I totally ripped that term off from this picture, but it is my sentiment this Whiny Wednesday. Have you ever given to a charity, only to be harrassed by them for months afterwards, looking for more? It is my pet peeve. 
I should state for the record that I am not a big phone person. I don’t like talking on the phone very much, so that might have something to do with my intense dislike here. But here is the thing: Jack London and I give to a lot of different charities. We give what we can, when we have it. Sometimes, we give big sums. Sometimes, we give little sums. But the point is, we give what we can when we can. And then we brace ourselves for the phone calls that start to come. Now, not all charities do this, but some are notorious: That trooper organization. You know the one–they get a little pissy if you don’t donate right there. And Special Olympics. Special Olympics!! They won’t stop calling us. There are others, but those two are really relentless at our house. Can’t we give just $15 more? $15 would save the world!
We probably could give $15 more, but that is beside the point. The point is, we gave to you what we wanted to give to you. Why isn’t that enough? Why can’t you hound someone else? If we hadn’t given to you, you wouldn’t be calling me, and trust me, that is what I will think next time we decide to donate somewhere.
It really annoys me. There are those whose numbers I recognize and never pick up because no matter how many times I have asked them to take me off their call list, they continue to call. They pretend they didn’t know. And now, here we go, I gave to a relief organization for Haiti (we gave to two, actually) and already, one has started with the flyers and the envelopes. I know the phone calls are right around the corner. Plus, we are on the Do Not Call list, but that doesn’t stop charities. I guess once you give, you are in their clutches.
Does anyone else have this problem? Is there someone harrassing you by phone? Do you like talking on phones?
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
You hit that one right on! I gave to the Special Olympics one year and they have not not stopped calling and calling and sending more and more forms. The year I gave I asked the man calling if I could ask a question about the event. I just needed to know : If you were to go to the event would there be handicap parking or would it ALL be?
I get a monthly phone call from the Kidney Fund, telling me what day they’ll be in my area, and asking if I have any clothes/household items. Since we’ve been packing up the house, I usually do, so it works out well. We also have a Goodwill donation center nearby. Like all of you, I can’t stand the harrassing phone calls. For me, the worst has been an animal rights charity that I donated to–they call several times a week and send daily e-mails. Stop!
Yes!!!! I was reading your post and thinking, “Oh, that Trooper organization!” and then you mentioned them. YES YES YES. Almost worth changing my phone number. I’m so there with you.
I refuse to give over the phone, but I still get dozens of calls. I, too, am on the do-not-call list. Once you do business with a group, they have the “right” to call you (not in my book). The ones that make me crazy are the ones, when I tell them send me the papers and I’ll consider it, who say they can’t send out the paperwork unless they have donation amount. That’s when I say then don’t – because I won’t donate. If that isn’t a joke. Let me browbeat you into donating by “requiring” an amount to send you a piece of paper. OK, off my soapbox now.
It’s a crowded soapbox, Lady Celtia. We’re all scooching over to make room for you.
I thought twice about posting this blog. I thought it would make me look like a miser. I am so happy that my fellow whiners see this issue my way
I do NOT deal with ANY charity over the phone. I’m not that trusting. There are too many scam artists that pose as troopers, firemen, relief agencies, charities for the blind, political entities. The few that are legit often keep too much money for admin costs. I also stopped giving to national political organizations. I would rather send my support directly to a candidate of MY choice.
With the exception of disaster relief agencies, I try to keep most donations on a local level.
Yeah, but VB, do you have an opinion?
HAHAHAHA
LOL. I thought the same thing as I was typing. I’ll blame it on age and the weather. Still gobs of snow on the ground here and it’s currently raining with projections of 4-5 more inches of snow tonight & tomorrow. Winter. Bah humbug!
Very smart, VB. They were talking on the news about the Haiti scammers that were out. How sick is that???
Totally sick. Special place in hell for those people. They crawl out of the cracks in the ground when something like that happens.
First off, like you — I HATE talking on the phone. Just never been my thing. And we have several (one is a prominant political party) that drive us crazy. The more they call the less likely I am to give. Others however use email, and since I can just delete at will, I don’t mind as much. But really after I give what makes you think I’m going to want to do it again the next month or week or day???? And how dare you make me feel guilty????
I know. That really aggravates me. And then to get surly about it on top of that!
Phone hate here as well. I love the email requests. It puts it under my timetable and not theirs.
I’ve had to deal with the trooper organization too but I think the Fireman are worse. They kept calling me after I donated asking for more. I told them I gave to them already but they were relentless. On one call the guy told me I had already promised a pledge and he would take my credit card number to pay for it. Um, no. I told him I gave already and to stop calling me you are not getting any more money out of me. I stopped answering the calls from that number and after about six months they stopped calling. There are some charities that I give to that don’t hassle me at all. I get a letter from them once a year and I send in my check.
Fortunately, the firemen haven’t found us yet. But I am with you — I like the organizations that send their yearly thank you and solicitation and leave you alone the rest of the time.
I can’t donate financially to organizations, but I just moved in August and all of my stuff had been in storage for a year, while I unpacked I made a pile of things that were in good condition and could be donated to a charity. I called ARC and they were so sweet and sent someone over right away to pick things up. The next day they called to see if I had anything else to donate. They’ve called twice a day since then. I figure it will take another year or so until I have anything else to give. I can’t imagine that anyone has things to donate daily.
I know! Even if they did, who has time to dig it all out?
My husband donated once to a school run by priests and finally had to tell them very bluntly to leave him alone after annoying continued pleas for more money. It takes all the joy out of helping others, it does.
Oh man! That’s so….wrong!
One of the local churches here started chasing people off when they started a building fund. Sometimes the people that should be the most clueful are the most clueless.
I’m not a big phone fan, hence my lack of cell phone. I have a charity peeve, too. Years ago, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (great cause), sent me a solicitation letter with a heartfelt plea that ended in- “We hope your child never gets cancer.” Seriously?! It felt like a shakedown. You’d better give to St. Jude’s or else… (cue sinister music). I think it’s terrible to say something like that in a letter asking for money. I feel for everyone who has cancer, and especially children and families with children with cancer– but come on. It turned me off from ever donating to St. Jude’s (which is unfortunate). Recently, Marlo Thomas repeated that sentiment on the Today Show. We hope your child never gets cancer. Oh, man.
Geez!!! This is cold. Well, I hope you never die in a fatal car crash, or I hope your finger never gets caught in a wood chopper… Do they realize how awful this is for their image?
Hahahaaa. You should use one of Kathleen’s lines next time, Sherri.