Sunday, January 23, 2011

Bugged by charity mailers


I know there are many worthy charities out there, but I have a bone to pick. Apparently, once a person donates to one, their name and address are shared with all. That bothers me. I send donations to several charities I know and care about. Suddenly I have multiple daily requests for money, from places I have never received requests from before.

I've been away from home for a few days and my mailbox contained requests from:
Habitat for Humanity
Children's Cancer Research Fund
Arthritis Foundation
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Easter Seals

Others I hear from regularly are:
March of Dimes
American Heart Association
Alzheimers Association
VFW Nation Veterans Service
Arthritis Foundation
American Cancer Society
National Foundation for Cancer Research

Those are just the ones I can think of right now. Many of these requests for money are using guilt as a persuasive technique. I have two nickels today, along with more sheets of personalized stickers, note pads, book marks, cards, and 2011 calendars. If they give me something, surely I'll feel the need to send money. I don't like it. I can tell the information came from one place because of the way my name is spelled. Getting one plea from each organization might be okay, being deluged is quite another.

The charities would have more money for their causes if they spent less on postage and personalized sticker sheets.