Reviews
This book clears up at a stroke the vague misconceptions and truths about charitable giving that had been floating around online. Actually, it does not offer a clear solution to the problems with giving. It still leaves many questions unresolved. Its value lies in explaining the substance behind baseless rumors with clear data and evidence. There needed to be at least one book about charitable giving, if only to reduce misunderstandings and help giving culture grow. By the standard discussed in
This book was written to discuss the lack of transparency in charitable giving and possible alternatives from the donor’s point of view. Drawing on extensive research and many perspectives, it was written with deep respect for both donors and charitable organizations. The author says they spent the entire writing process seriously considering whether this book could have a positive effect on the charitable sector. Much of it criticizes charities, but the purpose of that criticism, the author
Lee Young-hak, known as the “Molars Dad,” appeared in various media starting in 2005, repeatedly emphasizing that he and his daughter both had rare diseases and that they were so desperately poor he could not afford her surgery. He even published a book called The Happiness of the Molars Dad to publicize his circumstances and solicit donations. It told the story of a difficult life he continued to endure without losing hope: because of a massive cementoblastoma, part of his pelvis had been
I think Distrust of Charities may be the first book I have read about charitable giving. While donating, I had never been able to get precise information about where the donations went or how much was spent in each place. I had not looked into it in detail, but I think I often wished for a system that would tell us exactly who received how much of the money collected as donations. I do not know exactly how the system works these days, but when I used to donate, I did not feel there was a
This is an excellent book. It approaches the problems surrounding charitable giving—things I thought I vaguely understood—in stages, identifying areas of ignorance and blind spots in trust. The book clearly aims to present well-grounded guidance in response to a reality that encourages distrust of donations. But if you take a step back, it also lets you see the irrationalities of society at large and organizational culture, and offers a simple framework for understanding the nonprofit-business
I currently work for a humanitarian aid organization. I run fundraising campaigns, ask major donors for support, and plan events to encourage the general public to participate. Every donor I have met has been a good person who willingly gave money with good intentions, asking that it be used for good causes. We also do our best to honor their wishes, help where needed, and bring about change on the ground. When I came across this book, I became curious about how much resistance ordinary people
Dates: June 12–13, 2024. I enjoyed it so much that I finished it in no time. I wondered whether anyone could hate charitable organizations as much as I do, and the title alone drew me in powerfully. When I was five or six, around Christmas, I went downtown with my family and saw a Salvation Army man ringing a bell to collect donations. I was too young to remember the details or exactly where we were, but I clearly remember putting money my parents gave me into the Salvation Army kettle. I think
Rating: Four book emojis out of five. Recommended for people who enjoy social and political bestsellers. “Molars Dad misused 1 billion won in donations.” “New Hope Seed held a luxury yacht party with 13 billion won in donations.” Are your donations safe? Of every 10,000 won we give, how much actually reaches the intended recipient? Have you ever checked carefully? Do you simply trust that it will be used conscientiously for a good cause and leave it at that? Distrust of Charities digs into
After reading this book, I found myself reflecting on how I had donated without giving it much thought. I think it is a good book that analyzes the charitable market rationally.
Reading this book greatly changed my thoughts and attitude toward charitable giving. I had always thought of giving itself as a noble and meaningful act, but I had never thought deeply about how charities actually operate or how donations are used. This book gave me a clear perspective on those issues and laid bare problems I had not known about. I realized that distrust of charities does not come from a simple misunderstanding, but from the combined effect of many factors. Many people suspect
Lee Bo-in: Distrust of donations
‘If you donate anyway, you're just doing the organization a favor.’ Distrust of charitable giving is growing. The spectrum ranges from vague misunderstandings to suspicions about important details. People in the industry sometimes excuse problems as misconduct by a few charities. But is that really all? There are reasons people distrust giving. This book traces the causes and reveals the hidden truths and misunderstandings surrounding your good intentions. Why doesn't donated money reach the children featured in campaigns? Why are operating costs so high? Do charities advertise to solicit donations and then use donations to pay for ads? Do donors have no say in how their money is used? Do organizations fail to disclose concrete information? Is the charitable sector not innovating? The book thoroughly examines donors' distrust and misconceptions. After reading it, donors will be able to view charities from a healthier perspective. And because the book includes information charities would rather not make known, they will have to disclose information to donors more transparently. Ultimately, more people will give, and donors and charities will be able to build trust. This is essential reading for creating a healthier giving culture and for donors who want to ask charities to disclose specific information about how donations are used. ‘The materials charities provide to donors are far too limited.’
Korean title: 기부불신
Korean author: 이보인
Korean publisher: 마음 연결
ISBN-13: 9791193471043
Reviews
This book clears up at a stroke the vague misconceptions and truths about charitable giving that had been floating around online. Actually, it does not offer a clear solution to the problems with giving. It still leaves many questions unresolved. Its value lies in explaining the substance behind baseless rumors with clear data and evidence. There needed to be at least one book about charitable giving, if only to reduce misunderstandings and help giving culture grow. By the standard discussed in
This book was written to discuss the lack of transparency in charitable giving and possible alternatives from the donor’s point of view. Drawing on extensive research and many perspectives, it was written with deep respect for both donors and charitable organizations. The author says they spent the entire writing process seriously considering whether this book could have a positive effect on the charitable sector. Much of it criticizes charities, but the purpose of that criticism, the author
Lee Young-hak, known as the “Molars Dad,” appeared in various media starting in 2005, repeatedly emphasizing that he and his daughter both had rare diseases and that they were so desperately poor he could not afford her surgery. He even published a book called The Happiness of the Molars Dad to publicize his circumstances and solicit donations. It told the story of a difficult life he continued to endure without losing hope: because of a massive cementoblastoma, part of his pelvis had been
I think Distrust of Charities may be the first book I have read about charitable giving. While donating, I had never been able to get precise information about where the donations went or how much was spent in each place. I had not looked into it in detail, but I think I often wished for a system that would tell us exactly who received how much of the money collected as donations. I do not know exactly how the system works these days, but when I used to donate, I did not feel there was a
This is an excellent book. It approaches the problems surrounding charitable giving—things I thought I vaguely understood—in stages, identifying areas of ignorance and blind spots in trust. The book clearly aims to present well-grounded guidance in response to a reality that encourages distrust of donations. But if you take a step back, it also lets you see the irrationalities of society at large and organizational culture, and offers a simple framework for understanding the nonprofit-business
I currently work for a humanitarian aid organization. I run fundraising campaigns, ask major donors for support, and plan events to encourage the general public to participate. Every donor I have met has been a good person who willingly gave money with good intentions, asking that it be used for good causes. We also do our best to honor their wishes, help where needed, and bring about change on the ground. When I came across this book, I became curious about how much resistance ordinary people
Dates: June 12–13, 2024. I enjoyed it so much that I finished it in no time. I wondered whether anyone could hate charitable organizations as much as I do, and the title alone drew me in powerfully. When I was five or six, around Christmas, I went downtown with my family and saw a Salvation Army man ringing a bell to collect donations. I was too young to remember the details or exactly where we were, but I clearly remember putting money my parents gave me into the Salvation Army kettle. I think
Rating: Four book emojis out of five. Recommended for people who enjoy social and political bestsellers. “Molars Dad misused 1 billion won in donations.” “New Hope Seed held a luxury yacht party with 13 billion won in donations.” Are your donations safe? Of every 10,000 won we give, how much actually reaches the intended recipient? Have you ever checked carefully? Do you simply trust that it will be used conscientiously for a good cause and leave it at that? Distrust of Charities digs into
After reading this book, I found myself reflecting on how I had donated without giving it much thought. I think it is a good book that analyzes the charitable market rationally.
Reading this book greatly changed my thoughts and attitude toward charitable giving. I had always thought of giving itself as a noble and meaningful act, but I had never thought deeply about how charities actually operate or how donations are used. This book gave me a clear perspective on those issues and laid bare problems I had not known about. I realized that distrust of charities does not come from a simple misunderstanding, but from the combined effect of many factors. Many people suspect
