But adoption does not always best serve the mission of the charity, said Christine Letts, associate director of the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University. What most organizations really need are general operating funds. Money that comes earmarked for specific programs or individuals, Professor Letts said, ''is a debilitating thing in the long term. EVEN Save the Children, the model for adoption programs, long ago gave up trying to direct money just to individual needy children. Instead, the organization pools donations to help whole communities, said Beth Schless, a public affairs representative.
Adoption also requires a high overhead.
It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a lot of postage and gift items to adopt an animal. The group says only 12 percent of its revenues go back into fund-raising. But even so, charity becomes less a gift than a transaction. Worse, adoption reveals a cruel side of charity. Mr. Weinrich said.