On 04 Dec 2003 00:04:21 GMT, pamfree (Zemedelec)
wrote:


I've had the same experience in a number of situations, including "desperate"
people featured in reputable newspapers who have a very sick child, etc. I've
lost count of the times I sent off a small or not so small amount to the
address cited. So far, I have gotten back a total of one thank-you note.

"Charity begins at home." That is, with local agencies and entities
whose record you can check. Keep track of the newspaper story (and
reporter. Nearly all articles in my local paper identify the reporter
with phone # and e-mail address), and inquire, either before
contributing or as a follow-up. OTOH, for "an account has been
established for the XYZ family," there may be no way (or no way they
know about) to respond to each contributor. You might seek out a
single local enterprise -- soup kitchen, shelter, church -- and
concentrate your efforts there, where you actually know who's in
charge and what they do. After years of seeing reports in local media
about a man who collected and distributed food and clothing to those
in distress, I made *his* mission my Christmas charity.