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Pink Responsibly
Critical Questions to Ask Before You Buy Pink
1. How much money from your purchase actually goes toward breast cancer? Is the amount clearly stated on the package?
When the package does state the amount of the donation, is that amount enough? Fox Home Entertainment, for example, sold “DVDs for the Cure” for $14.95 and donated 50 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Is this a significant contribution, or a piddly amount? You decide. If you can’t tell how much money is being donated, or if you don’t think it’s enough, give directly to the organization instead.
2. What is the maximum amount that will be donated?
Many companies place a cap on the amount of money that will be donated. For example, Give Hope Jeans, sold by White House Black Market for $88, donated “net proceeds” from the sale to the organization Living Beyond Breast Cancer. But they’ve capped their contributions at $200,000. This means that once they had reached the $200,000 limit they stopped contributing, no matter how many pairs of jeans were purchased.
In some cases, that cap is a generous amount. In some cases it’s not. But you should know that, whenever there is a cap, your individual purchase may not contribute anything to the cause, depending on when you shop and whether the cap has already been met.
3. How are the funds being raised?
Does making the purchase ensure a contribution to the cause? Or do you, the shopper, have to jump through hoops to make sure the money gets where it’s supposed to go? Lean Cuisine, for example, had a pink ribbon on its boxes of frozen meals, but the purchase of the meal did not result in a donation to a breast cancer organization. Instead, consumers had to visit the Lean Cuisine web site and buy a pink Lean Cuisine lunch tote. Only then would $5 of the tote purchase be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
4. To what breast cancer organization does the money go, and what types of programs does it support?
Does the product’s package tell you where the money goes and what will be done with it? For example, Penn is selling pink tennis balls and the package states that 15 cents of your purchase will go to “a Breast Cancer Research Organization.” It doesn’t tell you which organization or what kind of research will be done. Will the money go to fund the same studies that have been ongoing for decades (which already get enormous financial support)? Or will it go to under-funded, innovative research into the causes of breast cancer?
If the donation is going to breast cancer services, is it reaching the people most in need, in the most effective way? The Breast Cancer Site store, for example, donates money to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, which helps pay for mammograms for women who cannot afford them. But mammograms are already covered for low-income women through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. Although this screening program does have limitations, what is most needed is the funding to get low-income women treatment if breast cancer is found.
5. What is the company doing to assure that its products are not actually contributing to the breast cancer epidemic?
Many companies that raise funds for breast cancer also make products that are linked to the disease. Breast Cancer Action calls these companies “pinkwashers.” BMW, for example, gives $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure each time you test-drive one of their cars, even though pollutants found in car exhaust are linked to breast cancer. Many cosmetics companies whose products contain chemicals linked to breast cancer also sell their items for the cause.
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29 Replies
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Finally someone else thinks the way I do!
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thanks for sharing!
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Yes, thanks for all the information!
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i agree with you it easy to say that part of the profit goes but how much of it? and can we really trust them? Personnally i start to give directly to the cause i want to support because that way less people will have the chance to take a bite on it. Read well and ask question to help a the good place 😉
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I want to also add that, whenever they list what organization is being donated to, you should also look up that research organization.
Some “charities” take over 90% of all the money they take in as “overhead.” This means they are PAYING THEMSELVES with donation money and using only 10% on actual charity causes/research. Only donate to organizations who take as low of an overhead cut as possible to know that your money went to a good cause. Susan G. Komen for the cure has had some criticism of how much overhead they take. It’s something to be aware of. Everyone wants their cut
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I agree to all of what has been said…we must be aware.
And to all us lovely polers out there that have pink pole power pics, we can feel better than the new people getting their poles pinked…100% of my first 2 pics went to breast cancer, and 50% of my third pic. However, I won't be getting anymore because only 5% is donated now. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif
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I think leading a charitable life is a very important thing. One of our primary differentiators between human beings and animals is that we experience empathy and can attempt to understand another's situation.
This empathy needs to go every direction though. We have to be careful not to demonize people who have the good of others at heart. Often times we are too quick to judge and base decisions on a single dimension.
For example, BMW donates the dollar for a test drive. Unless we are arguing that people stop driving cars immediately what harm comes from this, and what good. The way I see it a single test drive isn't going to give anyone breast cancer and there are millions of dollars given to breast cancer research. Additionally BMW is the luxury leader in green car implementations with more electric or hybrid vehicles than any other luxury car manufacturer so they are moving the right direction.
Does anyone here give all their income to charity? We all have to eat. Additionally the argument that money is the only thing that is important is patently ridiculous, any business person will tell you that marketing is the most important aspect of any industry and in charity we call marketing "Awareness". Without "Awareness" any cause is lost, it will quickly lose visibility and funding decreases meaning that those living with the condition are quickly sidelined.
Certainly if someone is getting rich "raising awareness" this is a problem but if someone is just squeaking by and has made it their life's mission to raise awareness and encourage giving I don't fault them for not having the means to give most of their profits away in fact I applaud them for making the sacrifice in their life when they could be using their talents doing things that would be more profitable and improve their lifestyle to a much greater degree.
In the end my point is don't buy something because it has a pink ribbon on it, but let that pink ribbon remind you of the suffering and pain that many women and families have gone through. Let that pink ribbon drive your empathy. If you see someone doing a good job of raising "Awareness" about a cause consider helping them especially if they do it at great expense to themselves.
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Well said Webmaster. I at a time in my life where I have become very concerend with abused/abandoned animals. I feel that nobody is caring for them. We had a "missions" day at church Sunday and I got so sick of all these organizations asking for money. Once charity was helping a woman who couldn't get assistance no longer because she had too many assests….two homes! Well, sell on of the damn houses and pay your heat, was my thought. Don't come to me asking me to give her money! Then the Pregancy center got up on stage asking for money so women can give birth to their babies and not abort. They basically made it sound as if a woman has an abortion she is a sinner and will go to hell. Well, believe in freedom of choice, so once again, don't get on stage asking for my money! Next week is another "mission" week and they are hoping to raise $8,000 to build a church in Africa! This church is very small, about 140 members, and I think them to ask us to come up with this amount is outrages. Also next week they want us to do our yearly "Faith Promise" which is where you promise to give to missions on a weekely basis…..this above and beyond our normal tithes.
This whole thing has been getting to me. My husband supports so many people and charaties, its crazy……
His nephew, his son, a couple in China, two orphans through World hope in Africa, the Childrens Advocacy Center, MS society, College Scholarship fund, PLUS weekly tithes and "Faith Promise"……now these are only some I can think of right now. I get mad thinking about it. But he has a soft heart and will help anybody with anything….just ask!
When we were married over a year ago, he had $40,000 in credit card debt (which I wasn't aware of until after being married. But still, he is in debt but continues to pay out all this money!
OK, done with my tangent…..back to the first sentance. I feel that animals need support and care just like humans. And I just emailed my pastor at church to voice my concern with this. Aren't animal Gods creatures too? My husband and I added up all he was giving out, and he is going to eliminate and/or cut some of the giving to people in half. The other half (my half) I have decided will go to local animal shelters. Thanks…..just wanted to put my two cents into this. 🙂
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I also feel that it is important for everyone to research the charity of choice and find out where exactly the funds are going and what percentage. I also feel it is important that if you are going to give your hard earned funds to a charity that it be a registered charity…a not for profit charity that is documented. I was a volunteer board of director at a not for profit in Toronto and worked as in a non-profit organization for 9yrs…we had to document like crazy as to where funds went and how tax receipts were given…which is a good thing.
I too pinked my pole and was thrilled with it..I thought it was very cool and told many of my pole friends…but at that time it was $5. Today, I would not pay $20usd for a 5% donation…that is just me, hell…I didn't pay $20 when it was at 50% and I only knew it was a 50/50 split because I actully went to the site because I noticed a post on FB I think. I actually wanted to surprise a friend of mine that I pole with her own pink pole picture of her first superman…my friend is fighting inoperable cancer, this is her second fight with the disease her first fight was 3 years ago. But when I read the split of funds I put my money back in my pocket and decided to donate the money and some directly to the cause.
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You got a good point Piglet, do your homework and give where you feel your money will be use in the best way. I did saw some organisations who were suppose to help people in need and even register they were keeping cash and stuff that was giving to them and nobody could know.
Don't forget that most organisme need a helping hand too, so you can always give money and time to help.
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I totally agree with the webmaster; before blaming organizations, you have to know the personal history of involved people. Before publishing a public comment you have to be informed correctly. I am bewildered to learn that certain people have decided to no longer support associations because they now donate 5% of profits. This reminds me of my school: for 4 years, I work without counting the hours to promote the pole fitness and offer a quality studio to my students; free drink, we supply the alcohol and the powder for poles, towels, we organize events to support causes, we supply photos and videos, etc. The groups are small to offer a quality service. Out of breath, I had to change some rules to be able to survive and change my group class from 3 to 6 people. Very few people blamed me for it because they know that they receive more here than at any other school. But regrettably, the more you give, the more people ask of you. They will never appreciate enough what you make. These people are not any more a member of my life; it is not for them nor with them whom I want from now on to work with. And you, what are you doing free for your community? Don`t waste your time blaming others that love and are trying to survive in the pole community by doing good positive things while giving back something. Please be emotionally intelligent!
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Studio409 comments : "I totally agree with the webmaster; before blaming organizations, you have to know the personal history of involved people. Before publishing a public comment you have to be informed correctly.
Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to hear both sides of each situation. O Studio409, if only ALL would follow this advice of yours !! I believe it is blatantly unfair for people to take a public stand without having all the information. n'est ce pas ?
But, getting back to the original point of the post, which is to 'pink responsibly', it seems to me that the original intent of Descalzada is not an attack on any particular organization, simply a note that there are indeed some ogranizations out there who's mission may be out of line with the contributor's intention. That's all.
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Thank you, Judy, for the clarification.
At Studio409 … I don't know why anyone feels attacked, when they haven't been. I post an article
http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/?page_id=13
which simply provides some parameters for making decisions on "pink" purchases. Some people have made a personal choice to use their donation dollars differently than they had previously, because they wanted to contribute more to charity than to business.
I don't know to whom this is directed: "And you, what are you doing free for your community?"
For me, it means many years of volunteering at the local non-profit for Community Services, hospice volunteer, making over 500 hand-knotted twine rosaries and sending them, at my own expense, to service members overseas (including Canadians), also coaching Special Olympic teams (soccer & swimming).
The article was not directed at any pole organization or individual, so what personal history is really relevant? I'm bewildered by the volume of defensive explanations when no attack has been made, no blame assigned, nor has any one been "demonized" — neither on facebook or here.
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Descalzada – your article didn’t attack studio409 however the statements later on regarding Pink Pole Power hit close to home as they work with Sean alot.
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Descalzada – your article didn’t attack studio409 however the statements later on regarding Pink Pole Power hit close to home as they work with Sean alot.
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