Community Chat

[ECBG]

Always do the red kettle-Salvation Army every time I see it as well as yearly donations we've picked.

[KathyPet]

I am getting very annoyed by this.. Today I was hit up At Wal Mart, Petsmart and Pier 1 within the course of 1 hour.

[september]

On 12/1/2014 KathyPet said: I am getting very annoyed by this.. Today I was hit up At Wal Mart, Petsmart and Pier 1 within the course of 1 hour.

That was my point, too. I usually do all my shopping for the week on one day, and go to a lot of places that all ask for $1 for _______. By the time I make my last stop...I just want it to stop!

[adelle38]

If it helps some people in need, I'm fine with it and everyone can say yes or no.

[raven-blackbird]

if people need help................you help.............even if it's at the check out.......................raven

[september]

On 12/1/2014 adelle38 said:

If it helps some people in need, I'm fine with it and everyone can say yes or no.

I understand that, and I politely decline when I want to...but at times, I'd just prefer to not be asked.

I own a small business, and we make contributions to local charities on our own. We've never asked our customers to chip in.

[Wsmom]

On 12/1/2014 Issiestorm said:

On 12/1/2014 Wsmom said:

In stores if the person knows what it's going to, sometimes I will. If it's a donation for the homeless or food bank or some kind of youth organization I want to know if the money is staying in my community. If they don't know, I won't. It irks me when they are collecting money here to send the money to the streets of Los Angeles (I live at the other end of the state). We have plenty of people locally that the contributions could be going to.

The people who stand outside the stores, generally they have no clue what the purpose of their organization is so I won't. Many times they are fundraising for disabled children so I ask what organization is it going to? I say I want to know so that I can tap into it because I have a disabled child. Dead silence. I have yet to encounter one that knows where the money is going.

Interesting story on United Way, which I do not donate to because I'd rather give to the actual charity I want the money to go to so UW doesn't take a cut. My husband does donate through work and we have a couple of favorite charities that he directs the money to. He got a scathing letter from them that they didn't want him donating to those charities and directed him in the direction they wanted him to donate the money. Amazing.

Are you saying that your husband's work scolded him for donating to charities of his choice?? I'd have told them to take a flying leap (assuming that's possible and he doesn't lose his job over it). What unmitigated nerve!

Oh, no, not his work. The scolding came from United Way!!!!

[Shorty2U]

We have them mostly at grocery store checkouts here.

We always give. In November it was to feed people. What's $1.00 to $5.00 at the register? which is mostly what they ask for. That's nothing compared to someone who is starving!

Also we give to charity all year long as in for people and animals.

Which reminds me today (Tuesday) is giving Tuesday. (As in the Tuesday after Cyber Monday).

[BeckiWV]

I almost always give when asked but sometimes it can get annoying. Our local KMart for example. A couple of years ago, I went in close to Christmas.

First there was the bell ringer outside, which is fine. There was also a bake sale group.

Right inside the doors, there was a man wanting to give me a free newspaper and hopefully get me to subscribe to the local newspaper. We already have it.

When I got inside the store, a lady was accosting people near the buggies wanting to sign folks up for picture taking. She got me when I came in and apparently forgot that because she approached me again later. Acck.

Then of course at the register, you always asked to donate, usually to St. Jude's. That was about the worst, most exasperating day ever. I felt besieged.

Luckily, it's never been that bad again. I guess all the planets lined up for donations that particular day. It was almost like a sitcom or something.

I went to KMart just last week and wasn't asked for anything until I got to the register.

In our town, Krogers often has some group or other collecting. A few weeks ago, a group was collecting canned goods (I have no problem with that) but I felt like I was almost commanded to buy items when I passed them on the way in to the store. I did too.

Then there is Wendy's. At least once or twice a week, in the evenings, there will be a school or other young people's group collecting money from drivers at the end of the drive thru lane.

That is a tough one. How are you supposed to drive past little kids with their buckets out, LOL? They hop right out in the lane and I am always afraid they will step out in front of my car. I've seen them there in pretty cold weather too. I worry about them and always, always give something even if it's just change.

Really, I don't mind it most of the time and if I don't have any money, I just say so and don't worry about it. That one time at KMart was ridiculous but I guess it was a special fund raising day or something, LOL.

[shoekitty]

One day I was a little bothered because I was asked to donate in 3 stores in a row. We give all year. I tithe at my church, I donate monthly to my favorite charity, the Dr Susan Love Breast Cancer Foundation, plus other charities. One time a girl in a store made a comment when I was asked to donate to Susan Koman Foundation. Which I personally do not donate to. Now I already give to a breast cancer foundation as I have said, and she acted like I was cheap and uncaring. I felt like telling her I donate more than she makes in a year to my charity, but I didn't. I knew in my heart what I do. I am also a breast cancer survivor, but I didn't say that either. She was really rude.

Most people just ask and forget it. I give a few bucks here and there, but I write bigger checks to charities of my choice.