Big donors

[proud2BlibKansan]

Great LTTE in the KC Star today


Big donors



I heard recently on National Public Radio that the Walton Family Foundation (heirs of the deceased Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart) has contributed a whopping $15 million to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.



What a generous sum. But wait. Let’s put in perspective the generosity of this family in accordance with their wealth.



In 2005, Sam Walton’s heirs were worth a total of $72.5 billion.



They contributed 2.068 ten-thousandths of their fortune to relief efforts. Here’s how the math looks. (You may have to strike out some zeros to be able to do this on your handheld calculator):



$72,500,000,000 X 0.0002068 = $15,000,000



What follows is a breakdown of levels of giving based on annual income. Congratulate yourself if you find you’ve been more generous than the Walton family.



If your annual income is as follows, you’d match the generosity of the Waltons by donating…



$30,000 — $6.20



$50,000 — $10.34



$100,000 — $20.68



$500,000 — $103.40



$1,000,000 — $206.80



Kathleen Henn



Kansas City

[acmavm]

1. And the winner for this week's best reality check is Ms. Kathleen

Henn of Kansas City

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Yep

If I knew her, I would invite her to join DU.

[blue sky at night]

2. I guess when you take the blinders off...

and can see the perspective, you can then see the forest for the trees. But they did give something, so lets hope more will be forthcoming.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. But just think

what they could have given.

I know I will be thinking of that every time I see one of those Red Cross commercials begging us for $$.

[blue sky at night]

7. I agree...

they could and perhaps will.

[napi21]

4. Great info! I know a lot of people can't relate to numbers that big!

I have a hard time myself, and I was an accountant for 40 years!

I'm not sure anyone should calculate the amount of a charitable contribution based upon their income or wealth value though. I think everyone should donate $$ to any charity based upon their own personal desire. Let the public results decide what that means.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. So WalMart's desire

is pretty low, eh?

[napi21]

8. YEP! I can only relate this to my own feelings, the same as most

people can. I rarely donate to charities because I have known way too many people who worked for them and the $$ they pay their administrators is insane! I don't even restrict that phylosophy to charities, but to political contributions too.

I contributed to Howard Deans campaign, and it was the first political contribution I ever made in my live of 61 years!

I donate $10 about 2-3 times a year to the Bichon Frise Dog Rescue I volunteer for, because I know without question that all their funds go to save those dogs and the President gets a whopping $20,000 a year salary.

I don't believe in donating to any organization where the leaders make well over $100,000 a year!

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. I don't donate often either

I give my time. I teach in the urban core; if that isn't enough then I can't imagine what else it would take. I am literally insulted every year when United Way solicits us for contributions.

I volunteered for the presidential campaign last year. I didn't give any money until the very end. And that was the first campaign I had ever contributed to.