topic Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name in Community Chat

Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

KathyPet — Thu, 26 May 2016 12:14:59 GMT

I have a couple of charities that I contribute to that have contacted me requesting that I directly solicit friends and neighbor's asking for donations. They send you the letters and envelopes to mail the letters in plus a return envelope that you write your address on. Any contributions come back to you and then you forward them along. I think this practice is tacky and crass and I refuse to take part in it. It puts undue pressure on the receipient to contribute since it is a personal appeal from someone they know. The receipient may or may not wish to support that charity. In addition once the charity gets the checks you know they add the contributors name to their database thus assuring that your friends and neighbors will be subject to a never ending barrage of additional requests for money. Anyone agree?

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

Tylerpoo — Thu, 26 May 2016 12:23:00 GMT

I just got one of those calls yesterday, I asked if they were going to pay me for the work I was doing for them. They hung up the phone . I get these kinds of call at least once a month. Yes I agree with you.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

ladyroxanne — Thu, 26 May 2016 12:32:19 GMT

i did a mailing for a charity years ago. don't remember the name of it. would never do it again, they get you to do all their work and take advantage of you and your neighbors.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

Sunshine Kate — Thu, 26 May 2016 12:33:22 GMT

The best thing is -- YOU have the choice to IGNORE the request.

That's what I do, won't participate.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

muttmom — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:02:01 GMT

I put all solicitations in the garbage. There was a time I felt guilty but not anymore.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

redwingsgal — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:13:48 GMT

While working for CardioVascular Surgeons, I agreed to do this for the AHA. I did exactly what I was told in a timely fashion. The AHA called me repeatedly for weeks (months?) afterwards basically accusing me of stealing the donations. I told them that I only mailed the envelopes out that had THEIR address on them! The final time they called me I told them to remove me from the list. I no longer do the heart walk in my area also because of this.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

sassenach1 — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:18:02 GMT

I have received these requests from charities, too. To me, this is completely tasteless and a practice that should go away!

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

millieshops — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:19:34 GMT

It's a volunteer effort, so it depends what you want to volunteer to do. If no one volunteers, then how does anything get done? I volunteer for what I believe in and hope that's what others are doing whether it's something I'll support myself doesn't matter to me.

But I don't feel much difference between those letters requesting money than I do when a friend comes selling tickets to a tea, a fashion show, a breakfast, etc. They're all ways of raising money for a cause - and I get to choose which causes get my money or my time or both or neither.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

PinkyPetunia — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:24:38 GMT

I've received this request from charities and I refused. Last time I told them to contact the neighbors themselves as they were in the phone book just like me.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

Sadiesadie — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:38:23 GMT

I've never experienced this nor heard of anybody who has. But as I think of it a few years ago we would get what I assume is what you are talking about. It said it was from a neighbor (a couple of blocks or so away) who I didn't know and if I remember correctly it was for a heart association. I think we received it a couple of years in a row and then no more. I didn't donate as we have the charities we like to donate to.

so maybe they were doing it back then and charities are cranking up again to see what kind of success they have.

So far my local charities aren't doing it. I won't participate if they do.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

Krimpette — Thu, 26 May 2016 13:38:03 GMT

A neighbor of mine does this for one of the charities. I've always mailed back a donation. This past year, the check was never cashed. Not sure what that's all about, but probably won't participate this year. I have plenty of other charities that I dontate to anyway.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

Financialgrl — Thu, 26 May 2016 14:05:10 GMT

I got extra envelopes in a solicitation letter asking me to do this. I sent my donation along with a letter telling them basically what you told the person over the phone.

The problem I have with this - we all have known someone who, every time they see you they are always collecting for a charity OR have a home business selling for any one of the MLM companies out there. I don't need candles, makeup, kitchen gadgets, jewelry, etc and if I do, I know where to find it on my own and get it much cheaper.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

Nightowlz — Thu, 26 May 2016 14:13:50 GMT

Sounds like a scam to me. Most of this money must line their pockets instead of actually helping charities. Throw these away if someone gives you on or mails you one. Donate to Charities where the money is actually used for the cause instead of lining pockets. I like St. Jude's Hospital or Salvation Army where the money goes to help people.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

missy1 — Thu, 26 May 2016 14:51:27 GMT

I have a neighbor (don't know) put an envelope/stamp in my mailbox, for their charity,

ot: I m getting many calls for charities (for a few months now).

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

PINKdogWOOD — Thu, 26 May 2016 14:43:31 GMT

I get these calls, probably not as mich as I used to but a couple of ogrs still phone me to do this. Even though I decline, a couple of weeks later the package shows up in my mailbox.

It totally baffles me the budget these types of orgs have to send out a huge mailing like this to people (like me) to solicit money from neighbors on the org's behalf. If they spnt 1/4 of this printing & mailing budget they could easily support themselves and wouldn't be sending this paperwork to us.

I don't give to charities anymore - I used to give to a lot of them (more when I had a fulltime job). Then I pared down to a very few of what was really important to me. Now, I don't give to anybody's cause.

And there is NO way I'd be buying stamps and mailing out solicitation envelopes for others to send money back to me for some cause. That's just rude. Years ago when I got these kits, I'd pay the minimum they indicated on their return form but I don't do this anymore either.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

sunshine45 — Thu, 26 May 2016 14:59:45 GMT

my mother has done this type of mailing for the MARCH OF DIMES every year, once a year, for probably 20+ years. my kids used to help her address and stamp the envelopes when they were younger. she gets about 6 or 7 envelopes back with contributions and then sends in the entire packet.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

dex — Thu, 26 May 2016 15:20:53 GMT

I was asked to canvas my neighbors and I did it once.I felt horrible about it and only got one donation other than my own.The neighbor made a very large contribution and do ever after I was hounded to do it again.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

henderson — Thu, 26 May 2016 15:28:24 GMT

Check out charity navigator. org and you will see exactly how much the charity is receiving, administrative costs, fundraising figures, salary of the CEO, etc.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

chickenbutt — Thu, 26 May 2016 15:32:21 GMT

Oh, I think that is just terrible. It would certainly color my opinion about that particular charity in an extremely negative way.

Re: Charities that ask you to send solicitation letters out under your name

butterfly123 — Thu, 26 May 2016 16:45:32 GMT

@henderson

Thank you for the website information.

We give to charities that are near and dear to our hearts.

I agree that the gifts etc. that are sent out with letters are a waste of money that could be spent wisely in another way.