This morning I received one of those nuisance solicitations from a charity that I had never heard of and still can’t even remember. The caller was clever enough to use a phony id tag of someone we had previously called earlier in the morning. What a devious ploy!
The first thing she said was nearly the most insulting! “Is this Angela?” To which, I replied “Does this sound like, Angela?” I am a 51-year-old male, who sounds nothing remotely close to that of my lovely wife. Either she wasn’t listening, or didn’t care. Not a good start to getting my confidence!
The lady (loosely used) on the call was what I believe to be a sophisticated robocall. The charity organization claimed to be a breast cancer charity (breast cancer was instrumental in my mother’s death) which is a cause near and dear to me.
The female voice on the other end adamantly requested for me to agree to pledge some random amount. Going from high to lower but never addressing my reservations, I was growing more and more angry with the handling of this call.
I asked the voice, “Just how much the charity took and how much went to breast cancer research?”: Her response was disappointing:
“That’s a good question! Fifteen percent goes to research and eighty-five percent goes to administrative costs. Can I put you down for twenty-five dollars?” I couldn’t believe that she thought that I could have been so gullible to say anything near of affirmative! Thus, ended the call!
This is the time of year that charities bombard us with end of year requests. Be empowered, be informed, and don’t be shy to ask what that charity is doing with your hard-earned money. Unless you have a long-established relationship and are familiar with the charity or charities of choice, don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions. You have every right to ask where your money goes and how it is to be used. You also have a right to answers that satisfy your curiosity.
Here are some suggested questions for the charity fundraiser:
How much of my donation goes toward the cause and not administrative costs?
Do you work for the charity or are you a paid solicitor? If so, you might tell them, “I will save the charity money and make my donation directly—but thanks for reminding me”.
Do not feel pressured that this call is your one and only opportunity to contribute to the cause. If a charity is pressing you for a donation, take another look at the charity and do some background work.
It is easy to be lured into a convincing charity charade that sounds honest and true to purpose. If you want to know what kind of research was funded by the charity, then ask them. They should be proud of their work, not secretive! If you need time for research and to get answers, there is no reason why you can’t ask them to call you back later.
You are in the driver’s seat to your charitable giving. Don’t feel pushed and pressured by paid solicitors! You should feel confident and enthusiastic about the charities to which you give. The best way to be confident about your charitable giving is to know who, what, where, and how your donation will be used. Don’t be afraid to make a difference, just do your homework to make sure you are educated and satisfied with where your donation is going.
This morning I received one of those nuisance solicitations from a charity that I had never heard of and still can’t even remember. The caller was clever enough to use a phony id tag of someone we had previously called earlier in the morning. What a devious ploy!
