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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,660
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

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

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?

Valued Contributor
Posts: 569
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

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

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.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,812
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

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

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.

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,287
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

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

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

 

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

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,757
Registered: ‎11-28-2012

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

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

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,797
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

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

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.

I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend, til death, your right to say it
Valued Contributor
Posts: 944
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

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

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

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,226
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

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

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.

 

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,217
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

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

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,363
Registered: ‎08-05-2011

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

[ Edited ]

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.