When I was in Vons today, I overheard two employees talking about what
they're going to bring to tomorrow's bake sale (10/30/04). Upon
inquiry, I was told they're having a bake sale for breast cancer
research. Upon further inquiry, each employee seems to be expected to
bring baked goods to sell for the charity. Upon even further inquiry,
the employees are supposed to buy the ingredients, as well as bake and
donate the finished proceeds. I plan to buy the baked goods as a way
to donate to a laudable cause, but I am a mite conflicted about it and
I'm not sure why.

Vons/Pavillions is giving their employees a venue to raise money for a
good cause. Vons/Pavilions is getting some good publicity on the
shoulders of their employees. The good cause gets good bucks. So, why
am I feeling "off" about this? (Too much work this week and my brain's
fried??)

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA

"Regime Change Begins At Home."

To reply, remove replace "spaminator" with "cox"

Squeaks wrote:

> When I was in Vons today, I overheard two employees talking about what
> they're going to bring to tomorrow's bake sale (10/30/04). Upon
> inquiry, I was told they're having a bake sale for breast cancer
> research. Upon further inquiry, each employee seems to be expected to
> bring baked goods to sell for the charity. Upon even further inquiry,
> the employees are supposed to buy the ingredients, as well as bake and
> donate the finished proceeds. I plan to buy the baked goods as a way
> to donate to a laudable cause, but I am a mite conflicted about it and
> I'm not sure why.
>
> Vons/Pavillions is giving their employees a venue to raise money for a
> good cause. Vons/Pavilions is getting some good publicity on the
> shoulders of their employees. The good cause gets good bucks. So, why
> am I feeling "off" about this? (Too much work this week and my brain's
> fried??)

Maybe because Vons is FORCING their employees to contribute time and money
to the charity, but the employees don't get the tax break normally
associated with the donations? After all, if Vons (as a corporate entity)
actually donates the money then the CORPORATION gets a tax break, while the
employees (who actually sacrificed their money and time) get NOTHING.

Moreover, since the employees aren't getting reimbursed for their expenses,
ANY price can be set on the baked goods. Loaves of bread could be sold for
one cent apiece, and the bake sale would still come out ahead -- and it's no
skin off VON's nose. Therefore, the bake sale represents charity double-dip
contributions: The employees are perforce contributing, and the customers
are also contributing.

(I'd also be suspicious of where the money went, and whether Vons got a cut
of it for providing the venue.)

Bob

Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
>
> When I was in Vons today, I overheard two employees talking about what
> they're going to bring to tomorrow's bake sale (10/30/04). Upon
> inquiry, I was told they're having a bake sale for breast cancer
> research. Upon further inquiry, each employee seems to be expected to
> bring baked goods to sell for the charity. Upon even further inquiry,
> the employees are supposed to buy the ingredients, as well as bake and
> donate the finished proceeds. I plan to buy the baked goods as a way
> to donate to a laudable cause, but I am a mite conflicted about it and
> I'm not sure why.

Proceeds are supposed to be after expenses. Just as our cookbook
donated the proceeds from the cookbook. We had to pay the printers,
the mailing expenses, etc. Whatever is leftover is PROCEEDS. If
the employees have to pay for the ingredients, they are donating.
Nothing wrong with that, but that is not proceeds, but a donation.
That's what's conflicting.

nancy