BY FLORIDA BILL While going through a stack of mail that had piled up over several days, I was hit with the realization that almost every letter was a solicitation for a cash contribution from various organizations. A wide variety of persons, places and things are in dire need of assistance and I wondered how come they they are all zeroing in on me.
Maybe I am just one of the names and addresses taken from the voting lists or from the telephone directory, or whatever. It is more likely that I made a contribution to someone in the past and my name was put on a list that was sold to others as a potential giver; and resold and then resold again. Presto, I am really, really popular and my mail box in Sun City is overflowing. So, if you ever make a charitable or even a political contribution, look out, my friend. There is big "X" on your back, and you are marked as a potential donor for all time, and for almost everything. !!!
Conservatively speaking, and aside from the usual bills, I figure that I am the recipient of about 300-350 letters a month which are in the category of "help us" mail
In this latest batch of letters, there were solicitations from veterans' organizations, churches and religious societies, and animal welfare and rescue groups. Others came from children's homes and shelters, and from centers which provide meals to the needy. One urgent request called for at least $27 to provide "soothing treats" for recently rescued Orphan Donkeys. In return you are given a deck of cards with pictures of donkeys on them.
What it boils down to is that if you don't contribute, they'll keep bombarding you with requests until you do. If you are generous and do contribute, you will receive a thank you letter and for sure the solicitations will continue. Your name is in the "positive" column and you will continue to receive requests for donations until the end of time.
And lest I forget, there are the unending notifications from politicians and political parties.
Even though federal elections are not until November of next year, office holders are gearing up for reelection; and there are men and women throwing their hats and bonnets into the ring--looking for money. I guess that's the way a democracy works, and I respect it. But, it can become annoying with requests from unheard of candidates from other states that one has no reason to support.
Strangest of all are the packages containing goodies to encourage your generosity, such as coins, ranging from nickles to half dollars to checks made out in your name. Or you might get shaving cream and toothpaste--but these are not for you, they are to be returned and forwarded to veterans and soldiers; with the money donation retained by the solicitors. Calendars and name stickers for envelopes arrive almost daily.
Things really heat up around Thanksgiving and Xmas. Solicitations begin pouring in by late summer and the requests arrive in thick envelopes with gifts for the giver which are often Xmas cards, 2020 calendars, calculators and pens. Here it is, nearing the fall and I have acquired some 30 calendars and countless Christmas cards as the holiday season approaches
I am an ex-GI and have a soft spot for the military and for the faithful dogs that served with them. Disabled Vets, Blind Vets, Wounded Warriors, Mutts on a Mission and scores of similar organizations seek donations. The causes are worthy, but who can contribute to every one of them, and who knows which ones are legitimate or if there is a worthier cause. Very often the stories are sad and tug at the heart strings. Perhaps that explains why Americans are so generous in sending out checks.
Countless police organizations which have been castigated since the death of George Floyd have hired companies to seek help from the public in repairing the damage. Families of policemen accused of misdeeds, but probably were only doing what police should do, seek funds for paying legal fees.
Organizations such as the Charity Navigators remind citizens to be careful of scam artists out there. They try to monitor charities and estimate what percentage of contributions actually go go to the causes, but many groups do not reply to their inquiries or can't be trusted and new ones pop up every day.
This whole world of fund raising, with letters, phone calls, emails, and gifts smacks of big business. Yet I had no idea just how big. I decided to do a little research and try to get a handle on just what is going on. And hey, nickel and dime stuff, it isn't.
According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCSS) there are more than one and one-half million non-profit charities registered in the United States. If you have a particular activity which you feel passionate about, your donation can find a happy home. And in one recent year, charitable giving in the United States totaled $427.7 billion dollars, with 68 percent of that huge bundle coming from individuals. The average annual donation is about $120.
That is some huge amount of giving by generous Americans, and for the record, it even dwarfs the America's foreign aid, of some $50 billion annually.
There are admonitions about giving, say the charity experts. Don't succumb to "knee jerk" generosity or sob stories--give some thought to the charity and check into its operation. Also, hang up on on the telephone solicitor who calls around dinner time. Too many telemarketers get a credit card and a commitment out of the homeowner between bites at supper. In the end, only a few cents on the dollar wind up with the charity, and the rest lands in the pocket of the fund raiser and his aids.
Compensation paid to CEOs and presidents and financial directors of large charities sometimes top $500,000 for a year. These sky high salaries are often the subject of criticism, but these administrators of these billion-dollar enterprises claim they have as much responsibility and as many costs as any titans of industry.
So, open your mail and look over all those begging you for help. Go ahead, contribute to disaster zones and abused animals and lonely soldiers and sick and needy children. But if you want to feel good about it, make sure the charities you choose to endow are deserving of your generosity. Pick a few, check them out, and concentrate on those, instead of sending money to everyone that tells a sad story.
The lion's share of your largess should wind up with those who need your help, and not just provide happy times for the fund raisers.
xxx
This whole world of fund raising, with letters, phone calls, emails, and gifts smacks of big business. Yet I had no idea just how big. I decided to do a little research and try to get a handle on just what is going on. And hey, nickel and dime stuff, it isn't.
According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCSS) there are more than one and one-half million non-profit charities registered in the United States. If you have a particular activity which you feel passionate about, your donation can find a happy home. And in one recent year, charitable giving in the United States totaled $427.7 billion dollars, with 68 percent of that huge bundle coming from individuals. The average annual donation is about $120.
That is some huge amount of giving by generous Americans, and for the record, it even dwarfs the America's foreign aid, of some $50 billion annually.
There are admonitions about giving, say the charity experts. Don't succumb to "knee jerk" generosity or sob stories--give some thought to the charity and check into its operation. Also, hang up on on the telephone solicitor who calls around dinner time. Too many telemarketers get a credit card and a commitment out of the homeowner between bites at supper. In the end, only a few cents on the dollar wind up with the charity, and the rest lands in the pocket of the fund raiser and his aids.
Compensation paid to CEOs and presidents and financial directors of large charities sometimes top $500,000 for a year. These sky high salaries are often the subject of criticism, but these administrators of these billion-dollar enterprises claim they have as much responsibility and as many costs as any titans of industry.
So, open your mail and look over all those begging you for help. Go ahead, contribute to disaster zones and abused animals and lonely soldiers and sick and needy children. But if you want to feel good about it, make sure the charities you choose to endow are deserving of your generosity. Pick a few, check them out, and concentrate on those, instead of sending money to everyone that tells a sad story.
The lion's share of your largess should wind up with those who need your help, and not just provide happy times for the fund raisers.
xxx
