Charity
The number of requests for financial aid that I receive by mail and/or telephone is more than I can count off hand. I wish I had funds to give to all of these organizations but I don’t and so I usually give to those that I feel are the most valuable and deserving and do the most good. ie; ASPCA, St. Judes to name two. However, I am beginning to feel annoyed and more than a little angry by the constant requests after I have sent a check. And the requests keep coming every few weeks. Obviously, once you’ve given to these fundraisers they want to keep milking the cow. But rather than touching my humanitarian feelings they are doing just the opposite. Requesting help once a year would be fine with me but the every few weeks assaults are ruffling my feathers. And especially this year when the country is financially unstable.
Wouldn’t you assume that these organizations have some knowledge of the human psyche? To be able to give is such a wonderful uplifting feeling and just the opposite when you are unable to help those that would benefit from your support. Making someone feel bad is not the way to gain their support. And I am feeling bad, very bad! So, what to do? Stop giving to all charities? That would most likely make me feel terrible. But how do I solve this problem. Perhaps writing to the organizations and suggesting they send me their requests for funds on the first of January, and nothing else until the following year? But that probably wouldn’t work because to these organizations I am only a name on a long list and there is no personal touch or person who is going to make note that Julia McConnell’s nose is out of joint and she wants to be contacted once a year and only once a year, Sure that’ll happen!
Well they did it again! “They” called me for the umpteenth time this month but I was ready for them : “Young man”, I said, “ I just sent you two hundred dollars nine months ago and you have been calling me nearly every month since. If you want to stay on my list of charitable donations I don’t want to hear from you again until we are well into 2010. Is that clear?”
We shall see. Indeed, we shall see.