Give a day will COST US MONEY!!!!

[cel_disney]

We are also volunteering to stuff bears, but it was clearly outlined in the requirements that at least 1 bear needed to be stuffed and dressed for every 2 volunteers inorder to get credit and no financial support would be provided by the charity to do that.

The sign up info also suggested that we collect donations from friends, family, coworkers ahead of time to cover the cost of the bears.

My DH and I are going, we plan to donate 1 bear for each of us (we think its a great cause) and we have collected an additional 50$ so far from folks to make additional ones.

Why dont you consider collecting donations to cover the cost of the bears you are required to make? This would defray the cost and also spread the news of the charity - a win/win all around!

 

[descovy]

So, if you have fun volunteering it doesn't count? Come on already! My aunt, cousins, and I had fun making our Project Linus quilts. We did it in our comfortable air conditioned homes. Good grief...we belong to a group that quilts as a social activity! I suppose since we enjoyed doing it that it wasn't REALLY volunteering. Some group in conjunction with Hands On Network deemed this a volunteer acitivity.

Oh shoot... I have tons of fun volunteering. The bulk of it for me, is through leading 2 girl scout troops. It is great fun... but it is work. And effort. And time. And planning.

Kind of like a Project Linus Blanket (led a group of 10 girls in my living room doing those! Great fun! A chunk of cash... lots of comparrison shooping, and measuring, etc... at the fabric store, but also WORK)

As I likened this building a bear to Chuck E Cheese, it is more playing, than volunteering. Play for awhile (at the bear factory). In the end, a bear is a donation, but not much more.

I guess, I don't fault as much the OP as I do this participating GAD business. They call it "volunteering." But it's just really getting more paying customers in the door. It's more about the bear store's bottom line, and the customer's wish of getting a free ticket... I think a truely cool donation would be if the bear store brought in foster children to experience the fun of building a bear. The children would get a fantastic memory (and a bear to boot!)

Not a GAD experience, but one that would put a smile on a child's face... even bigger than just being handed a bear that someone else got to make in a fun environment.

 

[mgroshans]

our GAD program we did, and still doing, only costs us our time. Dh and I are volunteering at the Ronald McDonald Family Room. We have worked 3- 3 hr. shifts each and are on the sub list from here on out. I will be honest, it wasn't what we thought it would be, but it's amazing what we have seen, what other families are going thru. Makes us count our blessings! Don' regret it one bit.

 

[dpayne1969]

My daughter & I did the project linus blanket program..it cost us about $50 for both blankets that included the fleece (which was on sale for $6 a yard) & the shipping cost which was around $10 to ship both blankets...we knew though up front that we had to buy material plus pay to ship the blankets...I would have been stunned to learn once I got to a place that I had to pay for the bears to be stuffed...man that is a tough one...it is awful because it is probably to late to sign up for a different project too Sorry this happened to you

 

[apnep]

I paid over $100 to buy fabric to make my Project Linus blankets.

I paid about $100 for my Project Linus blankets too, and still need to deliver them. But I don't mind. It's something fun to do and knowing a little kid is going to get the blanket makes me feel good. I guess you're miffed because the GAD is closed now and you can't choose something else? If you don't even know if you're going then I don't konw if I would be fuming over it.

Ang

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

We are also volunteering to stuff bears, but it was clearly outlined in the requirements that at least 1 bear needed to be stuffed and dressed for every 2 volunteers inorder to get credit and no financial support would be provided by the charity to do that.

The sign up info also suggested that we collect donations from friends, family, coworkers ahead of time to cover the cost of the bears.

My DH and I are going, we plan to donate 1 bear for each of us (we think its a great cause) and we have collected an additional 50$ so far from folks to make additional ones.

Why dont you consider collecting donations to cover the cost of the bears you are required to make? This would defray the cost and also spread the news of the charity - a win/win all around!

This is a great solution to the OPs problem! We did project binky, the large blankets were requested, and we ended up spending over $100 on fleece. We had a ton of fun making them, so it was a great experience for us. (Totally worth it..and the organization is great.) I understand your frustration about not knowing of the cost up front, not right IMO, but asking for donations and spreading the word about the organization is a great solution.

 

[snowgooseltd]

We signed up for two different GAD projects. I wasn't sure which one we would use to claim our "gift". We both have APs so it was a toss up between the FP and the pin figurine. We completed both projects. One was the ConKerr project, pillowslips for cancer patients. My daughter (44) just had cancer surgery six weeks ago and cheerful pillowslips made her feel better, I provided them, so I thought the slips I made might make someone else's child feel a little better. I purchased the material and hand delivered the finished project. The next week my husband and I helped plant 700 endangered plants, here in FL. There was no monetary donation from us but being on my knees for three hours, in the dirt an,d sun, was definitely a chore for me, being in my 60s and my husband is older. He hasn't claimed his "gift" yet but thinks he'll donate his. I think most people participated in the program to help out. If they received a "day" I'm sure most deserved it.

 

[bethy]

Um, where do people think charities get their money? Somebody somewhere has to DONATE it! It certainly doesn't grow on trees.

 

[TiggerStac]

ARe u in mass? This is what I did on Saturday. It was very clear when I signed up that I had to pay 12.99 each. I believe it was in the description when I signed up. I did feel guilty after leaving as. I was expecting to stuff more than one bear and to be there more than 5-10 minutes

check your confiation email I believe mine was on there too

 

[MKCP5]

If you're that upset about it, then don't volunteer for that program. Its as simple as that.

If your heart is in the right place then you would understand that part of volunteering to help organizations costs time AND money sometimes. Those doing the Project Linus event had to spend their own money...to buy supplies. Folks doing many other volunteer projects...even without the GAD program...often spend some of their own money to participate. Its all part of the 'donation'.

I can't change the program we do..........the GAD program is closed. I specifically looked for opportunities that would not involve out of pocket costs You have no idea how much other volunteer work we do that involves spending some of our own money. That is why I chose this one. It did not involve buying fabric or shipping etc etc

 

[MKCP5]

Sounds more like making a donation than the act of volunteering.

It results in the same impact to a foster child as giving them one teddy bear from your own collection. A nice gesture... but not much impact.

Now, giving a foster child (who likely has little to no fun/frivolous time) an opportunity to go to a Build-A-Bear type place... experience all the fun of building that bear... THAT would be cool!

I totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MKCP5]

I just don't understand why people don't get this: there is no *free lunch* people. Not even at the *Happiest Place on Earth*. Sorry, there just isn't.

Like free dining. Its hardly free. WDW needs to fill their parks during the season of unbearable, oppressive heat and when kids go back to school. How do they entice people? They offer free dining. Its hardly free; you're paying rack for lodging, the cost of admittance. And lets not forget the cost of comfort; navigating the parks in that heat definitely costs in terms of comfort and enjoyment (JMHO, I know some say it doesn't bother them )

Or free birthdays. One day for one person. Not too many people go alone, or for just one day but its often an incentive to get people there.

Disney is a business, plain and simple. They don't exist for the purpose of our enjoyment (although that might have been Walt's initial idea )

Disney's purpose is to make a profit; they make a profit by filling the parks. These *offerrs* help facilitate that objective.

Sorry this has happened to so many but as wonderful as WDW may be- (and it is!)- it's all about their bottom line.

I don't understand why you don't see this as wrong. Of course when you get a free ticket it is so you will come to the parks and spend money, etc. But paying for the opportunity to volunteer? What a crock of poop!!!!

 

[MKCP5]

I am a little surprised by the responses here. I did the Project Linus opportunity, but I knew up front that I would need to get or have the materials to make the blankets. There was no surprise. I would be upset, too, if I had signed up thinking I would be doing a service - volunteering my TIME - and then found out I'd be paying. If that were in the description, the OP might have chosen a different activity that was strictly time-involved such as serving food for a soup kitchen, helping at a childrens home, or cleaning up a highway. All things that wouldn't involved $. I think the OP is right...to find this out after the fact is not acceptable. And now that the program has ended, I don't think she can switch projects. From her statement above, it looks like she wasn't even doing the service for the tickets since she doesn't know for sure if she's going and might end up donating them. So, I don't think you can lump her in with the people who were just doing the volunteering for free tickets.

Thank you so much!!! That is EXACTLY my point. If I had known we would have to pay over $50 to do this, I would have chosen another activity like working at a food pantry or shelter serving dinner, laying games with an afterschool boys and girls club, etc. Something that did not involve me paying for the opportunity!

 

[MKCP5]

Like PP mentioned, many people (myself included) ponied up cash during their volunteer opportunities. My family organized a food drive. Also, I took my DD shopping so we could purchase things for the food drive. I think we ended up contributing $100 worth of food in the end. And....we have AP's. The whole purpose of this was to get people to volunteer and to pay it forward, NOT to get something for nothing. Your answer is simple, if you don't want to pay don't do it. Since the program is closed, you can't sign up for anything else. Sorry your opportunity wasn't described prior to you signing up but you can't say you didn't know before you decided to go. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Well I guess if you showed up and they handed you a $55 bill for your service you would be okay with it then--right? I am thankful we found out ahead of time.

No one asked you to go spend $100 in food. No one demanded or expected it. Your job was to organize the food drive. Deciding to spend $100 was YOUR choice, not a fee!

 

[leight]

I would definately be upset that they didn't disclose the costs upfront. Definately decide if it is something you want to do before going.

The idea behind give a day was wonderful but many of the opportunities to fulfill it were not. I could only find donating cat blankets we made to a local cat rescue organization for my family so that we all get the tickets. I spent about $70 for the materials and I did most of the work myself because I needed to make 40 of them in a short period of time. I did do this specifically for the tickets and are now planning a whole budget trip around it instead of the cruise vacation we planned. To earn their tickets I made my girls volunteer donating time and or allowance to another charity so they did something meaningful for the reward of the tickets. My 9 yr old is collecting her own and friends' teddy bears to give to an organization that brings them to children's hospitals on holidays and my older daughter used money she was saving for a Vera Bradley backpack she really wanted to donate to Haiti instead.

 

[cheekymonkey]

I paid over $100 to buy fabric to make my Project Linus blankets.

I am sorry your opportunity was not described correctly.

Me too-I let the kids pick .

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

We also had to to put up funds for our volunteer activity. But the $42 it cost me was a lot less than the $240.70 credit I'm getting on our tickets! Not to mention that DD got the experience of volunteering

I would caution anyone who still haven't done their activities to make sure you are going to actually get your vouchers before you invest time/money. You may be volunteering without the reward (ok with some but not with all). I know someone who did recently sent in her Project Linus blankets and was told afterward that because the promotion had ended...she won't be getting her vouchers. Now this is NOT supposed to happen but apparently it is. I would double check with your coordinators.

 

[Sadie22]

We did the no-sew fleece blankets for Binky Patrol. I did glance at my fabric stash but didn't think there was time to sew a blanket, and my husband wouldn't be able to sew a blanket, so I did purchase fleece for the two teen blankets. I was surprised when the project coordinator said we would be getting a charitable donation receipt for the materials to make the blankets as at that point that aspect of it hadn't occurred to me. I chose an activity we could do at home on our own schedule, and it worked out well for us.

I would have been very upset if we had chosen to go to a facility and found unexpected out-of-pocket costs required in order to volunteer our time.

 

[bethy]

I would caution anyone who still haven't done their activities to make sure you are going to actually get your vouchers before you invest time/money. You may be volunteering without the reward (ok with some but not with all). I know someone who did recently sent in her Project Linus blankets and was told afterward that because the promotion had ended...she won't be getting her vouchers. Now this is NOT supposed to happen but apparently it is. I would double check with your coordinators.

While I understand that it's ideal to have one's expectations managed, I couldn't help but read this and think:

Heaven forbid someone actually volunteer and give of themselves to others and not be financially rewarded for it! I hardly think that would the worst possible outcome.

 

[MKCP5]

For all of you who have decided that I am a terrible person let me tell you this, I looked quite specifically for an opportunity that did not cost any money. This is the one we chose. Through a friend of a friend I found out that we would be charged to make the bears. This was NOT in the description for the activity. When I just called and asked about it the owner hemmed and hawed and asked when I signed up because she added that to the description AFTER many people had signed up.

I'll tell what I really see this as. I see this as an opportunity for this store to work their way through some inventory under the guise of a volunteer opportunity. You are not helping anyone by spending ten or fifteen minutes stuffing a couple of bear legs. I had expected an opportunity for us to do something that would actually help someone somewhere. If they had just asked for a donation I would have at least not felt deceived. I chose the wrong thing. Unfortunately I wil now have to pay up or not go. There are no other options.

I also understand that $55 is a fraction compared to the value of the tickets. But the tickets were a way for us to do double duty--help someone out, (which we already volunteer about 30 hours a month already because we enjoy it) and provide us a way to maybe get a couple of days in the parks if we can find the extra $$ to make our way down to Florida So flame away, if that's what you need to do.