Charity In Poland (tradition and attitude towards door-to-door collecting)

Don't know if I post this in the correct thread; we will see what the mods say.

With the event of the Tsunami this morning in Samoa I can imagine that in the Netherlands pretty soon there will be collections in order to raise funds for the victims.

I was just wondering how is this established in Poland? I mean in general: what is the tradition and attitude in PL towards door-to-door collecting for charities? Does this exist in PL, or is it more a thing on the TV? I mean: do they show a bank account number on which you can lodge money for a good cause? And what is your opinion on this?

M-G (curious)

There is no charity in Poland? Doesn't surprise me at all, I must say :)

M-G (even more coffee)

When I was in Poland about 2 months ago or something there was flood in the Northern parts also loads of water in Warsaw! People gave money for charity outside Churches etc. So I wouldn't say it doesn't excist or that it's small contribution...

charity-charities.org/Poland-charities/Poland.html
charity-charities.org/OverseasAid/Poland.html

I'm sure there's a lot more other information available <I used Google> as well.

:)

Mr Grunwald
Lir

It was just meant to provoke a discussion :)

What is the general opinion concerning this in Poland?

M-G (lunchtime)

Depends to whom, if Poles need to help Poles, Ukrainians or Hungarians they give give and give the way you probably havent seen anywhere else, there's planeloads of blood, food and stuff, i still remember how we helped our own in 2001 flood or in the 50s when Poland was p*ss poor and still mountains of stuff went to Hungary, we didnt have it ourselves but found it for others.

On the other hand 2005 tsunami didnt gather that much. As for domestic charity google "Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy".


And dont be a prick.

There were collections for the big tsunami a couple of years ago, and after earthquakes etc the banks usually accept donations. Also on TV, (TVN at least) they run appeals.

And there's always the Wielka Orchiestr, and supermarket collections around Christmas.

I know W.O.S.P. My ex loved this. When asked what it was, she gave me an explanation of about half an hour and when she was done, I asked her: "so it's charity?" She said yes.


Like said, this was just a little stinge to provoke a discussion about the subject as I think this is an important item in any society.


Hm, truckloads of food and clothing went to PL in those decaded, coming from Catholic NL in order to help the poor Polish Catholics.


Hm, that should change though. If they can find the funds to help their fellow Eastern Europeans, they should be able to find dough for ppl in need in other parts of the world.

M-G (and sth else, but I forgot)

I would assume Poland (probably the most religious) country in Europe does have a well charity program. Then again, countries like Sweden, Germany, and the UK also have strong charity programs.

Check this out:

Polska Akcja Humanitarna

pah.org.pl/en-index.html

I'm interested at the same topic.... can someone give me more info .. thanks

On topic, president of Wrocław just said "Lwów is our home city and we're obliged to help" and Wroclaw sent an asston of medical supplies, Poland is pumping juice into Ukraine by the hour.

This topic was opened out of keen interest. I remember that when I was a young kid, truckloads went from my Dutch town and the surrounding towns to Poland at the start of each winter as the ppl were very poor there and needed our help. And we did help: Those trucks contained clothing, food, medicine and toys. Maybe the Western politics didn't care about PL, the Dutch ppl (and I am sure ppls from other countries as well) did care about their brothers in need in PL. I was just wondering if PL returns the favour.

>^..^<

M-G (remembers his mom packing coffee, tins of vegetables and meat, chocolate, colouring books and clothing in a big box. "For the poor kids in Poland, they have it so much worse than you do", she always said to me when I asked why. She is Jewish, Sokrates - just FYI as maybe you were raised with my teddy bear or those colouring books)

The problem is that in Poland foundations have dirty businesses. They can take a quite huge % from the donation (legally!), so ppl are concerned that someone might actually make a fortune from donations so they a little bit suspiciose.

For example Caritas has such bad opinion (but unfortunately lots of ppl trust them - mostly elders - because of the foundation's christian character)

Mind also that Poland is not so rich country like Netherlands or Sweeden and its obviouse that the amount of money there are collected in such actions is lesser.

In Poland due to deceivers door-to-door collecting is not very respected way of collecting money and ppl dont like it. Mosty charities collect money by banking accounts.


I dont get that dig.


M-G are u antipolish or something?

That is complete bollox, Firstly you can donate 1% of your tax to any registered charity you wish. Secondly there are collections in all churches. In the church we frequent at christmas they receive the details of about 200 orphaned children and their wish list for christmas, there is always more people ready to give than there is available on the list. Thirdly on the radio and in the press there are always details of a charity that is seeking funding. It has become very trendy for the Poles to set up a foundation and invite friends and family to donate to a cause they believe in.

You guys needed 8 months to think about this response? Wow, I think I should contact the Guiness Book of Records here. My remarks were intended to spark a discussion and to get some answers, so I used some sarcasm there. But if you guys need 8 months and still don't get it, the reply doesn't surprise me at all. :)


No. Critical questions don't necessesarily mean anti-polonism. I know some ppl interprete it that way, but it is not. I was just curious and wanted to know. That is all.

>^..^<

M-G (but the answers have been given now, so my quest is fulfilled to that respect)

I'm registered for 9 days...


You dont seem to be a nice person...

So you took only 9 days to think about it. Well done, son, I am nearly proud of you.


Oh, I am very nice, but just wait until you cross Sokrates' or 1jola's path, compared to them I'm an angel :) Anyway, the response was based on the fact that many (private) actions to help Poland and the Poles were set up in the Netherlands in the 1980's, my family and me donated many times for those poor ppl during winter time. I was just wondering if PL would return the favour as they have it now better. Not to NL, but to poorer countries in the 3rd world or elsewhere.

>^..^<

M-G (tiens)

No I just discovered this thread today. Do you have a bad day that u r picking on ppl so much?


Thank you its very kind of you and your family. We in Poland really apriciate it :)


In poland we say: "kto daje i odbiera ten się w piekle poniewiera" ;P ;DDD

I'm not statistic office to tell u how often and how eagerly polish ppl donate foundations etc. I know only that its pretty often when I hear e.g. on "Telexpress" that story of some family/man/poor ppl etc has moved heart of the viewers and "lots of ppl volonteer from poland wants to help". Even today was a story of some young women whose sibilings were recently orphaned and she was in very bad financial condition and was trying to get custody. She was donated 200 000 zł after the previous emition and now can afford to buy a flat.

Why do you think polish ppl are ungratefull cheapskates?

4 or 5 years ago there was a trend to collect for WWF. We were visited by a collector every week - they requested 1 PLN per day. Finally, I had enough and when one guy asked in surprise: You don`t care about poor panda bears? I said we had the panda bear in dupa and let the Chinese take care of it themselves. And the harassment ceased.