Non profit organization phone calls

[Gordon Gray]

So here's a brief background and I am very curious as to other members experiences.

I try to give a little to alot of NPO's. Probably 20 different NPO's. MADD, PETA, NPR, etc.

I was home sick today and received 10+ NPO phone calls.

Unfortunately, I've decided to discontinue my small support due to the constant harassment associated with contributing to worthy causes.

Is this commonplace? Do the NPO's share contributor's lists?

GG

 

[twich54]

That'l teach to get sick Gordon !

on the serious side while I don't get many, those that call during the dinner hour I sometimes give a lecture to..........and never give 'em a dime !

As a long time contributor to the American Red Cross, both in blood and $$, I abandoned them a few years back. I got sick and tired of them constantly asking for more $$ before even thanking me for what I just sent.

My favorite charity - 'Bridge of Hope'......... money stays local and I know first hand it helps out.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Dave,

That's exactly the point. And it's so ironic.

Glad someone understands.

Gordon

 

[Bernard]

I got tired of those organizations begging for money, but then when I sent them a cheque they would take at least three months to cash it, screwing up the balancing of my cheque book. I had to keep remembering it. So I quit doing that.

 

[Larry]

Remember that if you give money in response to a phone solicitation, the fundraising outfit will typically keep about 40% of the take. In our household, we select the organizations to which we wish to give, contact them directly, and contribute on a regular basis. To the telemarketers we always decline and ask them to take us off their call lists. Sometimes that part works and sometimes not. I'm much more troubled by the slimy telemarketers of dubious commercial products. The no-call federal and state lists no longer work, or so it seems. Do any of you have an effective tactic for dealing with those scum?

Larry

 

[zaphod]

if i give money to an organization (say world vision or such) they then bombard me with phone calls, mailings, emailings and so on. My attitude is "i gave you money without all this annoyance - why do you think it necessary to start spending money on mailing me stuff, and why are you annoying me with it".

for email i typically set up a targetted address that I can delete or filter at a later date.

in Canada we have the DoNotCall (DNC) list that is a bit of a failure, bit of a success. there are many loopholes to it - political parties, religions, and my favourite "companies with whom you have recently done business". This last one allows the phone company (with whom i have a phone only a phone) to call me repeatedly to offer internet services, TV services, cat sitting services (don't even have a cat).

but the best part of the DNC list is that they sell it to business so that they know who not to call. Including companies outside of Canada. Which means they get to buy a list of numbers that are guaranteed valid. So they target these numbers from the list (which is against the law), but because they are outside of Canada they can't be touched or stopped.

beautiful.

 

[timm]

What Larry said. If you have an organization you want to give to why give a large chunk to the telemarketing firm handling it? That person on the other end of the line is so thankful for your donation because he or she is getting paid for it. I'm all for people getting paid but not under the guise of a donation to charities.

 

[twich54]

What Larry said. If you have an organization you want to give to why give a large chunk to the telemarketing firm handling it? That person on the other end of the line is so thankful for your donation because he or she is getting paid for it. I'm all for people getting paid but not under the guise of a donation to charities.

tim, in order to set the record straight, not EVERY telemarketer is getting paid, there are some that are volunters.

 

[Rich]

The "do not call" lists worked for about the first six months. Then the telemarketers figured out that there was no teeth to the legislation and they could ignore it. Due to the constant harassment from NPOs, businesses, politicians, etc., I no longer answer my phone. They get to talk to the machine. Every time. And their messages get deleted without being listened to. That is the only solution I have been able to come up with to deal with the constant "trash" calls.

As for giving to NPOs, I used to give to national organizations like Red Cross and others, but after becoming disillusioned with them, I now only give to local charities. And if they bug me too much, I tend to stop giving to them as well. The whole "non-profit" thing has become quite the scam. Just look at the amount of money that the Komen foundation spends on marketing vs. actual cancer cure research. It is a joke.

 

[twich54]

Just look at the amount of money that the Komen foundation spends on marketing vs. actual cancer cure research. It is a joke.

agreed Rich, that's why I support...'Pink Ribbon Riders' , tops I believe in percentage that 'actually' goes to the cause.