Cyprus-Forum.com

by **Jerry** » Fri Sep 20, 2013 8:59 pm

Unable to get a flight to Cyprus to buy someone a meal I decided to donate part of what would have been the airfare to the aforementioned charity. Some of my donation may be diverted into the administrator’s pocket, I have no way of telling but then the cynic in me wonders how much of the food donated in supermarkets finds its way back on the shelves when the lights go out.

by **GreekIslandGirl** » Fri Sep 20, 2013 10:26 pm

Supermarket shelf stackers, cleaners, till-girls, stock-room boys, even security guards ... if they are so needy they would take a can of soup or a packet of biscuits from the collection boxes, then good luck to them ... they need it more than Mr Mastercard.

by **Jerry** » Fri Sep 20, 2013 10:58 pm

GreekIslandGirl wrote:Supermarket shelf stackers, cleaners, till-girls, stock-room boys, even security guards ... if they are so needy they would take a can of soup or a packet of biscuits from the collection boxes, then good luck to them ... they need it more than Mr Mastercard.

Good luck to them indeed. And good luck to the poor supermarket proprietor who manages to sell his wares several times over via the collection box.

by **GreekIslandGirl** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 12:01 am

One depends on trust (we trust the shop not to double-sell, just as we trust the charity to spend wisely), and the other (credit card) has profits up-front on your transaction. Paying via Paypal means there are two cuts doesn't it?

Anyway, as I said, it's better than nothing when distance precludes the personal.

But I'm most keen to see less barriers to helping directly such as not allowing so many crops to rot. Also, having a better plan for seasonal, migrant workers.

by **Paphitis** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 1:14 am

GreekIslandGirl wrote:One depends on trust (we trust the shop not to double-sell, just as we trust the charity to spend wisely), and the other (credit card) has profits up-front on your transaction. Paying via Paypal means there are two cuts doesn't it?

Anyway, as I said, it's better than nothing when distance precludes the personal.

But I'm most keen to see less barriers to helping directly such as not allowing so many crops to rot. Also, having a better plan for seasonal, migrant workers.

Credit providers only see a transaction and make their 1 or 2 percent or whatever it is. The other 98 or 99% is deposited into the charities accounts.

Mastercard and VISA probably donate many millions to many charities. Most businesses that size do!

by **Tim Drayton** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 9:19 am

Jerry wrote:Unable to get a flight to Cyprus to buy someone a meal I decided to donate part of what would have been the airfare to the aforementioned charity. Some of my donation may be diverted into the administrator’s pocket, I have no way of telling but then the cynic in me wonders how much of the food donated in supermarkets finds its way back on the shelves when the lights go out.

The point is well is taken, Jerry, but the proprietor of our local shop is a person of some standing in our local community and strikes me as having integrity, which makes me pretty sure that the stuff left there will reach the needy. Of course, you can never be absolutely sure. I wish a national scheme of this kind could be launched, operated and monitored by a reputable civil society organisation. For those of us who live in Cyprus, the easiest way of showing solidarity with the victims of the crisis (and lets be realistic, it is people like myself who are just keeping their heads above water rather than the bankers on their multi-million bonuses who are going to put their hands in their pockets, even though the latter are responsible for the crisis) is to buy a few additional items when shopping for food and donating them at the check out.

by **Jerry** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 10:09 am

Tim Drayton wrote:
Jerry wrote:Unable to get a flight to Cyprus to buy someone a meal I decided to donate part of what would have been the airfare to the aforementioned charity. Some of my donation may be diverted into the administrator’s pocket, I have no way of telling but then the cynic in me wonders how much of the food donated in supermarkets finds its way back on the shelves when the lights go out.

The point is well is taken, Jerry, but the proprietor of our local shop is a person of some standing in our local community and strikes me as having integrity, which makes me pretty sure that the stuff left there will reach the needy. Of course, you can never be absolutely sure. I wish a national scheme of this kind could be launched, operated and monitored by a reputable civil society organisation. For those of us who live in Cyprus, the easiest way of showing solidarity with the victims of the crisis (and lets be realistic, it is people like myself who are just keeping their heads above water rather than the bankers on their multi-million bonuses who are going to put their hands in their pockets, even though the latter are responsible for the crisis) is to buy a few additional items when shopping for food and donating them at the check out.

I suppose the answer is to choose your shop carefully as you have done and in the case of donating to charity, rather than merely salve ones conscience, take the time to study its published accounts to see how much is spent on administration.

by **supporttheunderdog** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:45 pm

Paphitis wrote:I do not believe Israel is involved either.

This is some kind of Islamic war between secularists and the Islamic Brotherhood/Hesbollah/Al Qaeda.

Some of the FSA are indeed foreign to Syria and they are no friends to Israel or US.

I just a post from Youloser elsewhere which I think mentioned the USA Israel link in the Syrian war and the bombings and shellings of Syria by Israel...