Fundraising gone wild...

[barkley]

for me it comes down to looking at a particular fundraiser first to see if it's something I personally support, THEN looking to see if the solicited funds will actually go towards supporting whatever it is.

I have great difficulty with the traditional school fundraising b/c so much of the monies raised go to the companies that operate them. this became blaringly apparent to me when a MASSIVE warehouse opened near my former employer's office. it had some kind of signage on it with a company name that included 'education' in it. come to find out it was the distribution center for one of the largest school fundraising companies on the west coast. the amount of monies these companies make off fundraising is insane-and the small amount the schools make is pathetic in comparison. I don't know what the current cut the schools receive is, but when that warehouse could hold a twice a year open to the public sale to clear out their seasonal items and still be profiting at the prices they were selling for ($12 rolls of wrapping paper-$1 each, $10 tubs of cookie dough-$3 each, $45 cookie jars-$5 each, $12-$18 odds and ends-$2 each...) then they are making MUCH more than the schools-which should have been evident by virtue of the high end real estate they built their state of the art facility on (and I would rather give a donation directly to a school program so they get the entirety of it).

same goes with these mission and volunteer trips-if the monies actually go to directly benefit a purpose I support I'm all for it. the issue I see (have experienced with younger family members) is the proliferation of what comes down to leisure travel being purposely marketed as volunteer/faith based for the sole purpose of cashing in on a previously untapped market. it's become routine for these companies to target college students with these 'opportunities' which for me end up being a combination of (1) overpriced leisure travel, and (2) non/minimally impactful mission/volunteer opportunities.

I think it's very telling that the national tour association specifically created their 'faith travel association' a few years ago specifically to promote this niche-a niche that has resulted in sales to travelers of over $20 million per year (I would love to see how much good work could be done with that kind of money going directly to people in areas of need).

 

[tzolkin]

The envelope idea is beyond ridiculous. The audacity to ask someone to randomly draw and then get stuck giving a donation up to 100! Thank goodness this is not popular where I am. I would refuse to even take a chance.

Not sure about the OP's particular situation, but I don't think this is a random draw type of thing. I think you pick the number (like 10 if you're comfortable making a $10 donation), so it's not possible to get "stuck" with something that's more than you can afford.

I have not seen this with envelopes, but I have seen people do these on FB with a poster board and sticky notes with each number. A donor picks a number they want to donate (ex. $38) and then the sticky note is removed from the board (so no two people donate the same number). Part of the incentive with these is that they may have a few gift cards randomly placed that you could win if you pick that number. (Which is why I assumed the OP was going to say that there were prizes in a few of the envelopes.)

I have seen people do these to raise money to cover the cost of adoption.

 

[sk!mom]

Part of the incentive with these is that they may have a few gift cards randomly placed that you could win if you pick that number. (Which is why I assumed the OP was going to say that there were prizes in a few of the envelopes.)

I have seen people do these to raise money to cover the cost of adoption.

I too was expecting that he had at least placed random gift cards in the envelopes. This fundraiser coincided with teacher appreciation week and I know for a fact that he and his mom got - 2 Chick fil A free sandwich cards each, $5 at Sonic, $5 at Starbucks, a car wash token- because we all did from PTO. I thought maybe they were using theirs to fundraise. But nope- empty envelopes. I still wouldn't have donated or thought it was OK but at least it would have been something.

And I would donate to help someone with an adoption if I knew them well. That is someone taking on a lifelong responsibility to make a real difference in the life of another. Rather than taking a vacation and spending a few hours/days taking photos and playing with orphans.

 

[barkley]

I too was expecting that he had at least placed random gift cards in the envelopes. This fundraiser coincided with teacher appreciation week and I know for a fact that he and his mom got - 2 Chick fil A free sandwich cards each, $5 at Sonic, $5 at Starbucks, a car wash token- because we all did from PTO. I thought maybe they were using theirs to fundraise. But nope- empty envelopes. I still wouldn't have donated or thought it was OK but at least it would have been something.

the absence of any gift cards may have been a very planned strategy on the part of the 'kid'/mom. putting something into the envelopes could make the fundraiser a 'game of chance' which is highly illegal in some places-and some of these trip organizers are WELL aware of it so when they do their fund raising training with participants they spell out exactly what type of fundraising is and is not legal (as well as how to present fundraising for the most profitable outcome to the participant).

I've known parents/'kids' to go to an information seminar on this aspect of their trip, or to just get a handbook with tips/cautions on legal aspects/tax implications.

 

[aprilgail]

The envelope idea is beyond ridiculous. The audacity to ask someone to randomly draw and then get stuck giving a donation up to 100! Thank goodness this is not popular where I am. I would refuse to even take a chance.

That is one of the tackiest things I have ever heard of-

One thing that irritates me is when I see little league baseball or youth football teams or any sport for that matter, standing on the street corner with buckets asking for money to send junior to some tournament. Hey here's an idea, How about go do a carwash or something else to actually earn the money.

Exactly! How about if you can't afford for your kid to go then they just don't go?? Either they earn the money doing something or don't go- no handouts! My daughter is doing a summer pre-college program for high school kids and I worked some extra part time jobs along with her working a few extra days a week at her part time job and we came up with the money- I would NEVER ask other people to fund her summer vacation, pre-college, mission trip, sports etc! If I couldn't come up with the money she just wouldn't do it.

 

[sk!mom]

the absence of any gift cards may have been a very planned strategy on the part of the 'kid'/mom. putting something into the envelopes could make the fundraiser a 'game of chance' which is highly illegal in some places-and some of these trip organizers are WELL aware of it so when they do their fund raising training with participants they spell out exactly what type of fundraising is and is not legal (as well as how to present fundraising for the most profitable outcome to the participant).

I've known parents/'kids' to go to an information seminar on this aspect of their trip, or to just get a handbook with tips/cautions on legal aspects/tax implications.

Good point and very possibly true in this state. Working is legal every where so still his best option IMO.

I would add that in both cases of crazy fundraising this year, these are 21/22 year old College students who live at home and work part time. It honestly seems to me that picking up an extra part time job would have been very doable at that age. Empty envelope guy worked a whopping 12 hours a week so that he could participate in college and local theater.

 

[Mortlives]

I can't think of a single fundraiser mentioned in this thread that wouldn't have me responding with the first 4 letters of gofundme, but after that, my response would deviate.

 

[Caseheidi]

Over the past two years I have been in charge of our Cub Scout Fund Raiser. We hold a trash/Recycling collection event that is very successful. And let me say that those boys work hard to earn their money for summer camp.

On the other hand, I have been very frustrated that my boys work so hard for their camp, but the girls camp fund raiser for our church group has little to no work for our girls to do. Last year they did a spegetti dinner, where their parents did all the work, and they asked ladies in the church group to make and donate desserts that they then auctioned off. There is a little work serving and cleanup at the actual dinner for the girls. They didn't even make desserts to sell themselves. This year they asked us all to donate recipes for a "free" cookbook they put together, then decided to make it the fund raiser and sold the books to us. And once again, very little was done by the young women, the work was almost all done by the adult leaders. I believe all the work the girls were required to do was sell 10 cookbooks. And for most I saw their mothers post on FB and sell them for the girls. I will add that three years ago they did a babysitathon and the girls all complained that the didn't want to babysit. This is why the Parents did the dinner!

In my opinion, one of the main purposes for having these kids earn their own funds is to teach them the value of work, and earning their own way. It has frustrated me to watch young boys age 8-11 working hard to earn their way, and to see teen age girls age 12-18 having their parents and leaders work to earn the money for them.

 

[sam_gordon]

Plus, if they really wanted to help an impoverished area, wouldn't it have been more helpful to send the money so that a local, who needed work, could have built the chicken coops? Especially since I'm assuming that since these kids didn't have any skills that they could use to earn money for the trip, they likely lacked the skills to build anything effectively.

Well, I think part of the "benefit" is having the kids actually talk to the people their helping.

The audacity to ask someone to randomly draw and then get stuck giving a donation up to 100!

The audacity of someone to read something that wasn't there. (No one ever said it was a random draw).

And I would donate to help someone with an adoption if I knew them well. That is someone taking on a lifelong responsibility to make a real difference in the life of another. Rather than taking a vacation and spending a few hours/days taking photos and playing with orphans.

While I'm sure there are some people who go on vacations disguised as a mission trip, I think it's very insulting to insinuate they're all like that.

I don't like fundraisers, never have. I think they should be regulated (at minimum) at businesses (by the business, not government).

 

[sam_gordon]

On the other hand, I have been very frustrated that my boys work so hard for their camp, but the girls camp fund raiser for our church group has little to no work for our girls to do. Last year they did a spegetti dinner, where their parents did all the work, and they asked ladies in the church group to make and donate desserts that they then auctioned off. There is a little work serving and cleanup at the actual dinner for the girls. They didn't even make desserts to sell themselves. This year they asked us all to donate recipes for a "free" cookbook they put together, then decided to make it the fund raiser and sold the books to us. And once again, very little was done by the young women, the work was almost all done by the adult leaders. I believe all the work the girls were required to do was sell 10 cookbooks. And for most I saw their mothers post on FB and sell them for the girls. I will add that three years ago they did a babysitathon and the girls all complained that the didn't want to babysit. This is why the Parents did the dinner!

I'm curious. Have you ever said anything to the organizers about your frustration?

 

[teller80]

I did the math. If you have 100 envelopes that range from $1.00 to $100.00, you'll collect $5050.00.

 

[sk!mom]

Well, I think part of the "benefit" is having the kids actually talk to the people their helping.


The audacity of someone to read something that wasn't there. (No one ever said it was a random draw).


While I'm sure there are some people who go on vacations disguised as a mission trip, I think it's very insulting to insinuate they're all like that.

I don't like fundraisers, never have. I think they should be regulated (at minimum) at businesses (by the business, not government).

I've no doubt that the kids benefit from these trips. My DS went on a couple as a teen and DD went once. I found it very beneficial for them. I did not ask anyone to pay for this beneficial trip. DH and I bore the entire cost for DD to go to an impoverished area and help with VBS.

I just think it's a want not a need and you pay for your own wants. If you are going to fundraise to help an impoverished area, give them all the money.

If you don't want me to think they are all like that, spread the word that those going should quit posting photos of all their excursions. On my DD's "mission" trip, yes, she helped teach VBS but she also went White Water rafting, zip lining, etc... It was all good, though because we paid for her to have that experience.

 

[DawnM]

My son is going to Mexico on a Mission's trip this summer. It is his 2nd time to go. They worked the entire 9 days in an Orphanage. They only fun they did was to go to a waterpark, but even then, they took the kids from the Orphanage.

But we don't elicit funds. It cost $800 and most of that is airfare. The rest is for the food that the orphanage feeds them.

We usually half and my parents like to pay the other half.

 

[anneboleyn]

I can't think of a single fundraiser mentioned in this thread that wouldn't have me responding with the first 4 letters of gofundme, but after that, my response would deviate.

Someone should write that on a piece of paper and put it in one of the envelopes.

 

[wilkeliza]

I'm mixed on the mission trip debate.

We use to do them in high school and usually went to a different city that needed kids to run summer day camps. One year I went back as a youth leader and not a youth and realized something felt off. These poor (both in spirit and money) kids would get attached across a week just to have us leave and a new group come in. They didn't get to build the relationships that would actually help their community and them. I always had suspicions that some of the kids were being abused based on the bruises and the fact the walked home alone after the center shut down for the night but because I was only there 1 week every summer for 3 years I couldn't do much. I would let the yearly staff know but the 2 women who worked there year round were so busy with everything else the center did that they just never seemed to have time.

I know there have been reports that even when a mission trip does require a lot of work the problem is it is unskilled labor doing it instead of using the money that is used for flights, food, and accommodations to help fund skilled labor that is actually from the area. I think about my friend who went and helped build a school in Ecuador. She is not a skilled labor and has no building abilities what so ever but was allowed on a construction crew of other unskilled missionaries. Yes a building of some sort was built but who knows if it was safe or standing a year later.


Back on topic, the crazier fundraiser I remember was a popular one in my area. It was a "jail" fundraiser. So you could pay X amount of money to throw someone in "jail" and then they had to raise Y amount to get out. I remember a store I worked for doing it and our manager was in jail for an entire day and looking back we probably would have gotten better work done if our manager and a few other employees weren't sitting in a fake jail cell all day.

 

[Caseheidi]

I'm curious. Have you ever said anything to the organizers about your frustration?

I have not, as I don't really feel it is my place. The people working on this other fundraiser are doing what they think is best, and I do not currently have a child in their program. Now in a few years when DD becomes part of the group, you better believe that I will have a strong opiniated voice when it comes to the fundraising.

 

[Pooh2]

We had a friend whose daughter sent us both email and regular mail solicitations to fund her trip to Mexico for a month (some mission type of work) then did not go on the trip or return the money. Did not leave a warm fuzzy feeling...

 

[okeydokey]

To me, teaching vacation bible school to kids is not a reason to pay for someone else's kid to go on a vacation/mission trip. At all. There are people there who can and do teach children already. This is just an excuse to go on a trip somewhere and benefits the kids going and not the kids you are supposedly serving. I will give no money for this. Pay for your own vacations.

Spending a week installing water services into a poor community, that I will support, and have supported.

And don't get me started on fundraising for your kids' theater camp in California, or cheer camp at the some College somewhere. Those are your family activities and your responsibilities.

 

[okeydokey]

The "Do you allow your children to "fund raise" to your friends?" thread made me think to post the craziest fundraising proposition I've been approached with recently.

I've been bugged for several months now by two friends with college aged sons who are raising funds to go on "Mission" trips this summer. They've sent links to "Go Fund Me" pages, mailed fundraising letters asking for a hand out, etc...

Now I'm admittedly not a fan of these trips. I view them as pseudo vacations but if you're going to do them, at least pay your own way.

Last Thursday, one of these friends sent an email to our entire work email list stating that it was her son's last day of his part time job here and he would be coming around with envelopes to sell for his summer trip. The envelopes had numbers on them and you would pay the number on the envelope.

I was confused (and curious) so I replied, "What's in the envelopes?" Thinking that surely they were maybe random gift cards he'd gotten donated or something. Nope- They were empty envelopes for you to just fill with the amount written on the outside.

Are you kidding me? How about get a second part time job? Hold a garage sale? Mow lawns on weekends? Anything but selling empty envelopes.

I just don't get asking for a hand-out for a want.

You should have told him you would choose the $5 envelope in exchange for him spending 30 minutes cleaning your office. That's better than minimum wage.

 

[Hikergirl]

To me there is a big difference between fundraising and asking for hand outs to fund your activity.