Giving to too many charities at once
Posted by: frilly
29th Jan 2010 02:28pm
I give to a number of charities but I am seriously thinking about reducing the number.
They seem to want more and more each year they say their costs are going up but so are mine and we are on fixed incomes. I am disabled and we are on a pension.
This seems to have no affect when told to them perhaps I should jump on their list LOL. Certain charities help pay outstanding fines etc that people "find they are unable to pay" This is so wrong they should never be given money.
Vouchers or coupons. We see so many TV reports showing how young people and perhaps not so young blatantly tell their stories about how they can live up in Byron Bay on the "Dole"
How can they do this when we have to list every source of income we have and our pension goes up and down even weekly in tune with our assets. The fact that these assets we cannot cash in as the interest from them supply the remainder of our pension.
We thought we had totally covered ourselves for our retirement until the market crashed.
That was the biggest shock of all to find so much money had just disappeared. Now we have to keep Centrelink informed of every change in our financial situation. How do these others manage to get money so easily
One more thing, I said I was disable, it means lots of Drs and hospital visits. We can almost guarantee that after a hospital visit we will receive a request for a Charity at that hospital. Charities are exempt from the "Blocking of unwanted calls"
They seem to want more and more each year they say their costs are going up but so are mine and we are on fixed incomes. I am disabled and we are on a pension.
This seems to have no affect when told to them perhaps I should jump on their list LOL. Certain charities help pay outstanding fines etc that people "find they are unable to pay" This is so wrong they should never be given money.
Vouchers or coupons. We see so many TV reports showing how young people and perhaps not so young blatantly tell their stories about how they can live up in Byron Bay on the "Dole"
How can they do this when we have to list every source of income we have and our pension goes up and down even weekly in tune with our assets. The fact that these assets we cannot cash in as the interest from them supply the remainder of our pension.
We thought we had totally covered ourselves for our retirement until the market crashed.
That was the biggest shock of all to find so much money had just disappeared. Now we have to keep Centrelink informed of every change in our financial situation. How do these others manage to get money so easily
One more thing, I said I was disable, it means lots of Drs and hospital visits. We can almost guarantee that after a hospital visit we will receive a request for a Charity at that hospital. Charities are exempt from the "Blocking of unwanted calls"
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Comments 52
Migaloo
We once gave to a charity that we do not normally give to , when another letter arrived asking for more money l asked to be removed from their list as l can not give to any more than we all ready do as pensioners renting a home , guess what they never removed my name and the donation we did give to them they have used it all up in sending more letters often asking for money , they are now using some one else money to keep on sending letters to me asking for money , this is waste and certainly never did what l ask .
archer
Archer replys I like to give to charities that do worthwhile things in the community
Brad
During our working years, we fund-raised _actively_ for several charitable organisations... and contributed to help raise to adulthood two specific children (both girls) in third-world countries: Indonesia and Uruguay.
Now, as a self-funded retiree, I donate to a dozen different groups. I'm very, very fortunate to be able to do so.
Recently, however, we have ceased donating to Caritas Australia, a Catholic aide organisation. This is our protest against the lack of morality and highly-questionable ethics of our current PM. Caritas _may_ do a great deal to assist poverty-stricken people overseas, but Australia's parliamentary leader's cruel budget attacks our own poorer families in Australia. Sadly, until we see a return to truth, honesty, care and compassion in Australian politics, we will not donate a cent to any Catholic organisation... .
Anonymous
Every person has the right to give or not to give to charities.
If you are in a position to do so, please do not hesitate, otherwise, this is a personal
decision that one makes.
Anonymous
there are so many different charitys these days its hard to keep up with them all and every year they ask for more and more it may be because of risen prices but where is all the money we give go?? we dont get to see how it helps the people who we are giving to.
people on the doll should be getting up and getting a job there are plenty out there and they are fully capable of doing so.
BOY
Your kindness will be rewarded Frilly, maybe cut dowm on how much they get from you and access your income every week, The more you give the more they want, be a bit more firmer with them maybe. No should mean No.
Good Luck with your kindness.
bj
I give mainly to locals, spur moment. Some of the big ones spend a lot on wages, while this is needed too it means less gets to the needy ones.
trix56
I have to admit that mostly I just tell people I can't afford it and hang up.
What I do do is buy a lot of items from all the various op shops (because I REALLY can't afford it) and I do some volunteer work thereby donating my time.
Martina
That's why to avoid all these kind of trouble I have chosen a charity cause call "Meal Pack" who feed the hungry around the world its $90 dollar per month but the more people you bring in the project the more reward you get. Instead of giving all the time, that the only charity who give you back for bringing people in so they can feed more people out here by helping others you help yourself I find the idea very interesting and I would like more people to join in and be rewarded for their effort.
Fore more information contact me on 0402672774 Martina
sherri
I like Kiva - it is an organisation that works by providing loans to people in developing countries.
NONE of your donation goes in administration (when you donate you are asked if you would like to pay a little bit extra to cover administration, but it is ok to say no - and I have had to do so many times)
Your money is sent to the person you choose to sponsor via an agency in their country, and it is paid back to you...and you can choose to have your money back, or to lend it again. My original $25 has been turned over many times!
for more information, look up Kiva on the internet. They are very open about how and where they spend their money. - and the best thing about Kiva? It started with 4 friends sitting around their kitchen table saying 'what can we do to help'? - individuals CAN make a big difference.
stretch
forgive me for my rudness for none is given
but are you rich
and if the answer is mate i am on a pension then the answer is no
with the amount of charity groups collecting money
some of them are bogus they collect money to send over seas and forget where the money started from and what of paying our poor country back with maybe some food groups for free
the government is tighting every thing up and the pensioners will be the ones that loose the most then the unemployed
but
if the government would look at how many police investigators are working in the collection group then you would say they are rich as hell
look at the investment properties held by certain companies then
consider do i donate
look after your own then consider others
and be carefull at the alter of god as after checking out a few of them they are employed by the police department
once again read this twice and no bad feelings for the greater of the people that help others because they want to
Miss Prim
Frilly, you are just so generous and kind hearted, but you will have to stop and think of yourself for a change. We used to donate to different charities too but now my husband has a life threatening disease and the medical costs are very expensive and we cannot afford to donate anymore. Charity begins at home and we honestly have no choice as we are being financially drained with no support whatsoever. We tell charities that rings us we simply cannot afford to make a donation due to high ongoing medical costs we have to pay on a regular basis.
laur
i agree now that charities nominate amounts for you donate they are outside my income level and i have had to decline many times, i am an aged pensioner and cannot afford the amounts they suggest
frilly
Has anyone an answer to the labels we are sent at Xmas time and other special times, that are painted by people with no hands or some other disability? It is terrible that no matter what you do or try to do there is some one else finding a way of asking for money.
I have noticed now that there are Boutique Op Shops I have not seen any but I saw a program on them and they seemed to be in the more up market areas of Sydney. I apologise if I am wrong about the areas, it was Chanel 7.
These op-shops receive the end of runs from the expensive names in fashion. Boutiques and people who donate the very expensive clothes to these Charities also. They do not appear to be offered in the areas that perhaps people would really love to be able to have a chance of wearing a beautiful, normally expensive outfit but again in the malls in Sydney and Melbourne.
They are not helping you and I type of people I feel but the people who can afford better than the normal run of the mill fashion usually. I have noticed that anything nice I donated to our local op shop never appeared here.
My last comment is I saw an advert in a newspaper one day for Greenpeace. I know they do some wonderful work but they were advertising for protesters. They offered a set payment to these people to protest at the local docks. House With No Steps also pays people who collect on the streets and ring up. How many more are there. It is no wonder they are rude, maybe they receive a proportion of their earnings?
Bellxchat
I support three charities through monthly ongoing donations. Occasionally I might buy raffles tickets or make an extra donation to what I feel is worthy cause (usually natural disasters). The rest of the letters, phone calls, etc. get a very simple "no". If they keep on talking, I just keep on saying "no". And if my name is not spelled correctly on any envelope (who know where they got that name from?!) I mark it "return to sender".
laur
i am dismayed at the latest appeal to esisting donors that you should raise the level of your donation and also even when you have agreed to a monthly automatic deduction they still phone asking for an increase. I am an age pensioner and give as much as I can afford but feel guilty when i have to say no.
boss
I agree with what you have said w e always gave to a selection of charities but have stopped most of them . As our family has been hit by cancer we try to give to these organisations.but we are sick of hearing how your money get distributed and what actually gets to the people you intended it to go to.
Boss
jatz50
I will always give to the Starlight Foundation. To see the faces on those kids re their wishes, makes me smile and feel warm inside.
About a year ago, we gave a donation to some charity who now hound us every couple of months for more. It was a one off donation. Everytime they ring they start off saying how grateful they are for our past donations (I corrected her by saying> donation) and then proceed to want more, even if it is only small, they want it. I then told her that we were not in a financial position to help and she starts going on and on about even $500 would be fine. Helloooooooo, my husband is out of work and if I had $500 it would be going to us and our cause. They still ring up now and I just hang up, I guess you have to be rude to be kind with this charity.
Amdor9
I donate my time to Camp Quality and my money to World Vision and to my local church.
mermaid
I simply don't bother donating, every charitable organisation has ginormous overheads and makes well in the vincinity of $billions yes people billions thanks to the generous volunteer pools.
You will be hard pressed to find a charitable organisation not attached to some business or another that doesn't profit. Yes they all contribute to the disadvantage but in very small portions. Yes they are at hand when in times of need but are more focussed on increasing their volunteer pool and maintaining the upkeep of their taxes.
Charities and hospitals employ marketing agents to affect all forms of buy ins from potential customers. Sad but true most importantly if you shop at op shops or donate food you are contributing in the same manner. Never feel guilty for making sound financial decisions.
terribrown
I have opposing opinions.
A number of years ago I did 6 months fund raising for The Cancer Fund and was amazed to see, at weekly meetings in their building, the amount of staff-members who went down to the Basement for a smoke on their coffee break - a real eye-opener.!
On the other hand, when my baby was only 4 months old, my husband was injured and hospitalized - a result of which, financially I was left destitute. The Smith Family in Sydney provided me with food vouchers and a lot of emotional support. No questions asked.
Furniture and clothing no longer needed by me goes straight to the Salvation Army but I do have a problem with trying to donate money to every charity that asks.
I do feel that we need to limit ourselves to just one or two worthwhile charities, otherwise we would be needing help ourselves from them
Sherri
I understand your frustration. We all must be very discrninhg and aware of the charities we give to. I too am disabled and I am founder of a charity I got the vision for when I was on mission in Africa. SALT provides the means for employment to any poor African well enough to earn an income. Centrelink taking money from any additional earnings that I may make is morrally wrong. We should at le4ast be able to earn the basic wage.
myfamilyourfuture
I think charities need to think all these people that they keep repeatly ringing up that one day they will probably be on there list also as they will have bled them dry.
3146bj
I give to several charities of my choice. I am growing a little annoyed with receiving begging letters in the mail which aim to make me feel guilty if I don't donate to them. I now respond to these letters with a brief note to to tell them that by approaching me in this way they have joined my "never donate to them" list.
rachaelc
I largely support The Smith's Family Learning for Life program. I sponsor a child for $27 month to assist with education costs such as stationery, uniforms and school excursions. I believe that the best way out of the cycle of disadvantage for these kids is through education, opportunity and hope. I also support Cancer Council, Starlight Foundation and Exodus Foundation. These charities don't harrass or ever make me feel like they are milking me dry, and I believe that they do such great work in society. And all these whingers who think these people on the dole have such an easy life, why don't you swap places with them and see how great it is (not!). It is a measure of society how we treat our disadvantaged people. While there are some lazy people out there, there are many many more who would love to be given the opportunity of a good job and a good life. No-one likes to feel redundant or useless.
vanillaslice
Hi all! Haven't participated here although I've been member for some time. A long time ago we sat down and decided how much and to which charities we should donate. We also decided to increase this by 5% each year. That allows for increases in our income and inflation. We have seen no reason to change this over the years. Any other request for donations goes into the recycling bin, any phone request is answered by a polite refusal.
We cannot solve all the worlds problems, only do what seems responsible.
Included in our way of doing it are the local charity/club/school/readathons/sponsorship of kids etc. We just keep a note of those and if the set amount is not reached at the end of the year we give a little extra to the next tins that come around.
The only exception we make is for certain calls for disaster aid. For that we sometimes need to forego our own extras.
uruz
I used to give to various charities like you but now I've reduced it and I mainly give to the Salvation Army. My reason being is that they really do get in and put their money where their mouth is so to speak. While serving in the army I found it was the good old Sallies who were up the front end with you. Often staggering along in the bush you would look up and there would be the Sally man saying "how about a cold drink or a cuppa digger" Ask any WW2 bloke and he'll most likely agree. Anytime there is a disaster of significance the Sallies are there, sleeves rolled up and pitching in. The Flying Doctor is another good one I support.
LUV-A-TIGER
So yes.. where do we put a stop on certain charities..
It seems the more we help..Their is another one calling up..
I am involve with alot of charity giving, specially with children cause I think they are the future but there are times I admit I have to say no specially if you have to look after your own family needs aswell, with the economy this day it is very tight on the budget..
shachah7
Give what you're comfortable with. Dont give when you are doubtful or troubled. Always give with a sincere and cheerful heart, then God will see this.
matt
I tend to give my time so that you are actually doing the job needed eg pull out the weeds yourself etc. Any time it involves money i think its easy for things to go wrong
wilko
I also give to a few charities and you are right they keeping asking for more. Direct money should not be distributedhe idea of coupons
bronzzeAngel
I have a charity I support.. It is the Down society of SA. My son has downs and I need all the help I can get to help him.
I have to pay to go to his early intervention groups.
It isnt a heap to pay but on a restricted budget I do notice what I pay.
Thing is.. They are not staffed by a lot of volunteers, even though there are those who help out. And I need someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to instructing both myself and my son. IF that person is paid I believe that means we have someone fit for purpose. With a volunteer, if they have money coming in so they dont have to work elsewhere great, but if they if they live on the dole they cant just help out, they have to work and this means we become second to their life and the need to eat.
I have worked as a volunteer and I know that you dont always get someone who is trained properly, so you have to go into training, management and further ongoing support, them if they leave you need to do it all over again. I know in one place we had a new volunteer every month and I was having to train them and then once they were getting up to speed we would lose them due to work or family commitments.
I feel that at the other end of the money chain, if someone is being paid so care, training and support is there for those in need, then I am glad of it.
If everything was given to a charity eg, equipment, management, qualified staff and training etc, they wouldnt need to ask for money. But things need to be paid for. Including staff.
Lynsha
Having worked for one of the world's largest "Not for Profit" organizations as a field officer I would always explain to groups/volunteers that at least 20% at that time would be going to adminstration. I can say that the general /field staff were not extremely well paid, but the top brass definately were. My policy was to be honest with people because they deserved to be told exactly were their donations would be spent. Nowdays it is apparently cheaper to use call centres where the staff really have no idea how the money is to be spent only a very generalised view of what happens. I agree that most charities have had to become very businesslike in their operations to survive. There are so many of them, some with multiple offshoots e.g. Cancer groups all requiring staff to run and operate them. It would be more cost efficient if all these different offshoots were under one umbrella and the donations apportioned equally, I still get calls from centres for my old organization but they can't explain what will happen to my donation. There should be a government review of all charities to stop certain exploitations of the general public.
Rosem
I agree about the umbrella organisations. There are so many diffrernt foundations etc asking for money for the same group , such as children with cancer. I would think that this is extrememly wasteful of resources.
I also get annoyed by the latest gimmick which is to send you preprinted address labels or send 'gifts' which make you feel ob;liged to 'buy' them by donating. Once you have donated it then never seems to stop.
frilly
This has been my thoughts recently about breast cancer. There are now so many charities fighting to raise money, I just wonder how efficient it all is?
Surely if there was one main charity there has to be less wastage in man power and money. The public would feel less irritated because we would have less calls. There wpulsso much more money available too
Annemarry
Hi,
I experienced this. Normally i donated a certain amount less than 50 bugs to a charity. Namely charity, you would think they accept every dollar even a dollar yeah.
One day the same charity called me and i was about to donate the same amount, but the person on the other side arrogantly said they do not accept donation below 50 dollars? The person said we would try again next year when you can afford above 50 dollars. Huh?
Less than a year, i was called by another person of the same charity. I told them to take me off the list as i could not afford beyond $50 dollar. Even if i do, I would donate to 5 charities each $10 dollar. How's that....
In philippines a dollar is a lot. I began to wonder to either not giving donation any longer, but for churches or the victims of natural disaster.
Deb
My 90 year old father is constantly bombarded with charities phoning him, asking for donations or to sell lottery tickets. He has trouble finding the money to feed himself and on several occasions explained this to the caller. Their response has been we will send the tickets and you can sell them to your family. Result he ends up buying the tickets. I have managed to intercepted some of these calls and asked them to remove him from their list, only to find out they have tried again the next day. I think it is criminal they can to do this.
sherri
It seems to me that NONE of us are saying that we don't want to donate to charities, OR that we are anything less than compassionate OR that we would not be willing to help out to the extent to which we are able.
BUT we don't like being bombarded or manipulated or guilted into doing so, and are seeking some sort of protection from this harrassment.
Yes, there are various things that we can pro-actively do that will help a little, but with more and more organisations 'hopping on the bandwaggon' it is going to be an endless task - IF the organisation DOES keep a list of those not to call. (Most of them actually employ an outside organisation to do this so I have my doubts as to whether my request never to be rung again by them would work)
But at the same time, if enough of us are persistent with the same message MAYBE we can start a people movement that will stop the harrassment and we can go back to supporting charities the 'old-fashioned' guilt free way!
matt
I'm sure they know who the older people are becasue they know we young ones will just say no, bugger off.... Can you imagine trying to guilt an 18 year old into giving up his money for nothing !!
Also, once you've given once you are on THE LIST. Even admitting to supporting charities in an online survey got me lots of junk mail about charities and i haven't even heard on them before
frilly
Deb I am almost 73, have multiple illnesses myself and disabled. My illnesses open me up to bombardments of calls because every time I have any investigations or stays in hospital, I am immediately put on their list so the calls come.
I hate it when they call and say they are collecting for children with one of the problems I have. Even when I say that I have these problems etc and am on restricted money as my medical bills are so high.
The reply comes back "We are arranging an outing for the Cinema. and it is a real treat for them and of course a parent or guardian has to go with them"
How can you say "No" I have started offering them one third of what they ask and said to put me on their "No disturb list" I was informed that charities are exempt from that list?
Valsie
Ask each charity which calls you to put you on THEIR do not call register............and you will find the number of calls will diminish.....
Ann818
My mother became ill and moved into high level care accommodation. Most charities I contacted were fine about removing her details from their mailing list, but even after a personal call to one of them they sent money requests to her again after 4 weeks! So now I just put "Return to Sender" on their letters and send them back.
Ceci
It happens to me too. I found out that the only way to stop this harassment is to stop giving them any money at all. When the problem grows and it deeply affects their pocket, only then, they will do something about it.
frilly
I also understood we could be put on a "Do not call register" but I was informed by a very knowledgeable person that Charities are exempt from this role.
I must admit I put us on that role aquite a few years ago and I am now inundated with calls for money.
I am actually disabled and my husband is my Carer, recognised "Official" because a few years ago I needed 24 hr care. Well. I received a call from :meals on wheels" asking for us to be part of it as my husband is retired. Where and what right had they to that information?
I said sorry I was disabled and my husband was 75 and my Carer. This means he literally does virtually everything to look after me and the house.
She turned around and told me that he must have some free time somewhere and they had older people than him as helpers and put the phone down. I was left spluttering. I tried to find an address or phone number but couldn't to tell them of my experience.
Look we give to about 5 Official charities and then there are the ones that you get the really heartbreaking story that comes several times a year. I cannot stop them by ignoring I have found, so I put a note in now, listing some of my worst illnesses and say this "whatever amount" I put in is the last. That does stop quite a few the ones that are obviously connected It does show them up as they stop together. We have enormous medical bills but we pay our medical insurance and manage. it is not easy but the phone ringing and tyhe leters every day.it is tiring
Jonesy
I have noticed this also Frilly. I donate to several charities including hospitals and towards disabled people. They always seem to ask for more or to be trying to sell me raffle tickets to sell on their behalf. I don't mind helping them out but where do we draw the line.
sherri
That 'guilt factor' is what they count on! - You feel bad if you don't respond....and so you, as a generous charitable person duly send in a donation.
And I used to be the same. I now realise that there are more worthy causes than I would ever be able to support, and so I now won't support any organisation that engages in dubious practices no matter how much the cause tugs at my heart.
In fact I think that if I DO respond I am only enouraging them to continue to send out raffle tickets or cards that I have not ordered and do not want. - and if enough people don't send a donation back, then they will soon figure out that it is costing them more money than they are making and will stop.
In the same way, I have started telling cold callers that I will NO LONGER support their organisation in any way because they have rung me today. (on the rare occasions that I now answer the phone) If enough people do that, charities will soon work out that it is cheaper NOT to invade people's privacy with unwanted begging calls.
sherri
Thankyou Mermaid - good advice. (I was thinking the same thing! - that the original charity had been careless with their information - maybe even unethical/illegal.) - at the very least I would no longer be supporting them.
I WISH that these organisations whose stated intent is to do the right and good would be open to the fact that unless they are congruent and that their WHOLE organisation behaves ethically, and there is consistency between intent and practice that they are turning off supporters.
I wrote a letter of complaint to a large agency recently regarding what I considered to be unethical practice (a 'survey' that was not a survey) - and I did not even get an acknowledgement of my letter. Not only will I not EVER support them, I will be telling others what they are like.
What price goodwill? Is it worth that quick buck?
halidom
Hello michele49 I sponsored children through World Vision and got letters asking if I wanted to get them a Christmas gift or birthday gift. Plus I would have to pay them to get the gift to the child.One girl I sponsored in Chile for about 6 years and was told part of the money was used building schools and getting clean water. When I got a notice saying they had finished there and did I want to sponsor another child I said fine but could I have the address of the girl so I could keep in touch and see how she was doing. I got a message that they were nomadic so they could not give me an address. So why did they build the school? Another problem I"m having with charities is when they phone up asking for donations and wanting my credit card details. With all the scams going on that I read about how do I know the person phoning is really from a charity? So I have stopped giving my details over the phone.
mermaid
There is a legal entity associated with every charity preventing misuse of your personal details it is called privacy. contact the charity you donated the $75 to advise them you did not give verbal or written permission for your details to be provided to any other organisation that it is in their best interest to communicate this with their affiliated organisations as soon as possible. do not accept you will put this in writing to them, advise them should you receive further communications, via email, post, phone of otherwise you will initiate legal proceedings against them with the ACMA, Consumer Affairs who will take this matter with a positive outcome in your favour. They will quickly reverse their assumption of error without questions.
havalaugh
Havalaugh says- If you find it hard to give Frilly & Jonesy. I fully understand but even a doller in the right direction per day could help a charity greatly. But giving to a lot only cripples your pocket & does not build up in a common cause. If you want to know more about a charity take the time one day to visit the main branch of the Salvation army or Smith Family. I was helped by them many years ago when I got out of an abusive marriage with my 2 little girls and couldn't work at the time as my eldest child was a extremly bad asthmatic which kept me on the welfare line for quite a few years. Without the salvo's 1 year my daughters wouldn't have known about Christmas & their many food hampers etc they helped me out with. And the Smith Family bought my daughter a resperater for her asthma which going back was a hell of a lot of money 22 years ago. And they didn't help out easily I had to show them receipts for the budget I lived on to show them I wasn't scamming them. So I always give to those 2 charities now, as I know they made a real difference in my life & I am sur others. I am also disabled through 2 spinal operations and find funds are low. The thing is when your looking from the outside it is easy to feel bombardered and unaware. Make the effort to become aware & you might see another side then pick your charities and stick to the ones you want to help. Then when the others ask you cant feel guilty not giving. Just boldly say "Sorry I can't help you as I have my set charities I look after". Perhaps someone else can help your charity!!
michele49
Yes.. I've found the same thing with 3 charities I give to ...I'm a bit over them sending out a raffle book for me to sell ...no obligation ..but you feel compelled to give something ..even though you've already given earlier in the year. We also give to World Vision as a set amount to sponsor a child ..I don't seem to get the pestering from them for extra!
halidom
About 5/6 years ago, it was just before Xmas and I saw an ad saying $25. could buy a family a good Xmas dinner. So I phoned up and donated $75. A week later I got 8 phone calls and 5 letters from different charities, even one from England. I have no way of stopping them. 3 weeks ago I got 5 letters in one day. I blame the 1st charity because how would these other charities have gotten my name, address and phone number.