CHARITIES
Charities are independent organizations that help the poor, the homeless, children, old people
and animals. They are involved with human rights, education, medical research and
conservation of the environment. Many of them began in the time before governments
provided any social services, when poor people had to turn to charitable organizations for
help. Charities rely on money given by the public, and on help from volunteers in fund-raising
and carrying out their activities.
In 1997 there were about 180 000 charities in Britain, with a total income of 18 billion. Many
charities that are now well known throughout the world, such as *Oxfam and *Amnesty
International, began in Britain. Americans are also enthusiastic supporters of charities. In
1995 they gave over $116 billion, about $446 for each person.
Charitable status
In Britain organizations qualify for charitable status if they are established for the relief of
poverty, the promotion of education or religion, or other activities of public benefit, such as
good community relations. Many charities ask well-known people, including members of the
royal family, to become their patrons, which may encourage people to give money to the
charity. Charities do not pay tax on the money they receive, but they are not allowed to make
a profit. In the US charities are non-profit organizations, and people do not have to pay taxes
on charitable contributions.
Charities in Britain are not allowed to take part in political activity, so some set up a separate
*pressure group which campaigns on related issues. The *Charity Commission keeps a list of
charities and advises them. The Charities Aid Foundation helps charities raise money from
individuals and companies.
Charity work
Oxfam has aid programmes to help poor people overseas, especially those who are victims of
a natural disaster. In the US, people give money to the *Red Cross to provide similar help in
an emergency. *Save the Children is internationally famous for its work with children.
Well-known charities working in Britain include *Barnardo's, which helps children, and *Age
Concern and *Help the Aged, which support old people. *Shelter provides food and a place to
stay for people who have no home. Several charities are associated with a religious group, for
example the *Salvation Army, *Christian Aid and *CAFOD. Some charities support people
who have a particular disease, such as Aids or cystic fibrosis, and are involved in medical
research to find a cure. The *Samaritans give support and counselling over the telephone to
people in despair. Several popular charities are concerned with animals, including the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
In the US religious organizations receive most money from the public, followed by those
concerned with social services, education and health. Well-known charities include the
Salvation Army, the *United Negro College Fund, which helps *African Americans get an
education, and the American Cancer Society. Local charities operate shelters for the homeless
and soup kitchens where poor people can eat free.
A lot of the work done by charities in the US, such as caring for the poor or providing
education, is done in other countries by the government. Americans have a strong belief that,
if possible, private groups, not the government, should do this work. Many Americans want to
be generous and are happy to give money to charity, but they want it to be from personal
choice.
Fund-raising methods
The traditional method of raising money is to organize a flag day. Volunteers stand in busy
streets asking members of the public to put money in a collecting tin. In exchange, they are
given a paper sticker, formerly a small paper flag with a pin through it, with the charity's
name on it. This is sometimes called 'tin-rattling'. The *British Legion's flag day, called
*Poppy Day, has become a feature of British life.
Nearly every town in Britain has at least one charity shop. These are run by volunteer staff
and sell second-hand clothes, books and household goods at low prices in aid of charity. Some
shops, e.g. Oxfam shops, also sell goods made by people who are benefiting from the charity's
work. At *Christmas, people often buy charity cards, Christmas cards sold in aid of charity.
Charity shops are less common in the US, but the Salvation Army and *Goodwill run shops
selling second-hand clothes.
In recent years, the telethon has proved an effective method of fund-raising. During an
evening of popular television programmes, television stars ask the public to telephone and
pledge (= promise) money to the charities involved. The *Comic Relief evening in Britain
and the muscular dystrophy telethon in the US are the most famous. Other fund-raising
activities include fetes (= outdoor sales of craftwork, plants, etc.) and jumble sales (= sales of
second-hand goods). Sponsored walks, cycle rides, even parachute jumps, are also popular. At
Christmas or *Thanksgiving, schools and churches organize collections of food, called food
drives in the US, for old people and the poor. In America, the custom on *Hallowe'en of
children asking for sweets has changed, and now some children ask for money to give to
UNICEF, a charity for children run by the *United Nations.
A recent source of funds for charities in Britain is the *National Lottery. Well over 2 billion
of lottery money has been distributed among a large number of charities. However, some
people believe that the introduction of the lottery has resulted in less money being given
directly to charity.
In the US many workers have money taken from their pay and sent to charity. Some
companies hold fund-raising drives, in which different parts of the company compete to see
which of them pledges the most money. The *United Way, a national organization that
collects money to give to small local charities, benefits from this. As in Britain, many people
leave money to charity in their will. It is also common, when somebody dies, to send a
contribution to a charity instead of sending flowers to the funeral.
http://preview.oup.co.uk/elt/culture_cd/links/links.html
Oxfam
Britain's largest and best-known aid agency (= a charity that helps people in poor countries). It
was set up in 1942 (as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief) to send food to people with
very little food in other European countries. It now works mainly in developing countries,
sending help when there is an emergency, and working with governments on projects to help
poor people. Oxfam runs Oxfam shops in most British towns and cities, where new and
second-hand clothes, books, etc. are sold to raise money for the charity.
Amnesty International
an international organization that works to help people who have been put in prison for their
beliefs or because of their colour, race or religion (but only if these people do not believe in
using violence). It is also opposed to torture and *capital punishment. It was established in
Britain in 1961, and now has members in over 70 countries.
The Salvation Army (also infml. the Sally Army)
a Christian organization started by William Booth (1829-1912) in the *East End of London,
England, in 1865. It does a wide range of charity work, and is especially known for providing
centres for old people and people without homes. It holds religious services in public with
music from *brass bands, and its members wear military uniforms and have military ranks.
They are sometimes seen in British pubs collecting money for their work. The organization's
magazine, The War Cry, has appeared every week since 1879. Branches of the Salvation
Army now exist in many countries around the world.
Salvationist = a member of the Salvation Army.
The Save the Children Fund (also Save the Children)
a large international charity that helps children. It was started in London in 1919 and provides
services such as education, health care and emergency relief in many of the world's poorer
countries. It also works to help children in Britain. Its president is Princess *Anne.
The Red Cross
the short name used in non-Muslim countries for the International Movement of the Red
Cross and the Red Crescent, an international organization formed in 1864 which works to
relieve suffering caused by wars and natural disasters. In Muslim countries it is known as the
Red Crescent. The symbol of the Red Cross is a red cross on a white background. There are
Red Cross Societies in many countries around the world, including Britain and the US. They
provide food, clothing, equipment and other services to countries in need.
Charita ČR (Caritas CR)- is the biggest nongovernmental provider of social and health
services in the Czech Republic. The main activity of Caritas is aid provided to those in need
in the territory of the Czech Republic. However, it participates more and more in foreign
humanitarian aid.
Three Kings Collection
Distance adoption
SOS Children`s villages- orphans charity
Help the Children! Collection project - direct and efficient help to vulnerable and
disadvantaged children up to the age of 18 throughout the Czech Republic.
Světluška (firefly)- pomáhá dětem a dospělým s těžkým zrakovým postižením. Patronkou
projektu je zpěvačka Aneta Langerová.
Terry Fox Run- an annual non-competitive charity event held in numerous regions around the
world in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox, and his Marathon of Hope,
and to raise money for cancer research. The event is held every year on the second Sunday
following Labour Day.
Člověk v tísni (People in Need)
PIN now provides emergency and rehabilitation assistance after natural disasters and military
conflicts and carries out projects of long-term development assistance. PIN now works in
fourteen countries in Asia, Europe and Africa on complex programs that focus on education
and health care, access to clean drinking water and hygiene and support for sustainable
livelihoods. PIN’s activities also focus on social care and on the development of civil society.
The humanitarian assistance and development department is also active in the Czech Republic
and helped thousands of affected families after the floods of 1997, 2002 and 2006.
PIN has provided humanitarian and development assistance in twenty-nine countries and
regions around the world.
What is PIN today began in 1992 when dissidents and leaders of the Czechoslovak Velvet
Revolution teamed with conflict journalists to form the Epicentrum Foundation, renamed
People in Need. PIN has developed many public awareness campaigns aimed at providing
independent and unbiased information for journalists, opinion makers and the general public.
Through campaigns, information projects and media supplements PIN believes it is possible
to support an informed and empowered civil society both at home and abroad.