Community | December 01, 2009 | 2 comments

Charities say they don't intend to discriminate

source: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Some_toy_drives_check_immigration_status.html

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TravG73
Two Houston charities that require proof of citizenship or legal residency before registering families for holiday toy drives said today their intentions have been misunderstood.

Executive Assistant Fire Chief Rick Flanagan said people won't be turned away from a Dec. 23 giveaway even if they can't provide proof of their immigration status.

“They ask,” Flanagan said of the Outreach Program Inc., which distributes toys collected by the Houston Fire Department. “If (people) don't have identification, they still get in. I wouldn't have the program if they didn't.”

And the Salvation Army, which asks for a Social Security number when registering children for its gift program, said it does so only to deter fraud.

Flanagan and Salvation Army spokesman Juan Alanis spoke up Tuesday after a story in the Chronicle noted that both groups require birth certificates, Social Security numbers or other documents indicating immigration status. They said it's not their intent to discriminate.

Alanis acknowledged that families cannot register for the Angel Tree program, which allows children to request specific gifts, unless one member of the family can present a Social Security number.

“It is not because we seek to discriminate. The Salvation Army is not in the business of verifying legal status,” he said. “We have to be good stewards. If we let people register without checking, that could be abused.”

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Some_toy_drives_check_immigration_status.html
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2 comments // Charities say they don't intend to discriminate

  • curtisreed
    • 0
      curtisreed  

    • i don't see any indication of color, just trying to deliver their charity to US citizens...if there is only $100 to give out, and you and two other people show up for that money, and one of them crossed the border to get some of that charity, do you think it should be split up regardless or do you and the other citizen deserve that?

      resources are not infinite, debriconcita. we have to take care of our own first.

    • 2 years ago
  • Debrinconcita
    • 0
      Debrinconcita  

    • So it depend's on the color of you skin, if you should receive a Christmas gift? Where is this rule and how come nobody else know's about it! What's wrong with this picture, down rite discrimination in black & white, I'm discusted for sure now!!!

    • 2 years ago
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