They must or they wouldn't keep doing it .

I remember getting that deal in the mail one time. I didn't do it.

Sue

Anything they get without spending time, effort or money on telemarketers is that much more profit to them.

There were some charities around here who used to have one or two people per block go out and try to get the donations. That doesn't happen anymore around here. I suspect that's one benefit of people not knowing their neighbors well anymore.

The one that still bugs the bejeebers out of me was when United Way used to do the thing through the employers to essentially force you to make a monthly pledge through payroll. And they'd be calling you haven't sent back your pledge card yet! Dang right I didn't! Boy did I become unpopular when I told the school district what I thought of that BS.

there was one being passed around house to house in my neighborhood and I wouldn't even do that. I don't want to be responsible if my neighbor decides to go shopping with the money. They could say I didn't give it to them.

Cynic--I ran into that problem with United Way when I worked for the bank and probably would have gotten fired if I had not responded so I put down $1.00. The reason was we were very active in the Boy Scouts and for every dollare we donated thru UW, was one less dollar they would donate--that is the Boy Scouts got the same amount, but in fact should have gotten more, my donations plus the UW commitment, which they refused to honor.

What really bugs me: When I give, I end up inundated with wants.

I give when I can, and how much I can. Just leave me alone the rest of the time, and quit bugging me.

Moni

The hospital that I worked at did the United Way thing, and really tried to strong-arm people into giving. I am a charitable person and give to many different causes, however I want to pick where I send my money. That whole UW way thing really left a bad taste in my mouth, and I will never give to them.

Several neighbors participated in sending requests to us. I always gave, because I didn't want my neighbors to think I was cheap, but it was irritating. They asked me to do it and I said no way.

I have also stopped giving to certain charities because they so obviously sold my information, and I got tons and tons of requests.

Labor is the largest cost so if they can get someone to feel it is their contribution, the more the better. I throw it all away when I get them,as I past the can on my way from the post box to the door. I feel badly my neighbor wasted a stamp but I make my decisions as to where I give long before they come in the mail and I stick to them. I would never give to a "group" charity. I too felt pressured at work. That is against the law. Send the card back no thank you, if they insist on an answer. If they do anything you can sue them. The Boy Scouts are no longer supported by United Way, another reason I would never give them a dime. It is easy to donate directly to the BSA. The more direct the route the less the administrative costs.

I was asked to do the same several years, and I did. But on my one block street, in the several years I did the neighborhood mailing thing, I got only ONE check other than my own. So I finally told them they needed to find someone else because I was no good at getting anyone to write a check even though this is an area of high priced homes. My guess is that our neighbors are so cheap that no one else would do well with it either. One other neighbor did "collect" one time, but they never gave all the years I collected. So why give them my check for them to get the write off by making out a check from my funds to the charity?

When I gave to the United Way, I learned to direct my donation to a charity that I would give to anyway.

I don't give cash donations to large charities other than the Red Cross every so often. I prefer to give directly to orgs I believe in like Guide Dogs for the Blind.

I don't find the request you got strange though. For decades large charities have asked people to walk their neighborhoods collecting for them.. Now they are asking you to collect by mail.

Years ago, the March of Dimes had a Sunday "Mother's March" to help children born with birth defects and volunteers had a certain area they went door-to-door asking for donations. I volunteered a long time. I don't think they do that anymore??? I sure was a good cause. Wish they hadn't done it in the winter, though :-)

For many years the gals on our street took turns doing this for various charities. Usually I would get back about $50 total from 4 or 5 people. In return, I would give when I received it from the others. Most recently, I have done it twice and did not receive anything back either time. The last two times I have been called (2 different charities within 2 weeks of each other), I have simply refused and told them it was time for someone else to do it.

My husband gives a sizeable donation through work to United Way and to the hospital's foundation that he works for.(the hospital, not the foundation). I also gave when I worked, a lesser amount. Right now things are tight for everyone, no matter what you do. People just have to say no sometimes.

I have a neighbor who keeps sending me envelopes to send them money for different charities. Like I'm really going to give them the money when I can just donate to the charity directly? Next time one comes, I think I'll write "return to sender" on it and put it back in the mail.

I donate directly to the charities so my donation doesn't get eaten up by "admin fees". I once heard how much the President or CEO of United Way makes a year, and it staggered me.

I've been collecting for the American Heart Assn for several years now. At first, out of the 15 homes I sent out requests to, I received 2-3 back. This year I received 0. I'm done!

As far as me claiming someone else's donation as mine, the checks were made out to the charity and I mailed them in the same way I got them. I assume that the donor either got their cancelled checks back or could see that they cleared their bank electronically.

Helene

I did it once, got 1 check.... spent more in stamps than the amount of that donation. I won't do it again.

As far as me claiming someone else's donation as mine, the checks were made out to the charity and I mailed them in the same way I got them. Helene is right... this is they way it is done.

This was for the American Cancer Society, and they directed or encouraged that check thing. I think they figure that they won't get stuck with bad checks as easily. Not sure.

I remember when my mother would canvas our neighborhood for the March of Dimes when I was young and before the vaccine was developed. At that time, the money collected was for a polio prevention solution. How times have changed!

I've been asked by several charities to do this. Just NO!

I prefer to donate where I choose, and sometimes it is by supporting someone doing a charity bike ride or some such. Then the charity feels they can contact me for their grunt work.

I never, ever donate to this type of plea, and I hate getting that "neighborly dunning notice". My neighbors like me. I don't want to alienate them by sending them junk mail.

I would not do this either.

Moni, that's what irks me too. You make a donation and they bombard you with pleas for more and more AND sell your name and address to others. If you join an environmental organization like Sierra Club, for example, you get mailings from many other environmental orgs. So if you make a small donation, it gets eaten up in mailings, address stickers, etc.

Sheilajoyce,

You just brought back a distant memory. When I was a kid, we lived in an apartment building. My mother was collecting for the Kidney Foundation, as I recall. I went with her as she knocked on doors around the building. At one door, after she knocked and the person inside asked who it was, my mother responded, "It's Ruth XYZ, your neighbor, collecting for the Kidney Foundation." The person inside then responded, "Sorry, nobody's home." I remember thinking that was pretty peculiar and I must have been only 8 or 9 at the time.

Helene

What really made me take the stand against United Way at the time, besides the sleazy tactics, was they dropped cancer research and Diabetes Assn from their benefactors. Those two are near and dear to my heart and I've never sent a donation to United Way since.

I like seeing my money going to causes where the vast majority isn't eaten up by administration and fundraising expenses.

We were strong-armed at work for the United Way every year. We weren't forced to donate but we did have to at least fill out our donation card one way or another and each department was closely monitored as to how many responses they got. It was terrible. I went to the public library and easily found out how much the local (Minneapolis) United Way leaders were making and realized that even if I donated $100 a week FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE I wouldn't even make up one single year of their salary. I stopped giving at that point. I've never been asked to collect from neighbors and would never do so! I'd rather volunteer my time in a more meaningful way, and I do.

I've gotten phone calls from several charities, asking me to do this. I say "No, I can't do it. I'm unemployed and disabled." Continue making contributions to the charity on my own.

Right after my great-aunt fell & broke her hip, I took over her finances. I realized that every time she got a request from one group for just $5, she sent it. You guessed it -- the requests started to come every month! I realized that while she could afford it, her memory was such that they could have sent one every week & she'd have paid... A stout patriot with armed service members in the immediate family.. But geez louise, that is what bugs me, that once you give, then they sell your name & it never stops!!

I've never even heard of such a thing. And I would never donate another penny to a charity that asked me to.
We used to give to Special Olympics Idaho every year. They called last winter and I told them we just couldn't help this year. Their strong-arm tactics and relentless phone calls and letters totally turned me off and we'll never donate to them again.