Broadway Cares ripped for directing funds to Gaza

[East Village]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:30pm

The charitable group that asks Broadway patrons to donate money toward members of the theater community has come under fire for re-channelling $400,000 to groups providing assistance in Gaza.

https://nypost.com/2024/02/13/metro/broadway-cares-charity-group-ripped-for-channeling-400k-of-donations-to-gaza/

Updated On: 2/14/24 at 09:30 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:37pm

And what’s the problem?

[ggersten]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:39pm

Call_me_jorge said: "And what’s the problem?"

The problem is asking for donations to help ailing actors (and other theatre persons) and then not spending the money for that purpose.

 

 

[Dreamboy3]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:40pm

When I give money to Broadway cares I don’t think I’m giving money to aid organizations in Gaza. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:41pm

You're really amplifying some right-wing talking points here.

Afterward, Gerson said she was flabbergasted when she saw a story in the theater publication, Playbill, that Broadway Cares donated $400,000 for humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

If you're upset that your money is helping suffering people anywhere in the world, you're scum. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:45pm

ggersten said: "The problem is asking for donations to help ailing actors (and other theatre persons) and then not spending the money for that purpose."

This is only an objection if Broadway Cares hasn't raised at least $400,000 in other contexts where there was no promise to spend the money for that purpose.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:48pm

Dreamboy3 said: "When I give money to Broadway cares I don’t think I’m giving money to aid organizations in Gaza."

From their mission statement: 

“To support efforts by the entertainment industry to address other critical health issues or respond to an emergency, in each case as approved by the Board of Trustees”

and in case you haven’t been following; there is an emergency in Gaza.

[ggersten]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:52pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Dreamboy3 said: "When I give money to Broadway cares I don’t think I’m giving money to aid organizations in Gaza."

From their mission statement:

“To support efforts by the entertainment industry to address other critical health issues or respond to an emergency, in each case as approved by the Board of Trustees”

and in case you haven’t been following; there is an emergency in Gaza."

In case you haven't been following, there are emergencies in lots of of places. -https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/

 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 9:58pm

I’ve known for a while now that broadway cares started branching out and using the money for more than aids and actors.  They gave money during a few natural disasters I believe.  I don’t have a problem with it. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 10:02pm

I have no objection whatsoever sending money to Gaza (if sent through proper channels, since so much aid gets stolen by hamas there) but I'd be pretty irritated if the money i donated for XYZ went there without notice. I'd feel the same if BCEFA donated money to Israeli organizations, too. Not a good look (and potentially illegal, depending on the proper disclosures made at time of collection). 

Certainly seems odd for such a big charity to politicize itself like this. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 10:12pm

As someone who has worked extensively in nonprofit development, a lot of the comments on here seem ridiculous.

If you gave money to a directed fund, you have every right to expect that they gave that money for the specified purpose.

If you gave money for a directed fundraiser and then the organization spend some other funds on a different cause and you're upset about that, you are being ridiculous.

Updated On: 2/13/24 at 10:12 PM

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 10:19pm

ok, so if you donated to BCEFA and then found out afterward that 400k was given to the NRA, you'd be cool with it. Great. I wouldn't. 

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 10:20pm

They should've sent more.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 10:23pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "ok, so if you donated to BCEFA and then found out afterward that 400k was given to the NRA, you'd be cool with it. Great. I wouldn't."

Equating the civilians of Gaza to the NRA is certainly an interesting perspective.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 10:25pm

Very strange that out of all, many far more disastrous and urgent current refugee crises,  BCEFA specifically chose to give money to Gaza. Quick glance over their international grants destinations shows they only gave to theater related communities. What made them choose Gaza over let's say, Ukraine and Sudan? This money could have helped asylum seekers here in the US, funds could be spent on case filing fees, legal representation etc. As a BCEFA donations contributor, I would like to know the reason for this particular choice.

 

Updated On: 2/13/24 at 10:25 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 10:40pm

They did support Ukraine. $300k.

Also grants for Reproductive Rights, Hurricanes (Katrina, Harvey, Sandy Irma, Maria), South Africa organizations in honor of The Lion King...the list goes on. 

All these things are within their broad mission.

Though just to be clear, it's not going SPECIFICALLY to Gaza: These Broadway Cares grants consist of two $200,000 awards to Doctors of the World, a human rights organization providing emergency and long-term medical care to the world’s most vulnerable people; and the International Rescue Committee, an organization committed to responding to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helping communities survive, recover and rebuild.

A reminder that there are plenty of other HIV/AIDS-related nonprofits that people could choose to donate to, and the smaller ones have less of the money going to organizational overhead and may have more specifically-targeted missions.

Now, the Gutenberg video cited only refers to it as "Broadway Cares" (no mention of AIDS) and focuses only on the work within the theatre community. And BC/EFA could easily argue that money raised AT the shows this year via Red Bucket is supporting people within the theater community: they raised $4,553,203, which is a mere 18% of BC/EFA's total revenue (based on 2022 numbers).

Nonprofit is merely a tax status and a form of business entity.

Updated On: 2/13/24 at 10:40 PM

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 10:58pm

ggersten said: "Call_me_jorge said: "And what’s the problem?"

The problem is asking for donations to help ailing actors (and other theatre persons) and then not spending the money for that purpose.

that is not their mission statement 

 

 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 11:05pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "They did support Ukraine. $300k.

Also grants for Reproductive Rights, Hurricanes (Katrina, Harvey, Sandy Irma, Maria), South Africa organizations in honor of The Lion King...the list goes on.

All these things are within their broad mission.

Though just to be clear, it's not going SPECIFICALLY to Gaza: These Broadway Cares grants consist of two $200,000 awards to Doctors of the World, a human rights organization providing emergency and long-term medical care to the world’s most vulnerable people; and the International Rescue Committee, an organization committed to responding to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helping communities survive, recover and rebuild.

A reminder that there are plenty of other HIV/AIDS-related nonprofits that people could choose to donate to, and the smaller ones have less of the money going to organizational overhead and may have more specifically-targeted missions.

Nonprofit is merely a tax status and a form of business entity."

You're right, there are smaller non-profits that are probably in much more need of public support. BCEFA clearly has lots of unrestricted funds and plenty of flexibility on how to spend them. 

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 11:06pm

gibsons2 said: "Very strange that out of all, many far more disastrous and urgent current refugee crises, BCEFA specifically chose to give money to Gaza. "

The Palestinian genocide seems disastrous and urgent enough to me.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 11:23pm

imeldasturn said: "gibsons2 said: "Very strange that out of all, many far more disastrous and urgent current refugee crises, BCEFA specifically chose to give money to Gaza."

The Palestinian genocide seems disastrous and urgent enough to me."

I don't think you know what "genocide" means. But thats a different discussion. And the conversation here is about BCEFA approving grants for causes that are not in line with their mission statement. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 11:32pm

gibsons2 said: "the conversation here is about BCEFA approving grants forc auses that are not in line with their mission statement."

No cause mentioned here is out of line with BC/EFA's mission statement. Simple as that. It's a non-issue that this Rabbi has decided to pretend is an issue.

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 11:46pm

I think this is fantastic and anyone bothered needs to seriously look within. You aren’t actually mad that the organization is straying from their “mission statement” and you should explore why that is. 

Updated On: 2/13/24 at 11:46 PM

[Wick3]

Posted: 2/14/24 at 12:26am

It does seem like false advertising. I watch over 100 performances on Broadway each year and during the BCEFA fundraising period, the actors after curtain call who talk about BCEFA mainly mention how it helps HIV+ folks in the theater community who need financial assistance.

 

However, given all that we see in the news/social media in Gaza right now, if the actors also mention BCEFA is helping Doctors of the World and International Rescue Committee, I think audience members who sympathize with Gaza people would donate money too.

[binau]

Posted: 2/14/24 at 2:23am

Maybe I underestimate the real motivations of people here but I would be shocked if people complaining about this had a problem with the concept of aid going to Gaza. I think people are reasonable and mature enough to know that the innocent people of Gaza are in a rough situation and need help (even people who support Israel. I don’t think it’s mutually exclusive). BUT I don’t see how it’s also unreasonable for people to expect that their donations for actors go to well, actors. Gaza has the international attention right now and governments will support and provide aid. These same governments are not going to support actors. That’s why we need charities for actors. 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 2/14/24 at 4:01am

Wingnut posts latest attempt by fascist press to attack the "liberal elite".

Certain parties play their respective parts.

Yes, we've seen this before.