Charities

[Cat]

I'm sure this has been done before, but I figured with the up coming holiday season, this might be a hot button issue.

I have a coworker who loves donating and getting the office involved in charities, which is great. My beef is that she is the type to guilt you in to donating.."Oh, you can't spare a dollar?" Yes I can, but that dollar is going to charities that I want to donate to, not yours ( I have nothing against her charities....I just cannot be stretched that thin)

So, since I an stubborn, I ignore all her pleas for $$, I don't contribute to her causes, and throw a lil extra towards mine. Petty? Yes, but my charities are getting more $$ because of it, ha.

Anyone else deal with a guilt tripper?

[crashhelmet]

I've never really dealt with people trying to use guilt to get me into donating. I'm dealing with the bastards that work for the people I've already donated to. Good Lawd!!!! Once they know you'll give, they will NOT leave you alone.

I tried to donate blood at a company sponsored blood drive a few years ago, but couldn't because I'm borderline Anemic and my iron levels were too low. They called me at least twice a month, trying to get me to make another appointment. After a while, I made an appointment and tried to give again. I take the time to control my diet and make sure my iron levels are going to be high enough only to find out they won't take my blood because I lived in Germany for 2 years in the mid-to-late 80s. Apparently, there's some fear that I might have been exposed to Mad Cow Disease. The good thing is they don't call me anymore ;p

CH

[Lace Neil Singer]

I've got terrible needle phobia, so I don't give blood. A friend of my mum's tried to guilt trip me into it, until my mum sharply told her about my phobia and she shut up.

I also as a general rule only donate to animal charities.

[jackfaire]

Oh god I donated blood once but then started doing plasma. I still kept getting calls to come in and donate blood no matter how often I told them that.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I'm not big into giving money to charities.

I AM big into giving money directly to people who need some help.

Those people are of my own choosing.

Friend of mine sent me a bunch of crap about some "health" charity he supports and want me to contribute. My problems with this are legion. Some higlights of my problem list:

1. I rather resent a charity request that comes disguised as a letter from a friend. That is a bait and switch. Letters from friends are not junk mail to me. I'd rather they not become junk mail, if you understand me.

2. I have rather radical ideas about what constitutes "health." What this group is espousing does not fall into my definition of health.

3. I'm a big girl. I can pick my own charities, thanks.

Guilt does not work on me very well.

[jackfaire]

I love those ones that send you the address labels and Please we gave you something now give us something.

Nope no thanks not reverse buying today. I will enjoy the labels in good health though.

[MaggieTheCat]

I remember once when I was a senior in H.S., a teacher tried to guilt trip a student into giving blood. The school would hold blood drives about twice a year and the students were given the opportunity to donate. This one teacher WOULD NOT let it drop with this student.

Teacher: So, are you giving blood at the blood drive today?
Student: No, I'm not.
Teacher: Well, why not??
Student: I mean, I'd really like to. But I'm anemic. I've been told I can't donate blood. I would if I could, though.
Teacher: You could at least still try.
Student: No, my blood was tested recently and they told me I shouldn't donate blood for xxx amount of time, so my iron levels have time to increase.
Teacher: You could still go get your blood tested at the blood drive! Maybe you're not anemic anymore! Why won't you at least try!?

I mean, seriously. She already explained why she can't give blood. Even if she could, it's none of the teacher's damn business why she may or may not want to or be able to. I thought it was especially inappropriate for a teacher, a person with authority, to be badgering a student.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I figure if you have enough money to send total strangers unsolicited personal crap, such as mailing labels, then you hardly need any money from me. Clearly, you have a surplus.

What a blatant misuse of funds. Not to mention a blatant attempt to manipulate me...which is a foolproof way to end up on my shitlist.

I
Teacher: You could at least still try.
.

Wow. That teacher is actually a doctor? Why is she teaching high school if she's a doctor?

[fireheart17]

I don't donate blood as well-more because I hate blood tests as it is.

As a general rule, I will donate to the Salvos, as well as the RSPCA and a few of the charities for helping ill or disabled people (I'm a bit picky on that front though)

If people start trying to guilt-trip me however, regardless of what charity they're supporting, I do not donate. Ever.

(Salvos=Salvation Army and RSPCA=Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.)

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Okay, someone clear this up for me. I heard that SA was using some of that money to campaign against gay marriage. Is that true? I do not want any money I may donate to them going towards policies I find repugnant...such as discrimination.

I've seen "three dollar bills" you can print out to put into the kettles...something I find rather hilarious.

[protege]

I figure if you have enough money to send total strangers unsolicited personal crap, such as mailing labels, then you hardly need any money from me. Clearly, you have a surplus.

That's how I see it too. That is, if you can afford a crapload of stickers, you don't need any more cash. Want to break-even? Quit sending out crap!

Seriously, when my grandmother was still living in her own place, she was constantly getting those stickers. We're not talking a couple dozen--I mean that she was getting *hundreds* of them. About every 2 months or so, they'd show up and usually come with a letter demanding money. After getting several of those she said "screw those guys." Er, actually, *I* said that

I felt that her money could be spent better taking care of her bills...rather than trying to help out a charity because some idiot got careless with their spending.

[Cat]

I also as a general rule only donate to animal charities.

Same here...I did a few others, but I mainly stuck to critters. I need good karma with the cats.

[Kimmik]

The problem with most charities is what is the percentage that actually goes there? IE if you donate a dollar how much of said dollar goes to the charity and how much goes to over head.

There are two and only two charities that I will help. One is the Ronald McDonald house.. Because I know what the money goes for sadly I had to use them with my son. Great place by the way.

And the other is the Children's Miracle Network. Again I have seen what they do first hand.

I have been asked why I don't donate to animal charities since I am a big animal lover... well that is because everyone loves cute animals... but we have children that are dieing from things they shouldn't.

I will also not donate to a charity who's main goal is to help poor children in x country... Lets help our own first then help others.

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

Okay, someone clear this up for me. I heard that SA was using some of that money to campaign against gay marriage. Is that true? I do not want any money I may donate to them going towards policies I find repugnant...such as discrimination.

It's possible. There are a fair number of charities run by Christian organizations, which would of course be highly against Gay marriage.

I tend not to donate much and when I do, it's always a small cash donation to keep me anonymous so I don't get badgered about giving again or giving more, when I give, I do it my terms.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

It's possible. There are a fair number of charities run by Christian organizations, which would of course be highly against Gay marriage.

.

Oh, of couse. Highly. So glad I asked.