So what's so bad about The Salvation Army anyway?

[Ms. Toad]

123. The Salvation Army is local to the communities they serve.

The food we provided went directly to feed hungry people in our community, and kettle collections are used to serve the local community. Between 84 and 90 cents of every dollar goes to services (depending on which charity watch site I check). Better than some, worse than others.

But my point wasn't that local shelters and food banks aren't more efficient than an entity with a national name - but that many of those (as well as the Salvation Army) are run by people who believe I am going to hell. We progressives are (on average) better at talking about equality and justice than we are at putting food in tummies and providing shelter. So since I'm not in a position to run a food bank or a shelter, I contribute to those that do - which as often as not - has very different political and religious beliefs than I do.

So - I'm in the midst of baking 20 pies (or by now 30, since I have recruited a few more pumpkins than I needed) which will be served on Thanksgiving day at the Haven of Rest, a local Christian shelter & soup kitchen, which serves a Thanksgiving meal to anyone who shows up. They wouldn't hire me, or allow me to serve on their board, but they are doing work which needs to be done - and work which isn't being done so much by organizations with which I am aligned in other ways.