Well...shame on them...

...that's all I can say!

It's coming into our winter now and every year we see elderly people freezing in their homes because they cannot afford the power bills. Tonight I phoned the general TV channel here offering to donate some money to help these people out...it's not even 7pm here so the news from this network is still 'live'and yet...I was directed to Melbourne because the people from Perth have gone home...when I told the guy why I was calling he asked me to call back tomorrow...SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! on them...I will call back tomorrow, of course ... but...just letting of steam right now!

I'm truly sorry for the elderly since it's true they can feel it worse than either young or adult and although i live in Texas where it's freaking hot i would've donated money well whatever i have in my room which is about $10 but that is not the point the point is that you are right Hellon and i'm sorry for the elderly and shame on their souls that said that

Are you mad because you couldn't donate straight away or because the news stops before 7pm in Perth?

I was just mad Abby...this young kid asked me to call back tomorrow...he was not interested in how much I was offering...it could have been a million dollars...the point is he didn't ask....he didn't CARE..he never asked if he could call ME back tomorrow...I HAVE to call back!

Uh oh. Hellon sounds old.

Bring back the red miniskirt in you, Hellon!

How stupid of them, really. But props to you, Hellon. That's a very generous gesture. You really should complain about something like this, though.

Abby...be rest assured ...that part of me will never die...I was born young and plan to stay that way....red skirts rule...no matter what length..right?

Linda...I just wanted to get a winge in...you guys absorbed it...thank you....

I refused to absorb it, Hellon. I will absorb nothing but beekeeping and mudcakes and pirates and red things from you.
What is this donation fund called? Never heard of it here in Melbourne. I have the chilliest house in the city, I can only imagine how the old must feel. Good onya, Hellon.

Err...there is no fund...I was just listening to something on the radio while I was driving...it's a university station I was tuned into (nerd me) Curtain Uni if you must know...and I got all worried about the elderly...tried to call them..the line was Beeeezzzzey! That's when I was directed to Melbourne...if the guy had asked me if I was wearing white shoes..red skirt or given me some pirate talk I would have at least have felt I had gotten some sort of response but...he didn't....I was expecting too much right???

Its so sad that more people dont try to do what they can for those who raised us. Hellon I would keep trying.. maybe see if there's a different avenue you could go?

My town just closed the adult city center.. it provided meals and rides to appts for the elderly, as well as classes and much more. They said they didnt have the funding (but hired four new employees that make more combined than it took to keep the center open?), so the churches in the town took it over... 16 of them coming together in the community.. and people wonder why we get upset paying the high taxes we do.

Hope you can make some headway!

It's the bloody youth of today. Also, he is probably not trained to handle totally random acts of kindness.

I meant a fund as in...if you were to donate the money, where exactly would it go? Is there a specific non-profit organisation that looks after the elderly, or is there a movement in your area to lower power bills for the elderly?
I work at a museum and sometimes people ring saying they want to donate to the planetarium or to "science". The truth is, we have no specific public funding for any of these things. All donations just get absorbed into a pool and the bigwigs decide how to spend it.
I hardly ever donate anything unless I am either onsite or I am personally acquainted with the organisation, knowing that the majority of my money/work is going directly to the cause.

Hellon is pissed. Not a problem.

What say we blow up the Earth? :P

Thank you all for listening and coming up with suggestions. I don't donate to charities either Abby, for the same reasons as you...never quite know where the money actually goes I guess. I'm looking around for some aged care centres but, as I live in a rural area none comes to mind right now.

What I wanted to do was..maybe try to find about 20 elderly people and give them $50 each to help with their heating this winter...not just give it to some charity and cross my fingers that it would be used for anything other than what it was intended for.

Thank you all again and..George...I hope you meant I was pissed off and not pissed as in drunk haha!!!

Can you call the heating company and ask them to find accounts that need paid and are elderly folks.. and pay that way?

That's a good idea Britt....I'm not sure (with the privacy act) if they would give out this information and...there would be nothing on an overdue bill to say that the person is elderly rather than maybe a junkie or something...I'd be concerned that the power company would just want the bill paid and not give a stuff that the person was in genuine need of some cash....

Edit

I just rang Aged Care Australia and..they don't want my money either...they only look after facilites for the elderly....shakes head!!!!

I would try to talk to management and explain what youre trying to do. Maybe if there is a certain community or part of the city that is predominantly elderly you could focus there

Its sad trying to do a good deed is so hard!

To donate is harder than I ever imagined...it appears..because I'm specifying where I want the money to be spent is the problem but...someone has finally taken my number and will call tomorrow...I just wonder how many of our elderly will be afraid to turn their fires on tonight...we had a lot of rain here today and it's getting pretty cold....

Proud of you for trying so hard, Hellon.

Perhaps the individual reporter of the segment describing the situation would help. perhaps follow up story about setting up a call opportunity.

Yeah ^ that is definitely a good idea. Or possibly look into the Privacy Act and see if you can loophole around it somehow. :p

This is more difficult than it should be. Very nice of you, though.

Thanks for the words of encouragement...I do appreciate all of them...no one called back. I never realised how hard it could be to give some money away???

^Hey Hellon, try sending it somewheres where I can get my hands on them, the money. I assure you, you wont have any difficulties with it, lol. Just kidding. :D
... But seriously, big heart you got there my friend for all you're doing. :)

I found this topic a bit confusing and a little shocking that there is no place to go to help the poor needy and elderly. In our country, towns, counties, states and federal programs are in abundance. An elderly neighbor of ours gets all utility bills reduced by a good amount. They get their house insulated and storm windows. There is local organizations (all volunteer and moneys locally donated to help the needy. Organizations such as The Elks Club, Knights of Columbus, men's clubs and women's clubs all who involve themselves towards these goals. I can't believe that in country such as Australia there are no such organizations.

I don't know why you are confused because I've been pretty clear in my findings..shocked?..yes I'm also shocked Donald..Nobody seems to want the responsibility of farming my money out to the specifications I'm putting on it...perhaps If Id said fix this or that due to storm damage or..I'd just donated to some random association for the elderly and do what you will with the money it would have been snatched (pretty sure it would have been) but...it's only for heating...