried under all the rest.
About five years ago some charity sent me a calculator with my name printed on it.
I sent back a small donation. Again,I should have known better.
One year later the same charity sent me another calculator with my name on it.
I realized that I would start piling up calculators with my name on it on an annual basis.
So I just kept it. Period.
A month later I was sent a complaining letter about how I was sent a calculator and please mark and pay us an amount by one of these boxes.
I threw it away.
This year history repeated itself.when I donated money to a sheriff deputy group. They rewarded my kindness by sending me a calculator that had a crooked sticker with my name on it.
Supposing I may get the same thing on an annual basis, I kept the calculator and sent back nothing.
Last week I received a letter of calculated calculator complaint with boxes to mark.
Tough luck, sheriff deputies.
Being manipulated matters.
How much a CEO makes also factors into a decision to help out this or that charity.
During 2014, the CEO of Wounded Warriors received a $100,000 raise to raise his annual income to $475,015,. If you wish, look that up like I did.
Mail from some charities I do not even bother to open. Hint, hint!

That's amazing!

I do not have to, but in order to be competitive in many of the colleges I'm looking at, I need to have some volunteer hours. Our Alaska state scholarships are based off of GPA and by taking certain classes, not volunteerism.

I once worked for a charity that didn't want money!! They only need you to give two weeks of the year to look after a child who was born near the Chernobyl area, I was sent to Belarus to help repair things in the cancer ward for the children.

Good discussion and thoughts on the matter. I contribute financially to various social activist groups (most seem to be suing the government in one way or another to stop the feds from doing things they should not be doing) or providing education in limiting intrusion from the federal government. I also give of my time to youth mentoring. From Ben Carson I take that while individuals should "tithe" to do charitable work (which they select themselves), the additional 10% he talks about is probably a reasonable number to go to the federal government to do those few (19 I think) things in the Constitution that are the "necessary evils" it is difficult to see individuals dong effectively (e.g. protect our shores). In the modern age, I could see eliminating "deliver the mail" from the purview of the federal government. I lobby constantly for laws to "sundown" so the things we do as a society are limited to current needs (no policy would be no more than 9 years out of date from the perceived societal need)

Yes, you definitely seem like a selfish monster.

I give to two causes that I have investigated who spend around 90% of their intake for good works. One of them is religious based, but their what they do supersedes their religiosity. Being retired I strictly limit my contributions other than if I choose to help someone on a one to one basis.

This is happening in Wisconsin.

"hands off" is the correct term for it. I find it difficult to donate and contribute time when I am forced to do so anyway in participation for schools and clubs.

I'm a little cynical of most charities, when you read their federal non-profit filings, it usually has very little to do with 'charity' and more with being a free high-paid job for the employees. Non-profit doesn't mean "no money", it just means "no profit after paying ourselves".

These are great criteria, khalling!

Are you being coerced into forced volunteerism by your high school? The State of Florida offers scholarships to students with sufficiently high GPA's, but requires 120 hours of community service over 4 years for eligibility, for example.

I have thought way for many years, too. But I have come to think that I should withhold my income taxes from going to Washington, and donate it all to local charities, or ones that I agree with. We all know that the gummint doesn't do what they say they're going to do with the money. And even if some of the money goes to the right agencies, most of it is wasted anyway. Ayn Rand said that the only legitimate purposes for the Federal government were to run the justice system and the military, with everything else "hands off".

We have a "shared leave" program, where I work. If I get close to max'ing out my annual leave, I will often donate it to a needy coworker. I, also, give blood at the local blood bank.

Together, these are what constitute my charitable giving...oh, there are also my donations of unused items to Habitat or Goodwill.

None of these give me a guilty feeling if I don't donate.

Charity is an attempt to repeal the Law of Natural Selection.

My first criteria for giving funds or donating time is where the organizations funds come from. If they apply for or receive any government funding they are disqualified instantly. If they don't take government money then I look at their administrative costs, if there is a possibility of producing work for the organization or how much I care about the cause. I either have to gain work or care greatly about the cause to proceed donating money/in-kind service or time to the organization.

I am a Scoutmaster for the BSA overseeing between 12 and 20 young men 11-13. I spend one night a week and one weekend a month training boys to become men and leaders, respectful of others, and unafraid to take the challenges of life head-on. I also teach merit badges including Citizenship in the Nation (required) which requires a discussion of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and at least one historical speech. I also teach first aid, fire safety, knife safety, online safety, and the standard knots, outdoor code, camping, flag ceremonies, and a host of other self-reliance skills. We also bring in expert guests to go over a variety of other topics of interest.

Call it charity if you wish. I call it a defense against the looter mentality.

Yes to local animal rescue groups where I can go see that they are actually doing something I support and not high living for the executives.

I worked untold hours for years with a local scout troop. I did it so my kids could have a great experience, because I enjoyed teaching kids and because I enjoyed all the camping trips. Such a selfish guy...

I hardly ever use the word "charity" because of its association with altruism in the minds of most people: giving without any expectation of return. I contribute to organizations that share and promote my values, such as Institute for Justice and the Atlas Society.