I always say no, I will choose who to donate to.
The other night I picked up the phone by mistake, it was a women asking for a $25 donation for breast cancer. I explained to her my daughter has breast cancer, we are hoping she is around to see her son's 2nd birthday and if I have extra money it will go to her. The callers response, " How does a $20 donation sound then?" Why did I answer the phone? I never do with caller ID.

Usually No because I want every cent I donate to go directly to people in need. An exception is the Salvation Army, I save change all year long and it all goes into the red cans. The Salvation Army consistently has one of the lowest administration costs of any major charity which I really respect.

I'm lucky enough to have a couple ways to donate directly to people in Africa and know exactly what good it does so lately a lot of my donations go there.

My Pet Peeve is the ones that call from the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association. The Sherrif I talked to said they only get 5-10% of the donations. They really shouldn't allow those speed dialing crooks to use their name........

Those phone callers like to start now with 'this is on a recorded line'? Is that supposed to amp up my manners a few notches?

I usually only answer(unknowns) when I'm in the mood for entertainment anyway. My normal response is nothing but a 'click'.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
The megacorp I worked for ... had "targets" to meet and every employee was assigned a dollar amount representing our "fair share".

I was a department manager at a large national communication company. I was rated on whether my department had 100% participation in the United Fund drive. No dollar amount was specified, just the number of employees who donated.

I did not like this bullshit, so I told the workers in my department that my performance was judged by how many of them participated, so I was going to donate one dollar in each of their names. They were free to donate anything that they wanted to, or nothing at all, but I was not going to hound anybody as I was not happy about being pushed by the company for handouts.

Got hit up twice @ the DMV while renewing my plates. $200 wasn't enough apparently.

I got hit up twice yesterday, would you like to donate to X, I said no. Then she follows it up with would you like to round up to next dollar for said charity. I looked up at her with a real WTF look, she took it as a no.

Sometimes, I say yes, sometimes I say no. Depends on the cause, and my mood.

Occasionally, but not always. I do make charitable contribution straight out of the paycheck weekly. Never dreamed I would find myself doing that in my younger years. Just seems right nowadays. Maybe trying to make amends for a lot of stupid behavior in the past. When their on the march,the Salvation Army always gets whatever the lowest denomination bill in the wallet is. Try to keep a couple of ones there but sometimes I forget, hurts when there's only a ten or a twenty. Ya gotta give back sometimes, especially when nobody's looking.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
The megacorp I worked for ... had "targets" to meet and every employee was assigned a dollar amount representing our "fair share".

I was a department manager at a large national communication company. I was rated on whether my department had 100% participation in the United Fund drive. No dollar amount was specified, just the number of employees who donated.

I did not like this bullshit, so I told the workers in my department that my performance was judged by how many of them participated, so I was going to donate one dollar in each of their names. They were free to donate anything that they wanted to, or nothing at all, but I was not going to hound anybody as I was not happy about being pushed by the company for handouts.

I loathe the United Way and because of them will never touch another 2nd hand charity.

A looong time ago, I directed my corporately extorted contribution to the boy scouts and the charity decided Boy Scouts were off the list for something they did, who knows what and send my dough to the slush fund.

Since then my alms wil sweat in my hand until I know who will get them.

I give to friends in need - directly. No middleman, no exorbitant executive salaries, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:
exorbitant executive salaries, etc.

That aspect is really off-putting about many charity organizations.

Someplace, there is a list of charities with attributes like executive compensation, administrative costs, etc.

If memory serves, the Salvation Army is one of the best run charity organizations in terms of low cost, and maximum benefits going to the needy. I do find their damnable bell ringing collectors outside the doors of the grocery stores rather annoying, though. Yeah, some people look at it as Christmas cheer. I'm more of a "humbug" type of guy.

I always tell the cashier thanks for asking but not at this time.
I give to the Salvation Army several times during the year.

quote:

I give to the Salvation Army

My rule for this time of year is I *never* pass a red kettle without sticking in a twenty.

Makes up for all the times during the year I say “nope” in the supermarket checkout line.

It's always a no from me. I give through work and other ways. I never know where that dollar is going.

The cashier is told to say this. I simply say "No thank You." Seems simple enough.

I decline, the only time I *might* was if it went to a cause I support AND the company them self was matching my contribution. And they'd really have to convince me on just how that would be done.


A couple weeks back I was checking out at Kroger and the cashier (a 22-ish year old, overweight, fellow) asked "would you like to donate a dollar to starving children"?

I said no, then asked asked "what starving children?"

He said "starving children right here in WV".

To which I replied "starving children.... here? The US is almost at the top as far as child obesity and WV is almost at the top in the US, only Mississippi has more obesity!"

They SHOULD be asking for donations to support a WV children's fat farm!

We also say no thank you but we do give to the Salvation Army and the Angle Tree.

We donate each Christmas then again mid year, To our local Animal Shelter. They do a great job, euthanize few animals and it's a clean operation. Donated $100 to another shelter in Dillon this year too, as they got inundated with a mess of dogs from a puppy mill or some such mess.