Community Chat

[Qwackertoo]

Yesterday, I bought a plush toy at the checkout lane at Publix, a grocery store, for Toys for Tots. It was kinda weird. They ask you IF you want to buy one to donate . . . and you hear a bell ringing and all the other cashiers clapping as other customers are purchasing/adding them onto their tabs and toss them in the donation box on your way out the door. I bought one. But for the size, 8.99 . . . I think and would hope Publix MATCHED the donations vs. making 50% profit on the price tag of the stuffed animals they more than likely bought at wholesale prices. But . . . irregardless . . . my purchase and donation was made . . . she rang the bell and all the other cashiers clapped. Awkward.

Right before that stop . . . they had a makeshift sleigh in the lobby of the credit union. We're usually direct deposit and online for everything but I had some Christmas checks to deposit . . . it was empty . . . so as I completed my transaction and stopped by the lady at the entrance who sits there all day and babysits the sign in computer screen . . . and hand sanitizer dispenser . . . . I stopped for a quick dab of hand sanitizer and asked IF they were collecting toys or food and she said they had finished and were trying to figure out what to do with the sleigh. I was like . . . ooops missed it.

[Havarti]

I do not like to be asked for money, by anyone. I never donate when asked for money whether at a store or by a person on the street. I can’t afford to give to all of the causes I would like to, but I want to make darn sure my hard earned money goes where I want it to go. A food shelf is a cause I would help, but not an individual on the street. Hopefully, the food shelf can help people on the street, but cash to an individual can go towards drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc. – things they may want but not things I want to help them get. It bothers me that so many stores have instituted the practice of soliciting donations from their paying customers. I am in a store on a business basis, and I do not appreciate being hit on to support the cause of their choice (often their own self-started charity) and use my money to add to their tax deduction. If they want to put a donation box out on the counter, fine – but don’t ask me or try to guilt me into giving money.

I worked for a large publisher at a time when a major disaster hit. The company was asking (Ha! really, requiring) all employees to donate and the company would also contribute proportionate to the employee response (not an exact matching situation). The President of our division made it known that every single employee under him was expected to donate generously and he would be tracking it. We were given a choice between two designated organizations. I split my donation, giving $50 to each; they were well known organizations focused on children in need. One of these organizations started badgering me for more money – I received calls and/or mailings nearly every week. It was apparent where people’s hard earned money was going…to feed the money-making machine…not the children. The advertising agency, the printer, the post office and the telemarketers were getting money that should have gone to help children in need. They sent me address labels, calendars, cards, notepads, etc. with their many requests for more money. My contact information was sold to companies that keep lists of potential donors and sell those lists to make more money for themselves. It took forever to stop the mess those two $50 donations created for me, and in the end, I don’t think one penny of my money helped a single child.

There are so many wonderful and worthy organizations out there that need contributions to continue their good work.. I locate and select the groups I want to donate to, but I never donate at a store. (I believe St. Jude’s is one of the good ones, but still wouldn’t give to it in a store). My general preference is to donate to small organizations – often run by volunteers - that put the money directly into helping the people or animals, rather than having a lot of executives on staff, overhead and advertising/marketing that drains the revenue. I am able to find many causes that meet my preferences and always give anonymously because I do not want my name to get on the lists of donors that are asked for money over and over. Not being bugged by them for more money is worth giving up the tax deduction gained with a personalized receipt. I do it for the help I can offer, however small that may be – not for the deduction.