I hate soliciting for donations oops i mean being solicited

[Tiggeroo]

I live in a touristy area and have to go thru this major intersection every time I go to the grocery store or off island. Almost every weekend either a sports team or a fire dept. is collecting. I go thru the same collection point 5-6 times over a weekend. I feel terrible not giving but I also resent them always being there.
Now the new thing is these charity collections at grocery stores. Sometimes it's these slightly scary people selling quesitonable looking baked goods. Lately it's been these professional looking women selling toys for the center for missing and exploited children. I don't mind donating sometimes but I don't want to be asked every time I go to the grocery store. If I give to a charity I want to know about them. These people are selling things, that I don't know where they came from and they look like pros. I doubt a huge amount is going to the charity and I am suspicious that they're doing it for free. To make it worst if I don't give then I feel terribly guilty thinking about lost children and the need for money to help them. But i'm in that grocery store 5 times a week.

 

[mrsv98]

I am right there with you. Lately, at a few major intersections in our town, there will be men selling M&Ms for an "outreach ministry" with handwritten vests on. No way am I buying from them. Little City, MD research, Fill the Boot campaign sure but not someone handy with a magic marker. Generally, the legit organizations give something in return and I just put it on my dashboard for the duration of the campaign so they know I have given and I don't feel like a cheapskate!