Charities

[Kodiak]

I realize that charities are struggling right now to get funds but my pet peeve is some of the methods that they use to raise funds. Here is the latest example. My car has leaky rear tire (I know getting it fixed would take care of the problem but it is not in the budget right now.) so I check this tire at least once a week and if the pressure is low I go to my nearest gas station and top it up. This has been working fine for me it is free and it gets me out of the house. So last night I checked the tire pressure and sure enough time to top up or face disaster in the morning. Off I go to the gas station and pull up to the air pump to my surprise it will now cost me 50 cents to use the air pump. It is now a donation box for the heart and stroke foundation. I give to charities and chose my own as well as volunteering but I really hate when I feel I am being forced into giving to charities. It will be easy enough for me to go elsewhere to get air but I will also be getting gas there. I know 50 cents is not much but it the principle is how it seems a little forced.

On the same subject I will not give to charities when they make telephone solicitations, got to love those conversations. I have tried every thing (apart from being rude) to say no. Tried this one time I told the nice lady that I was unemployed (true) and could not help them with the $50 dollar donation that they wanted, but her answer to that was to say that I could give the minimum of $25 instead. I laughed and told her that that was milk and bread I would be going without. Then she got angry and told me that they had a goal and were having a hard time reaching it. I said sorry and hung up.

I have call display now and if I don't recognize the number it is not answered, the kids are on board with that too.

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. How do you deal with charities? And what about the first story, does anyone feel the same way as I do that it is sort of a forced fund raiser?

 

[tracy]

Donation boxes like that don't bug me because you can always go elsewhere, but I agree with you about phone solicitation. I won't give money over the phone. You don't know where it's really going or how much actually gets to the charity as opposed to the telemarketer's pockets. The GTA Police charities were the worst in my experience. They would call me all the time and when I declined to donate I got attitude about how important it is to support the police.

 

[Daz_Hockey]

Hey, I've just yesterday worked from 8 in the morning til 4 the next morning non-stop for a charitable event in my part-time job behind the bar of a bowling alley.

A lot of charities are going under these days because people have a better way to spend their money (usually lotto), so I really wouldnt he a word said against em.

Having said that, our thanks for raising the sum of CAN$15k Eqv. wasn't thanked, and we didnt even get a letter back when we informed em how much we should raise.

But the Charity was ASBAH...The Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus...a very worthy cause actually

 

[tamarin]

The large number of fraudulent charities and the Canadian government's legendary inability to crack down on the abuse is a key driver in the decline of donations. Virtually in all areas, Canada's justice system doesn't work. It's a wonder we even allow parliament to convene. When the justice system is fixed and groups like charities given the position of respect they deserve, free of the taint of fraud, maybe it'll all start to work again.

 

[Kreskin]

The police charities were a focus of a show like Dateline about ten years ago. They were raising money to send underprivileged kids to the circus. The fundraising raised enough money to buy well over a full house of seats (200+) but in the end only about 50 kids attended. If I remember correctly all of the proceeds on the oversold tickets went to telemarketers. That's how the marketers made their money.

I would never donate by telephone or door to door, no matter what the cause. I too look at my call display and if it's an 800 number or a blocked caller I don't answer. I've never had one leave a voice mail so I couldn't have missed anything too Earth shattering.