Thursday, December 3, 2009

Salvation Army stops checking SS# for toy drive


The Salvation Army of Houston will no longer require Social Security numbers from those seeking gifts, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"It was never our intention to offend anyone with our registration requirement to provide a Social Security number, or to give the impression that we were discriminating against those individuals and families who do not have a Social Security number," Major Chris Flanagan, Area Commander for The Salvation Army Greater Houston Area Command, said in a statement.

The paper reported earlier this week that some Houston charities were asking whether children are in the country legally before giving them toys.

The Salvation Army and Outreach Program Inc., which distributes toys collected by the Houston Fire Department, require documents that indicate immigration status — birth certificates, Social Security numbers or other paperwork — to register for their holiday charity programs. Generally, Social Security numbers are only available to those legally residing in the United States.

Both charities have said that although they have asked for such for paperwork, they never intended to discriminate against people based on their immigration status.

Jim Price of the Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte said that while the local chapter must check if residents actually live here in the community, the agency does not check immigration status.

Photo: skippyjon

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the Salvation Army got bullied into making a politically correct apology for doing the right thing.
The only thing we should be giving illegal aliens is a ride home.

Anonymous said...

Well what demographic does not have a social security number?

shhheeeesh

Raymone said...

I think it's time to start a Toys for AMERICAN Tots. It is totally insane to be making it even easier for illegals to stay here. Our elected officials have let us down in a major way.

When government officials don't do what they're supposed to, it's time for the citizens of this country to take matters into their own hands. Shoot them at the border! And leave their rotting corpses right there for the ones that follow.

Anonymous said...

Well, the Salvation Army is now officially off my list of worthy charities.

Anonymous said...

Did you know that 84% of the people in prison are democrats?

Very few are illegal immigrants.

Anonymous said...

The only thing more ridiculous than the comments is the article.

Anonymous said...

I am shocked by the comments on this blog! How can you people sleep!

Wilkins said...

I now sleep with a gun under my pillow since an illegal alien broke into my home. Called the police and he was caught 2 blocks away trying to break into another house. When the jail figure out he was illegal they gave him a ticket to appear in immigration court in Atlanta and release him. Haven't seen or hear from him since, but I'm ready for when he comes back.

Anonymous said...

HOW BRILLIANT TO CHECK FOR VALID CITIZENSHIP FOR HANDOUTS! FOR EVERY ILLEGAL ALIEN GETTING CHARITY THE ASSISTANCE IS TAKEN FROM A DESERVING PERSON. SENIORS ARE ALWAYS OVERLOOKED, THEY NEED WHAT THE ILLEGALS ARE GETTING. I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD DRUG TEST MONTHLY TO GET A WELFARE CHECK...THE LINES WOULD BE SHORTER AND THESE DEADBEAT CITIZENS WOULD GO TO WORK! BE LEGAL, PAY TAXES LIKE "WE" DO TO SUPPORT THEM, OR GET OUT!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Social security numbers are confidential information. Even homeless people shouldn't be asked for their SSN. Although they may be homeless, they don't want to be tracked or found.

Also, the Salvation Army is not a government agency. It isn't their job to track and/or report anyone, regardless of their citizenship or nationality, to the government or law enforcement.

You folks ought to worry more about the home grown criminals you read about in this paper every day, rather than worrying about whether or not someone is a citizen or not.

Don't like the Salvation Army's policies? Then don't donate to them, it's as simple as that.

Anonymous said...

We can make Salivation Army the new United Way!

Anonymous said...

The poster above me thinks we shouldn't worry about illegals? How would you feel if you went to the Sal Army to get your kids a toy for Christmas cause you had lost your job and the only chance you had to give your kid a gift only to be told they were OUT OF TOYS...cause some illegals had come and taken every available toy...and mailed them back to their family and friends in MEXICO???

Anonymous said...

If you got to take your kids to the salvation army, then maybe you should be working harder, like Rush says. c'Mon, pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Where's all that money you been saving?

Anonymous said...

ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE DEPORTED AND THEIR OFFSPRING SHOULD BE DEPORTED WITH THEM SO THEY CAN RAISE THEIR ANCHOR BABIES IN THE PARENTS HOMELAND.

Anonymous said...

"ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE DEPORTED AND THEIR OFFSPRING SHOULD BE DEPORTED WITH THEM SO THEY CAN RAISE THEIR ANCHOR BABIES IN THE PARENTS HOMELAND"

"Well, the Salvation Army is now officially off my list of worthy charities."

Anonymous said...

"Well, the Salvation Army is now officially off my list of worthy charities."

Anonymous said...

I'm really feeling the Christmas spirit in these comments!

Keep up with the hilarious posts!

Anonymous said...

Support Americans for LEGAL Immigration!

www.alipac.us

Anonymous said...

I am against illegal immigration and feel they should be deported, but how can anyone deny a child a toy at Christmas? Does the child know his or her status? Or are you going to tell them there's "no room at the inn"? Once, when I went up with a group of kids to trick or treat, the homeowner wouldn't give me a box of Cracker Jacks (long time ago, yes) because she didn't know me (I lived around the corner and my father was waiting for me on the sidewalk). I never told my parents about it until years later. But that rejection still hurts. What would Jesus do?

Anonymous said...

This puts Salvation Army off my giving list. To many legal Americans are having a rough time this year for our charities to be helping Illegals.