I GUESS I MUST BE A CHARITY, BECAUSE THE CHARITIES KEEP SENDING ME THINGS.

     A few week ago I wrote a post about checking out the charities we give to.
I still haven't done it because I've been very busy [you can read that as a little lazy].

Some of the crap I threw out in the past three days.

    I mentioned in that article how I used to love to wait for the mail, hoping there would be a letter or something nice for me. It became a habit, so that when I had grown up and received mail of my own, I'd bring it in and open it right away.

    That persisted for many years since I was now an adult and there were bills, bank notices, [Shame on you. Not overdue notices if that's what you're thinking.I've never been late on a bill in my life], and magazines. Oh, and Macy's and Bloomingdale's would send catalogs that would have coupons. I like catalogs. They have merchandise which is left to my choice if I want to buy something. Opening the mail was just part of my daily routine.

   When I got older and started to make more money, I started to support some charities. It was a limited number as was my "extra" cash.

   *AD   When I was younger, the requests were addressed to supporter or friend.  The advent of computers changed that. And so I had a flashback  of when the envelopes and the letter inside had my actual name on it. Back then, that was unusual and it was a big deal. That was like a huge "wow".  It may sound retarded, but it really changed so much. Only we didn't know what was in store for us, not yet.

     Getting appeal letters just seemed like part of the natural order. The March of Dimes and a couple of others causes would always send their appeals to everyone. I can't remember but I think Easter Seals were a March of Dimes thing. I was little enough to like to play with them and pretend they were stamps.

    HISTORY OF ME AND SNAIL MAIL WHICH YOU WON'T FIND IN WIKI 

      I have no idea when it changed. Most likely, like all things, it was slow enough for me not to notice and over a period of time, it too became the norm.

     Still, I'd bring the mail in everyday and open it, organize it and be done. I had friends who would just throw it in a bowl on a table and I couldn't understand how they could do that. Like, what if you needed to pay a bill? What if they cancelled your insurance?  What if you got a check? Nope. I couldn't do it.  I was too compulsive and couldn't have looked at a stack of mail without anxiety.

      Now, most of us pay by  automatic transfers or some electronic method that doesn't require a snail bill. And going with the times, for the first time in my adult life I didn't send out snail Holiday Cards . Unless I received one which is what I'm sure many people did to me for many years.  I did send out ecards to people whose addresses I had.

     It's like there's a new me. Which of course comes with a side of annoyed. The mail I receive, is now either, political, catalog, bank crap, requests for me to open accounts, scare mail about Medicare and requests from charities.

     I just actually had three or four days of mail piled up on the kitchen counter because what I now do, is look through the stack when it comes in and take out whatever needs opening and toss the rest down. I'm not proud. As you can see in the first picture, I get stacks. My husband has me do all the correspondence  and charity payments. This way his name isn't on the lists. Even magazines. Man, he knew what he was doing. Sucker punch to the left.

          THE REAL ISSUE

   I believe in giving. Yes, it's also a nice tax deduction which is why it's on my mind this time of year.

   My problem is, (LOL. As if I have only one problem. That could keep me laughing for hours.)  that if they are so in need of money, why do they keep sending me stuff I don't need or want that has to cost them money?

   I don't want to mention which charities I give to. Not that it matters. If I gave once, they're still sending me this garbage. I assume that all charities send pretty much the same stuff, so I'm making a list but I won't be checking it twice.


     LIST OF GIFTS I GET FROM CHARITIES

cards

• calendars                
• date planners
• a nickel
• 11 cents
• a dollar bill
• checks for small amounts
• a stamp
• religious medals
• photos of children
• beads
• bookmarks
• skimpy blankets                   

  

  calendars

• baby's socks
• dream catchers
• calculators
• pens
• certificates of membership
• membership cards
• holiday cards
• cards for all occasions
• seals
• address labels.
• note pads, some personalized 

     I think I get over a dozen calendars and I can't even give them away because everyone else gets them too.
     I do use one of the date planners, but what do I do with the rest?
     I like to buy my own address labels. Although I don't need to anymore. I have enough labels to last several life times.  Some are just my first name, some say Doctor, some say ms.  My favorite labels are addressed as Mr.
      I love typos. I'm doing to do a post on them as soon as I can gather enough to make one.      

       HOW MUCH SNAIL MAIL DO I SEND ANYMORE?

             and how many checks do I even write?

     I understand that a charity needs to be run well if it is to bring in money. And since the economy went south, do did donations. Still, isn't the money supposed to help the people, or the research for the disease? Or have more access to weapons?  { I put that in because I don't know if there is an NRA charity, but I would assume that any cause needs cash} And wouldn't you assume that the more money that was spent on the goal of the charity, the better it would be for the actual recipients and researchers?

     So, who's getting money and who's losing it?

    By my count, of course, the people who are supposed to receive the money are at the head of the list on the loss column. Next are the businesses who are losing money because people are no longer buying Christmas cards or other cards, or address labels because they get them for free. I know. I get them from friends and have used them. What can I say? The dogs are soooo cute.   I suppose in general I could refer to it as the small companies in the printing industry, if such a thing still exists. And the letter carriers who have to bring them to our houses.  And let's not forget about our trees. Those poor trees are being destroyed so I can just look at a thick envelope and throw the whole kit and caboodle in the trash. Or more accurately, the paper recycle bin.



   Who's making out on the credit side?  The people the charities contract from, to buy these cheap items, the people who make them and the people who run the organizations. Even the advertising agencies that work for the ones who can afford to advertise.  I suppose the post office may benefit except that charities pay a reduced rate so they get a bargain, sending me junk.

         WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD?

   Everything has become a competition for our money. How is it that the corporations don't realize that we have limited resources? They still set their expectations as if we don't?
                                              
  *AD   My step daughter manages a store that is part of a chain. She is given a goal every month that is always higher than the one from last year. It's like the businesses don't believe that we, the people, can't keep spending the way we did. Not in this economy. However, if she doesn't make her goal, she can get into trouble. People actually lose their jobs when they don't meet expectations that are not based in reality. [She works so hard and get's results. I'm very proud of her]

      BACK TO WHAT'S WRONG.

    It appears that everyone has lost sight of what this nation is supposed to be about.  When did it become fashionable to bribe or guilt people into giving their money away?  Actually, that was probably always true. It's one of those things I deny so I don't have to always be cynical.

    The appeal letters ask if you received their gift, and you're supposed to feel guilty if you don't send them money to cover their expenses.  Guilt is big in my culture. I have to admit that there was a time it worked. Not any more. I didn't ask for this crap so I don't have to pay for it.


    THE STRAW THAT BROKE MY BACK

    For some reason, I liked the Wounded Warriors and used to send them money. Usually I try to choose one charity for each category I think I warrants my  support. You know, like Veterans, Animals, Diseases, People, or the Arts. Whatever.  Several months ago I saw an article online about how Wounded Warrior was suing other charities that were using similar logos of soldiers' carrying the wounded. I didn't want to believe this, so  I researched it because it had me upset. These smaller charities were being set upon by lawyers, (oops forgot about them being on the plus side of the list,) and these little guys had to defend themselves, and if they lost, 

everyone wants to be king.

had to give money to the bigger charity.

    That turned my stomach inside out. A wounded soldier, regardless of which charity he receives it from, deserves to receive whatever money or services are offered. What difference does it make if it's charity A or B? Instead, they take the money away from the soldier because they want the credit.


   It's hard to think of a theory when you're really pissed.  For the Warrior charity it felt like someone's ego was threatened.  He/They want to be the one people recognize and give to.  However, although it may be true, the CEO has probably got his job on the on the line to meet projections. The Board of Directors or Trustees would be the ones in charge. At least that's what I suppose.

   Thank the Lord I never had to work for a corporation. Since that's the case, I don't know first hand how they work.

   Not knowing something never stopped me before, and it won't stop me now.

   Corporate greed. In charitable organizations. That should be an oxymoron. I'll just call it moronic.

  And sad. Very sad. I wonder if they realize that they may be turning people off with this new approach? I sure hope so because I got an appeal that said on the envelope, something like this "no gifts or crap inside."  I opened it. I don't remember which charity it was. I may have sent them money because I was happy they didn't send me something. Or not. I'm just a "hater" at the moment.

  This post has more of a moral than a theory.  Keep it simple. If you want money from me, don't try to razzle dazzle me. Don't spend money on anything but the bare bones to keep your work going. Spend the money on the poor, the wounded the sick.Tell me the truth.  I most likely will open the envelope and send you more money. Isn't that what you want?