Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

My niece has leukemia and our family held a fundraiser for her. The winner of the 50/50 raffle was generous enough to give back $1,000 out of the $3,000 he won to the family. Nobody expected it but it was incredibly generous. Before that, I never would have thought about it.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Posted by Jennie0898

I have to say, I'm actually surprised that more people aren't jumping in to defend the idea of "selfless charitable giving".

I guess that just goes to show that I don't understand people at all - or at least not the ones on LIF. I would have thought it was MORE offensive to admit that you are only participating in the raffle in hopes of making some money. I obviously know nothing.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Posted by Jennie0898

I have to say, I'm actually surprised that more people aren't jumping in to defend the idea of "selfless charitable giving".

I guess that just goes to show that I don't understand people at all - or at least not the ones on LIF. I would have thought it was MORE offensive to admit that you are only participating in the raffle in hopes of making some money. I obviously know nothing.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

What if the person who put in a few dollars in the hopes of winning won and really really needed the money for medical bills, food, diapers, etc. I see that as a blessing for that person, and aren't they charity too? Would you condemn them for keeping it? Maybe not if they said why they were keeping it but who in that position would say why so you people would probably go and judge them...

My point is... you never know a persons circumstances or reasons behind making the choices that they do so we shouldn't judge regardless.

Also, I have a friend who works for a well known non profit, she has worked in the non profit world for years and some of the things I hear... The things that go on, the things that they use the money for, when we have money to give or stuff to give I prefer to give directly to a person in need, that way I know first hand that I am helping out.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Posted by GioiaMia

Before this thread, I would have NEVER thought to give it back. . . I am just going to pretend I didn't read this. . . moving along, nothing to see here. . .

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

If you don't need the money, then I think it should def be given back but if you need it then I think you should take it, or take what you need and give the rest to the charity. And to those who take it and don't need it then I think karma will come back to them.

ETA: NOT saying that bad things will happen to people who keep the money who don't need it. I do agree that with higher end charity events... events with $1000 a plate, that obviously it's expected to give the money back, from what I have been told, these events are more like social gatherings and places you go to be seen so obviously they go to give, but there are events at local bars and stuff that have 50/50 raffles with just regular middle class people attending. I feel like FOR ME, I take when I need whether it be help from family or friends or if we were to get lucky and win a 50/50 which has never happened because I have never played, I just feel like if you need, you take and if you don't need you give back. When we have extra, we give. People should help each other out. That's how I live my life. BUT if you participated in a 50/50...like one at a bar or a local walk or at a school, a small one, and you win, if you take it then that's cool because you may need it or just because you won which is also fine. Or you may choose to give it back because you want to be generous, know someone that the cause is helping, don't need the money, etc. Then that's cool too. I think people are reading too much into this.

Message edited 10/26/2011 9:59:11 AM.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

I am beyond turned off by the fact that I would be frowned at if I didn't give back my winnings. If we're entering a raffle, the majority of people are entering to not only make more money for the event, but to WIN. Not that I have won anything, but now I don't plan on playing. If the organization can't afford to put on the event without someone giving back their winnings, or if they're always looking for $, then just take donations and don't give people the run around. And as for the 'reason' to make it more 'fun', then play a game or something actually FUN- something where I won't be spoken about behind me back because I decided to keep something I won.

I do want to point out that I have worked for a non-profit before.
I also want to point out that I think there's a difference between the types of fundraisers we are all thinking about.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Posted by GioiaMia

Before this thread, I would have NEVER thought to give it back. . . I am just going to pretend I didn't read this. . . moving along, nothing to see here. . .

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

From everything I've read on here, EVERYONE IS BASICALLY AGREEING WITH EACH OTHER!!!!

There are two trains of thought in this thread, the charities that most of us go to, where it's small-scale, the money spent and won is not huge, and it's expected that people keep their 50/50 winnings.

The other scenarios are huge events, with large dollar amounts to get in, buy 50/50 tickets, and huge money prizes. At these events, when most of the attendees are philanthropists anyway, they usually return the money, since for them, the "game" is giving away money, not winning the 50/50.

It's getting muddled in here, because it's primarily people who attend smaller events saying how it's a negative to be expected to return the winnings, and the other side defending the big donors returning the money. Two very different scenarios......

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Message edited 10/27/2011 11:10:23 AM.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

I was just going to say this. The events we assist with are the "big money" events for the most part. I have only seen a 50/50 raffle done once and I don;t know if the person returned it or not.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

Sadly, I was invited to a charity event at work and was so low paid I could barely afford the $15 ticket. However, I went and took a paid guest, where we purchased drinks and raffle tickets. I wish I had not won! It never occurred to me to donate my prize, and thought nothing of it until the next day a co-worker came up to me and said, "you should keep the money, you need it". That tipped me off that I had committed a faux pas and that everyone was talking about me at work. Further, the co-worker who organized the event NEVER invited me again. Apparently it's a cultural thing. Maybe they should have a 75/25 raffle or a 90/10 raffle or something. As for those who think no one would ever actually SAY anything about someone keeping their prize, I beg to differ, as a caution to all, especially in a professional environment.

Re: 50/50 Raffle at Charity Event - Keep or give back?

It's not very charitable to ostracize someone at work for keeping a prize. That's why it's called a "prize". Especially if someone is not accustomed to the "custom". The fun of winning a prize is at least part of the motivation for participating in the first place.