Unsolicited gifts sour donation requests
To Will Coggins’ and Glenn Mickens’ recent letters (TGI, Dec. 18, Dec. 23) on charities, I say, Amen. I wish, however, to add one more to their suggestions for donating wisely.
On principle, I never give to organizations that send me unsolicited gifts like address labels, notepads, greeting cards, etc. Especially odious are those that include money in their letters. For example, I have repeatedly received letters from an outfit that includes a 50 cent piece in each one. So far, I have gotten $3.50.
It seems reasonable to assume that I am not the only “lucky” recipient of these attentions. Therefore, when the first letter arrived, I wrote the organization and suggested that, if they send to 1,000 people, they might have thrown away $500 that they might have put to better use by giving it to those whom they claim to aid. So far, I have gotten no response other than more letters containing 50 cent pieces.
When I donate to a charity, I want to help the disabled veterans, abused animals, hungry children or endangered ecosystems that it purports to represent. I do not want my money being used to send more useless stuff to others like myself who neither need nor want it. I already have enough address labels to last me for the next 120 years, yet, they still come. In one egregious case, the same charity has sent me three sets of labels in the past month! Enough already!
Does anyone else out there feel this way? Does anyone have any suggestions for strategies, other than passive resistance, to stop this waste?
H.M. Wyeth,Anahola
I know all about that stuff, Mr. Wyeth. Our postman has to have back treatments because of all that stuff my wife receives nearly everyday. Yet, I receive none of that stuff; zip, zero. I guess they don’t like me.
I whole-heartedly agree. And I’m tired of organizations who exploit children in order to raise funds. Shriner’s was particularly bad this year, even offering a blanket! St. Jude’s came in 2nd, offering a packet and tee shirt. I’d far rather the money went to the children instead of these come-ons so I don’t support them either.
When that junk mail comes with an already postage paid return envelope, send it all back to them. In fact, stuff all the other junk mail in those envelopes too. Send it all off the island to save our landfill.