After being harassed by charity organizations many years ago, we decided to join W Vision, and adopted a child in their program. After 9 years and on a reduced income, we decided to call it a day and opted out. Deciding to give once off donations when and where it suited us. During several natural disasters, we gave several 100's of dollars to do our bit, but what annoys me, is that these organizations won't leave us alone, and seem to be using what we have donated, to pay for phone calls and mail back to us, they must think that because we gave a donation, we are made of money. Now I just bin the letters and say NO!
-- Edited by iana on Friday 4th of August 2017 10:28:22 AM
Yes you are right,sadly these days when you open your heart and wallet to donate to a charity and leave a paper trail ....well we all know the rest !Fortunately we in Oz are still able to have free will ,yet when you do a one off donation ..well you are now fair game . Clearly one does not have an answer with regard to the way one dispenses to charities,however just give as you see fit and don,t have a guilt trip about what is expected of you.Cheers.
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Westy. Some people I know are like slinkies. They look really funny when you push them downstairs !
I gave up donating to collectors etc. especially the ones selling raffle tickets a long time ago, after i said to one okay I will have a ticket....no good they want to sell you the book now often around thirty dollars or so.Today they want your name on a regular monthly donation done by bank order. I now buy tins of dog and cat food each week as I can afford it and take it to the animal rescue when I have saved a few, that way I know that if I give a dollars worth they get a dollars worth. Another pet hate is christmas cards sent out by charities who ask you to buy them, I bin them but what a waste of obviously donated money. Grumble over
Backpackers in shopping centres working for companies who take the first year's contributions from people they sign up to the charity.
Overhead and management salary costs absorbing a large proportion or the donations.
The heads of major Australian charities, and their immediate staff, attending the Paris climate change talks.
The, very powerful, argument that charities mainly reinforce the poverty in which many live - a bandaid does not cure the disease.
I only give to animal charities (and a little to the Salvation Army) and mainly the Melbourne Lost Dog's Home and even they have a few questions which need answering.
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
I gave up donating to collectors etc. especially the ones selling raffle tickets a long time ago, after i said to one okay I will have a ticket....no good they want to sell you the book now often around thirty dollars or so.Today they want your name on a regular monthly donation done by bank order. I now buy tins of dog and cat food each week as I can afford it and take it to the animal rescue when I have saved a few, that way I know that if I give a dollars worth they get a dollars worth. Another pet hate is christmas cards sent out by charities who ask you to buy them, I bin them but what a waste of obviously donated money. Grumble
Cards etc. sent out are also my pet hate. Went on a rampage a few years ago after we got all sorts of stuff over a period of a few weeks. Found a couple of organisations that do this on behalf of charities and asked them to remove our name. Previously I just put "Undeliverable - Return to Sender" on it and sent it back.
The other one was a regular donation by mail that wife was doing. Asked if we could make it regular by auto-debit which I did. However, the donation mail donation request kept coming and my wife kept paying. Forgot I'd automated it. Then another charity of similar name sent us a few requests that my wife sent off money. It was only at tax time I realised that I was paying 3 times to 2 different anti-cancer funds. Stopped the lot immediately.
