Community Chat

[Adamlambert]

I think it's just standard practice. I just ignore them.  

I would like like to recommend "charity navigator" dot com to check to see how much is actually spent on the cause. I will no longer give to Komen or America Diabetes Assoc.  way to high of salaries.  

[ChynnaBlue]

It depends on the charity. And I'm not on a fixed income, so the situation isn't the same anyway.

I have automated monthly donations to 4 charities.

When something comes up, like a public TV/radio pledge drive, I may donate then, sometimes even if I'm doing a monthly donation. Sometimes they offer a reward I want and I'll make a one-time donation to get the reward and keep up my monthly donations, as well.

The city has an annual Amplify Austin event where they try to get everyone in the city to donate all on one day, so if I am able, I'll pick a few local charities and make smaller donations.

If something comes up, I may donate more.

But I'm also not afraid to say no. I have people calling every day asking for money. "We know you donated in the past.." No. "We will match all donations today only if you..." No.

It's hard because, as you say, they are ALWAYS asking. And some ask for crazy amounts, like "We have a matching donation program today only and are asking everyone to donate $250." Um, when have I EVER given you $250 at one time? Never. I give you $10 every time you call and you think today you're going to get $250? You must need the money for your psych evaluation because you are crazy.

[Jordan2]

---

@Sooner wrote:

IMMEDIATELY get these charities (so called) to take her off their mailing lists.  DO IT!  It is simply a scam.  Theiy PREY ON OLD PEOPLE!  My mom became incompetent and we get tons of them every day through the mail: Veteran's groups; the biggest and "most respected" hospitals hawking newsletters; pet charities; and lots of others you wouldn't believe.

I am so soured on charities at this point.  Sorry but MOST of them (the big ones) are simply money grubbing businesses to benefit the officers and executives.  ONLY give to local charities that you can SEE what they are doing.  I'm sorry, and I know a lot will disagree. but I am simply stunned and disgusted by what I've seen from the mail-outs we have received DAILY!

---

The charities she donates to are reputable ones. I too feel that they should use the money they receive trying to further a cure instead of sending me things like pads and labels. Also I don't get why they would sell your name to another charity. Aren't they afraid you will donate to them instead?

[silkyk]

This is something I read years and years ago that changed my way of thinking about "Donating to Charities". Now we do the "UN-TIED Way" (NOT UNITED!!!!!!!!!!)

http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/carroll/article/It-s-time-again-for-the-Untied-Way-2346761.php

[SaRina]

I was once almost fired from a job for not "joining in" the company's United Way drive.  I researched them and discovered the exorbitant executive salaries.  Also, my money was not going to be used solely for the purpose I intended it to be.

To the OP....I donate once a year to my favorite charities.  It is not a scam and these organizations are not "preying upon the elderly" when they send repeated requests.  Once you make a donation, your info is input into the computer and the computer just routinely spits out another mailing on a regular basis.  The organizations (rightly so) believe they will have more success making their request of people they know make donations.  Not a biggie.  Just give what you feel you want to and ignore the rest.

[chickenbutt]

---

SaRina wrote:

I was once almost fired from a job for not "joining in" the company's United Way drive.  I researched them and discovered the exorbitant executive salaries.  Also, my money was not going to be used solely for the purpose I intended it to be.

To the OP....I donate once a year to my favorite charities.  It is not a scam and these organizations are not "preying upon the elderly" when they send repeated requests.  Once you make a donation, your info is input into the computer and the computer just routinely spits out another mailing on a regular basis.  The organizations (rightly so) believe they will have more success making their request of people they know make donations.  Not a biggie.  Just give what you feel you want to and ignore the rest.

---

Same here (bolded by me)!  I worked for a very large national company and they got on this United Way bandwagon at some point.  They told us that we would each be expected to donate X amount of our paycheck, being taken automatically from our checks, each pay period.

When they came around to me I declined.  They tried being very 'persuasive'  and really pushed me hard.  I still said no.  I already knew this was a bad charity choice and I was just plain not going to do it.  They tried hard to force me and finally only got off of me by making me sign a paper that I would not participate in this donation thing.     The whole thing was shocking to me!   I was told, over and over, and EVERYBODY who works here must do this.

[kdgn]

---

@Sooner wrote:

IMMEDIATELY get these charities (so called) to take her off their mailing lists.  DO IT!  It is simply a scam.  Theiy PREY ON OLD PEOPLE!  My mom became incompetent and we get tons of them every day through the mail: Veteran's groups; the biggest and "most respected" hospitals hawking newsletters; pet charities; and lots of others you wouldn't believe.

I am so soured on charities at this point.  Sorry but MOST of them (the big ones) are simply money grubbing businesses to benefit the officers and executives.  ONLY give to local charities that you can SEE what they are doing.  I'm sorry, and I know a lot will disagree. but I am simply stunned and disgusted by what I've seen from the mail-outs we have received DAILY!

---

I so agree with the scam sentence!!  When I took over handling my mom's affairs I was appalled at all the requests for money she was receiving.  One of the most offensive was a letter stating that she had pledged to send X amount and they hadn't received the money yet. She did not pledge anything-she no longer had a phone!  Then there were letters stating that she had donated in the past and they were looking forward to hearing from her again. I checked her check book register and she had never sent them a dime-and I went back over a year in the register. 

Personally I donate once a year to a few charities that I have checked out. Some are local, others are not. I stagger the donations through out the year so it's about every 4 months. 

[proudlyfromNJ]

@chickenbutt @SaRina I had the same thing happen to me at a job a long time ago. Pressured by the Unions for a weekly donation.

[sunshine45]

---

Jordan2 wrote:

---

Sooner wrote:

IMMEDIATELY get these charities (so called) to take her off their mailing lists.  DO IT!  It is simply a scam.  Theiy PREY ON OLD PEOPLE!  My mom became incompetent and we get tons of them every day through the mail: Veteran's groups; the biggest and "most respected" hospitals hawking newsletters; pet charities; and lots of others you wouldn't believe.

I am so soured on charities at this point.  Sorry but MOST of them (the big ones) are simply money grubbing businesses to benefit the officers and executives.  ONLY give to local charities that you can SEE what they are doing.  I'm sorry, and I know a lot will disagree. but I am simply stunned and disgusted by what I've seen from the mail-outs we have received DAILY!

---

The charities she donates to are reputable ones. I too feel that they should use the money they receive trying to further a cure instead of sending me things like pads and labels. Also I don't get why they would sell your name to another charity. Aren't they afraid you will donate to them instead?

---

some of the items i received last year......

notepads

gift wrap

greeting cards

tote bags

winter gloves

dimes

nickels

stickers

address labels

duffel bag

maps of the world

calendars

bookmarks

.....and probably more that i cannot even remember.....

[Zita]

I am especially galled by our local NPR stations (news and music are separate), who continue their fundraising campaigns nonstop DESPITE recently receiving  a10 million dollar anonymous donation.

They don't need my pledge, that's for sure!