OzBargain 2023 Christmas Donations - $40,000 to Charities of Your Choice

Updates:

  • 16 Dec — we have reached 50 charity suggestions.
  • 21 Dec — we have reached 1,000+ unique commenters in this post. Final donation amount would be $40,000
  • 22 Dec — the most voted charities from OzBargain in 2023 are:

    • Kids With Cancer Foundation Australia
    • beyondblue
    • Cancer Council
    • Dementia Australia
    • RSPCA Australia
    • Lifeline

    2023 Xmas Charity Donations

    We'll be making donations to these charities ($6667 each) later today.


Original post

It's almost Christmas, the time where many of us will travel, feast, spend time with family and spend money on shopping. However it's also the time of the year to remember and think about many around us that aren't as privileged, and how we can be generous towards them. OzBargain will be donating at least $30,000 to charity organisations this year! We have been donating to selected charities biannually since 2012, and whom we donate to depending on your suggestions and votes!

I have pre-selected 20 charities from last year's Xmas donation poll. However, community can use the "Suggestion" box in the top-level comment to suggest more charities to the poll.

Add your poll suggestion here

If you are suggesting a charity, please also

  • Check the current poll to make sure your suggestion is not already in the list.
  • Provide a link in the comment.
  • Add one or two sentences on what this charity is about, to help the community to decide.

The poll will run until Friday 22 Dec @ 12AM. After poll expires, votes will be revealed and we will divide up the final donation amount to give to the top 6 charities. Donations will then be made over the weekend before Christmas.

Moreover, for each unique commenter in this forum post, we will be donating an extra $10 (capped at $10,000 extra) to the total sum of donations. For example, if there are 500 OzBargain users commented in this post, we'll be donating $35,000 to 6 different charities ($5,834 each). If 1000 OzBargainers commented, $40,000 will be donated ($6,667 each).

Note to the Charities

This is a poll for the OzBargain users. This is not a contest between charities, and please do not ask your staff or followers on your social media to vote for you here. We had similar incidents happen in the past and those charities got disqualified from receiving donations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which charity should I suggest?

There are some limitations on the charity that a user may suggest:

  • It must be a registered charity eligible for DGR (deductible gift recipient). That would make NPOs like Wikipedia & some international charities ineligible.
  • As we are OzBargain, it would be great if the charity is Australia based or benefits Australians.
  • The suggestion feature will also be closed after having 50 charities on poll.

Please note that all the suggestions will have to be manually approved by the moderators, so they might not show up straight away.

Q: Why is foo charity on the list? Why is bar charity NOT on the list?

All the charity organisations are suggested by the community (either this year, or from previous years). If you think certain charity organisation ought to be on the list, please suggest it (provided that we haven't reached the 50 options limit). If you do not think a certain charity should be there, please leave a comment in the post, and use "Report" to notify a moderator. We will assess your claim and decide whether to remove that charity from the list.

Q: Any bargain?

Free $10 to the top charity when you comment!

Poll Options expired

Comments

  • :)

  • Brilliant idea!
    Feliz Navidad!

  • Amazing work! Thank you for your kind donations :)

  • Safe Pets Safe Families https://safepetssafefamilies.org.au/
    “Founded in 2013 by Jennifer Howard, Safe Pets Safe Families is a not-for-profit registered charity providing support through programs and services to pet owners in the South Australian community facing disadvantage or crisis, such as domestic violence, homelessness, mental illness or a medical emergency.
    Founder Jennifer Howard started Safe Pets Safe Families after surviving her own experience of domestic violence. Sadly, Jennifer did not have a choice on whether to keep her beloved dogs when she fled to safety with her children. Her only option was to surrender them to a shelter where she fears they may have been euthanised unnecessarily.”

  • Thanks Ozbargain, Merry Christmas!

  • Very generous

  • Merry Christmas

  • Thanks Ozbargain!

  • Nice

  • Thanks Scotty & OzBargain - Merry Christmas all! :)

  • Thanks!

  • This is a unique comment.

  • Great idea, merry Christmas!

  • Happy Gravy Day Ozbargainers !

    • ❤️

  • Salvos for me.

    Thanks OZB!

  • Thanks guys! Happy Holidays

  • Its only human to throw someone a "Lifeline"

  • +4

    Open Medicine Foundation Australia - https://www.omfaustralia.ngo/

    I became bedridden in my 20s completely out of the blue - came home from work one day - got a virus - never was the same. This is not uncommon. There was no medical support. There still isn't. Now in my 30's I use a power wheelchair. I'm not complaining but I wanted to share a one sentence snapshot of my life to show how devastating ME/CFS can be. I was qualified to be a lawyer and a really fit athlete.

    I have the lowest funded illness per capita in Australia and most OECD countries. Myalgic Encephalomyelitis - sometimes misleading referred to as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (not the same as just fatigue, so it's also harshly judged and stigmatised, especially within the medical profession). 250,000 Australians have this illness - it's extremely common - and now with Long Covid the resources for ME are stretched even more - as they have been lumped in our post viral category (and fair enough, they need significant support, sucks being bedridden with no medical support or other support).

    Because awareness is so low, and it's so hard to understand, people wouldn't especially donate to a cause like this as opposed to something that you can communicate in a sentence - like Guide Dogs (with respect) that are easier to understand.

    Please consider, with gratitude and merry christmas to all.

  • thanks for the great work!

  • Gold star, OzB!

  • Love the community, and OB's commitment to improving the world!

  • Ahhh missed out on getting MND Victoria on the list….next year!

  • yay

  • Great - love this!

  • unique comment for a fistful of dollars.

  • Starlight Children's Foundation!

  • a way to celebrate christmas!

  • TIACS aka This is a conversation starter. Almost nothing goes to admin fees and they provide mental health support mostly to tradies.

  • Great to see a few I've never come across, e.g. pets of the homeless - fantastic.

  • Happy holidays

  • I love seeing this every year. Good stuff OzB.

  • $10 unique comment,.,….

  • thank you

  • +10

  • Nice work

  • +10 - let's fix some problems

  • Great job with this

  • Great work Scotty and team-I love the work The Exodus Foundation do all year round feeding the hungry and poor! Merry Christmas to ALL

  • OzB is the best.

    1. Missionaries of Charity:

      • Overview: The Missionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded by Mother Teresa in 1950. The organization is dedicated to serving the "poorest of the poor" and operates worldwide.
      • Mission: The main mission is to provide free service to those who are most in need, including the sick, orphaned, dying, and destitute. They run homes, clinics, and centers that offer physical, emotional, and spiritual support to those experiencing extreme poverty and suffering.

    2. St. Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies):

      • Overview: The St. Vincent de Paul Society, commonly known as Vinnies, is an international Catholic organization founded in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam. It operates in multiple countries, including Australia.
      • Mission: Vinnies focuses on providing practical assistance to people in need, including food, shelter, clothing, and emotional support. The organization also advocates for social justice and works to address the root causes of poverty.

    3. Caritas Australia:

      • Overview: Caritas Australia is the international aid and development agency of the Catholic Church in Australia. It is part of the global Caritas network.
      • Mission: Caritas works to address poverty, promote sustainable development, and respond to emergencies globally. The organization supports communities through various programs related to education, healthcare, water access, and disaster relief. Caritas emphasizes building partnerships with communities to empower them for long-term positive change.

    Embracing the spirit of charity not only allows us to make a positive impact on the lives of others but also aligns us with the profound teachings of love and compassion.

    As we selflessly give to those in need, we become vessels of kindness, and in this act of generosity, we open our hearts to the potential for spiritual fulfillment and blessings from Our Father.

    Through the transformative power of charity, we not only bring light into the lives of others but also invite the abundant blessings that come from a heart dedicated to selfless love and service.

  • +10

  • Great initiative

  • Thanks Ozbargain, very generous of you!~

  • Huzzah!

  • Woohoo!

  • Thanks

  • Thank you. My vote goes to the wonderful Sikh Volunteers

  • Great job!

  • +1 dementia Australia

  • Merry Xmas! Stay safe and have fun

  • Great idea as always :)

  • Great work ozbargin community!! LLAP

  • Well done everyone

  • Great work as usual!

  • 10 more

  • Was about to comment. Looks like the 1000 commenter cap has already been reached. Great initiative and very generous of Scotty. Thanks.

    Merry Christmas to all.

  • Great work

  • Beyond blue for me, kick the dog

  • MS Australia

    Australia’s national multiple sclerosis (MS) not-for-profit organisation that empowers researchers to identify ways to treat, prevent and cure MS, seeks sustained and systemic policy change via advocacy, and acts as the champion for Australia’s community of people affected by MS.

    https://www.msaustralia.org.au/donate/

  • Refugee Legal

    Provider of free specialist legal assistance to people seeking asylum, refugees and disadvantaged migrants.

    Fight for the rights of those groups and stick it to the government.

    (Not taking any more suggestions it seems. Maybe next year then.)

  • Great to see yet again!

  • Thank you OzBargain for such wonderful initiative, and happy holidays to everyone :-)

  • Thank you for organising!

  • :D!!!

  • I can spend ozbargains money?

  • :)

  • Cheers and Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

  • +1

    This is awesome!

  • Sigh i feel so cynical and skeptical of charities sometimes.

    Negativity aside this is very generous of you @scotty, thank you.

    Also i had no idea ozbargain had such big profits!

  • +1

    Pity Humpty Dumpty Foundation didn't make the list.

    Hospitals & centres make up a Wish List of urgent, new or replacement medical equipment, send to Humpty Dumpty who provide medical equipment to over 500 neonatal, children & maternity wards all over Australia rural & outback communities.

    Definitely worthy for next years list.

  • Nice

  • +7

    The most voted charities from OzBargain in 2023 are:

    • Kids With Cancer Foundation Australia
    • beyondblue
    • Cancer Council
    • Dementia Australia
    • RSPCA Australia
    • Lifeline

    We'll be making donations to these charities ($6666.67 each) later today.

    • All unique charities. Great outcome! Glad to see the one I voted for getting across.

    • +1

      Good job, much appreciated I'm sure. Half of them are very worthy imo, the others not so much for a variety of reasons. Hopefully next year some of the less-well-funded charities/causes get a berth.

  • +3

    22 Dec — the most voted charities from OzBargain in 2023 are:

    Kids With Cancer Foundation Australia

    That charity's financials have never stacked up for me: https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/4799d295-38af-e811…

    Nearly 71% of revenue spent on employees and ""other expenses". The other expenses may or may not be justified, we can't judge because they haven't bothered to make them available. In the last ACNC report there's also a gap of ~$1.7m between revenue and expenses. Just magic-ed away apparently. A "good" charity will have detailed, public, annual financial reports signed off by an accountant (often pro bono), not just highly (over)simplified summaries posted on the ACNC website.

    People should also look at the RSPCA financials. In NSW, and Vic (when I last looked about 5 yrs ago), they have huge cash reserves.

    • +1

      I wll never forget when land was a lot cheaper 15 years approx ago, there was land for sale once all around the RSPCA shelter at Yagoona and they didnt buy any as far as I could see. They could have had more space. They have money because people leave ther houses etc to them. They also took away the surrender cages from the front, so people now dump their animal in car parks, as they have nowhere to take them, RSPCA wont take them

  • good stuff

  • +3

    Next year, can we take the charities that got money this year off the list say we can spread the love a bit further?

    • +1

      I've always excluded the Xmas charities from the poll of our End of Financial Year charity poll. However everyone can be back in the list for next Christmas' poll.

  • This is a unique comment.

  • Hello

  • Good on you!

  • Well done, thanks 🙏

  • Will be adding these charities to my donation list, thank you!

  • The top voted Ozb charity Kids With Cancer Foundation is in the news regarding their spending. Ave 25% of donations actually "passed on", a deplorable 9% in 2021 (>$1M spent on telemarketing, $944K on "employee benefits", only $309,404 donated to families and childrens hospitals, a $2,258,109 surplus!). https://acncpubfilesprodstorage.blob.core.windows.net/public…

    Before you donate top ANY charity do some research on how much of your dollar is spent on admin, salaries and fund raising. Depending on how the charity works (eg it may employ professionals to deliver services, hence the salaries expenditure will be high), if less than 70-80% of donations is available for programs etc then maybe you should reconsider, and look elsewhere. Unfortunately Australia's charity regulator the ACNC allows charities to publish extremely limited (and unsatisfactory imo) financial reports so obtaining useful information is sometimes difficult. My rule of thumb (you can make your own mind up) is that if a charity doesn't provide DETAILED financials/expenditure and program info on its own website, and has overheads above 30% (with some exceptions eg World Vision which delivers services OS and uses OS reources), then they are not worth my support.

    • Unfortunately that's how these donations go. People always blindly donate to the top players that line their pockets with money instead of the more worthwhile charities. You can see it with the votes here.

      I could tell you some real stories about how dodgy Vinnie's are.

      • Dodgy in what way? I'm sure the managers of your local SVP would be interested in your feedback.

        The whole registered "charity" sector - ie those supported by taxpayers - in Australia needs a complete shakedown with some REAL performance and financial reporting standards, and FAR better oversight. Removing "religions" which aren't inclusive and which can't demonstrate actual charity outside their members would be a good start.

        • A new CEO sacking all contractors and replacing with friends, sacking all managers and replacing with friends, buying a whole fleet of company cars, giving everyone significant payrises, closing down a lot of the workshops citing no money and so on.

          Now she's a politician.

          • @Clear: I doubt that's an accurate portrayal but if you believe it is I suggest you raise your concerns with the National Council https://www.vinnies.org.au/national-counci. Do it anonymously if necessary.

            • @Igaf: They're very aware of what happened. When I say she's now a politician that also means she's no longer the CEO ;) If you're ever at an OzBargain meetup I'll show you the physical evidence in person.

              They've had a top to bottom restructure. It's a lot better now but still a long way to go compared to 10 years ago.

    • Not surprised, sadly.

  • https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/kids-cancer-charity-uses…

    The pie chart might blast a few Kids With Cancer Foundation supporters out of their complacency.

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