Vent coming...it seems like everyone has a hand out for money lately...

[clh2]

I'm really struggling to find the right words here. My DH and I take our charitable donations pretty seriously - throughout the year, not just at this time of year.

We've donated to the tsunami (obviously earlier in the year), we've donated to Hurrican Katrina (a no-brainer, as his company was matching 100% of the donations), my work just did their combined giving campaign which covers United Way, the local Performing Arts Center and the hosp. foundation where I work. My DD has had fundraisers this year so far for band and student council. We have a neighborhood HS boy who does a monthly collection for food for the food pantry - which is a wonderful thing, and we support this effort every month. We donate to church (not only the offering, but also to event-type fundraisers i.e. bake sales.)

And, with the cost of gas eating into our budget, I'm feeling a little tapped out. In the above list, the only ones that have irritated me are the fundraising product sales for band and student council. I would feel much better if I could write out a check, instead of purchasing stuff I don't want/need - but I'm going to stop that thought and not hijack my own thread.

I got an e-mail from my sister today, she is doing a "lock-in" sort of thing for MDA, and needs $1200 of bail money to get out of this "jail cell."

So here is my vent...I am just not wanting to contribute to this. Not to say that MDA isn't a worthy cause, I just don't feel like I have anymore money to contribute - right when we are getting ready to pay property taxes, winter heating, ongoing (albeit getting lower) gas costs and trying to budget for Christmas gifts.

Most likely, we will make a small contribution. But it'll irritate me nonetheless. And, I really don't want to do this through their website, as I don't want to get on their e-mail list.

 

[Free4Life11]

You know, I kind of know the feeling. I like to give to this one local charity but they just send out too many mailings and emails. I'm not going to STOP giving, but sometimes it seems a little much.

 

[Pam]

The MDA sets that bail money way too high. Not many people actually raise the full amount.

If you can, I would send a check for $5.00 or $10.00 made out to MDA to your sister. She can then turn the bail money to MDA.

 

[bicker]

My wife and I have a firm policy: We don't donate money to any organization that asks for donations by telephone. We make our own decisions, and have actually changed the recipients of our donations away from folks we've donated to before just because they contacted us for more. We make it real clear when we contribute that we are not to be contacted, yet many charities still abuse their "right" to use our telephone to contact us because we are donors. That kind of disrespect for the wishes of a donor is really pitiful.

I suppose the silver lining here is that we tend to spread our donations around from group to group, as each one in turn turns our contact information over to their solicitation branch.

 

[Mermaid02]

Can I borrow $5???

Just kidding! We give to certain organizations that we KNOW are legit. That's it, no more discussion.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

clh2, I would not feel guilty about not giving; it sounds like you have been quite generous in your giving this year. There comes a time when you have to "just say no" to the continued requests for money.

I am like bicker... no telephone donations, period. Some charities we give to regularly and don't mind contact via snail mail, but don't call us begging for more. If they call, we find a new charity. If we're not comfortable giving (or are just "tapped out"), we say "sorry, we simply cannot donate at this time." No harm, no foul.

 

[Galahad]

My wife and I have a firm policy: We don't donate money to any organization that asks for donations by telephone. We make our own decisions, and have actually changed the recipients of our donations away from folks we've donated to before just because they contacted us for more. We make it real clear when we contribute that we are not to be contacted, yet many charities still abuse their "right" to use our telephone to contact us because we are donors. That kind of disrespect for the wishes of a donor is really pitiful.

I suppose the silver lining here is that we tend to spread our donations around from group to group, as each one in turn turns our contact information over to their solicitation branch.

Same here. We have a charity "budget" each month and have more or less set of a schedule for our favorite charities. So far only one of them has tried to call us. We were tempted to not donate again, but in spite of the call we believein their work and still donate. We made it clear though that we would not make a pledge based on the phone call and that if they wanted a contribution from us they had to send us a letter. Also, we don't do business of any kind to folks coming to the door.

On the school fundraisers, most will take a contribution instead of selling the junk in our experience. We do this as well. A 20 dollar bill is more useful to them than selling 20 dollars worth of junk anyway.

 

[clh2]

On the school fundraisers, most will take a contribution instead of selling the junk in our experience. We do this as well. A 20 dollar bill is more useful to them than selling 20 dollars worth of junk anyway.

ITA, its just that the rewards are being able to attend after school socials. Cash donations don't count toward credit for being able to attend the social. Which is an inherant flaw in the system.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

Does this mean you're not going to help fund my next trip to WDW?

 

[Lil_Tink]

I got an e-mail from my sister today, she is doing a "lock-in" sort of thing for MDA, and needs $1200 of bail money to get out of this "jail cell."

Our principal did that. You get let out even if you dont get the money... We ran around safeway and got about 200$..

 

[PrincessKitty1]

MDA is not a particularly good charity (I give to it ONLY because I can't refuse the firefighters collecting cash in their boots at traffic lights! ) but I know that's not your point. Your point is being hit up for money from all sides. What a shame your school will not let you donate money instead of having your kids sell stuff.

We also gave generously to tsunami relief, Hurricane Katrina relief, a foundation for a major disease (also not a great charity, but felt compelled since I worked for physicians who treat the disease), and various small contributions (Girl Scout cookies, etc.) plus DH and I both donate our time. I absolutely hate charities that pressure people through the workplace and therefore I don't give to United Way unless I truly think it's going to affect my job if I don't (and yes, I have worked in places where the pressure was intense).

It's difficult and I don't know the solution to the pressure.