BS: Christian Aid chugging

Subject: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 05 May 11 - 03:25 PM

I responded to a poster at a motorway service station asking people to text NETS to 83010 to donate £3 for Christian Aid to provide a mosquito net. I thought it a good cause, but I only intended to make a one-off contribution. Now I'm getting calls from Christian Aid on my mobile...

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: gnu
Date: 05 May 11 - 03:28 PM

"£3 for Christian Aid to provide a mosquito net."

£3.... ahhhh... silk?

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 05 May 11 - 03:32 PM

I don't think silk but insecticide treated and long lasting...

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Maryrrf
Date: 05 May 11 - 03:33 PM

Unfortunately this has happened to me several times - I have donated, then been hounded for further donations. Not only that, my name must have gotten on a list, because other charities began to hound me as well. It isn't a good way to encourage donors. I'm very cautious now about who I donate to and how.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 05 May 11 - 03:45 PM

I do still think that malaria nets are a good cause, but I agree with you Mary that cold calling to my mobile doesn't encourage me to give more....

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 05 May 11 - 05:04 PM

Sadly, the Africans I've met on my journeys in West Africa get nets given to them through various charities, but they often don't bother to use them. In any case, mosquitoes bite at any time (I know from bitter experience!) so when you emerge from your net, you can be bitten just walking about, even in the daytime.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Musket
Date: 06 May 11 - 01:37 AM

It is a fact, unfortunately, that it is easier to get further money from somebody who has already donated than to find new donors.

Hence many charities feel it a good idea to bug people who have given in the past. I note that the direct debits I have set up for some charities might just cover the cost of the continuous mailshots I get from them, normally very glossy, professionally produced and usually heart tugging.

Despite the sterling work Christian Aid must do, I am never minded to give to a charity that has a particular flavour of religion attached to it. Their work has an undercurrent of missionary about it. I recall a photograph a friend took when doing some work for WHO in Namibia. A village that had two charities working on building up the infrastructure. At the time of the photo, the makeshift church and the makeshift mosque were well underway, although the water pump had yet to be drilled, the medical centre was staked out but not built yet and the village was being split in two on faith lines.

A pity, as in line with many other aid organisations, many faith based charities can and indeed do some sterling work.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: banjoman
Date: 06 May 11 - 06:22 AM

My family and I support several charities but my son, who is in a well paid paid job, has just about had enough of one particular one:
About a year ago he was left £100 by his Grandmother. He decided to donate it to her favourite charity as he felt that she would have liked that. Anyway, he has since been hounded by that charity both by phone and post, and it now appears that his details have been passed on to other charities who keep pestering him with raffle tickets and appeals for money. I think that this sort of thing is unaceptable as we already have a number of chosen charities.
I also take exception to what I feel is Moral Blackmail where the apeal seems to insinuate that unless I donate then some child/animal/ etc may die.
If I were to respond to every £2 or £3 a month apeal, I would soon be in need of charity myself. I repeat, we already support a number of charities, but would welcome the space to make our own decisions as to who we wish to support.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: GUEST,pete from seven stars link
Date: 06 May 11 - 11:48 AM

ditto-also supporting a number of charities,but continually getting more appeals on the doormat.these often contain "gifts".i dont want but evidently meant to make me feel obligated to donate.initially i did,but with a note to remove me from their mailing list.they pay no heed but at least i no longer feel obligated.
at least i dont get phonecalls-other than those pesky sales calls.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 May 11 - 01:28 PM

If a Christian Aid chugger rings my mobile on 3 consecutive days (as has happened) it makes me wonder where my £3 went....

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: ollaimh
Date: 06 May 11 - 01:43 PM

i used to especially like the unitarian service committee.they use eighty per cent of their donations for projests . many "charities" now give a third to the projects and a third to staff costs and a third to advertizing. maybe that's necessary in a complicated world but i feel better giving to and organization that us run by volunteers and gives most of the money to those actually in need

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: artbrooks
Date: 06 May 11 - 02:13 PM

I donated to several charities that aren't on my regular list after the tsunami that hit Indonesia. I have been getting monthly letters from them ever since. They don't respond to requests to cease and desist, and I figure that most of my original contribution has been wasted on mailings asking for more. Their mail goes directly into my paper recycling box, unopened.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Jack Campin
Date: 06 May 11 - 03:12 PM

I can some readers getting VERY confused on this thread. The UK and USA charities calling themselves "Christian Aid" could hardly be more different:

Christian Aid, UK
Christian Aid, Mordor

The UK one is a bit aggressive about fundraising but I have no problem at all with what they do with the money.

The one charity that really put itself beyond the pale for me over its fundraising activities was the Anthony Nolan Trust (for children's leukaemia). I work part-time for a charity (which probably annoys a few people with its fundraising stunts, but we're not a very big one so we don't annoy all that many people). The Anthony Nolan Trust junk-faxed us with an appeal.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 May 11 - 03:29 PM

I texted to donate for a mosquito net because Christian Aid UK is a reputable charity, and I've now looked at their website on what they're doing about mosquito nets here . But I don't want a daily phone call to ask for more.

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 May 11 - 05:15 PM

Where I come from in Wisconsin, "chugging" is the word for the rapid consumption of a large quantity of an alcoholic beverage. Taking that into consideration, the thread title Christian Aid chugging is quite intriguing.....

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: gnomad
Date: 06 May 11 - 07:00 PM

I believe the origin to be a running together of 'charity' and 'mugging'

A despicable practice, IMO, and one I can foresee will lose many charities long term support.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 May 11 - 08:45 PM

It brought to mind Jim Jones when I read it, Joe. Sorry, Kitty...same language, divided and all that.:-)

I usually take out all of the info I've been sent, put it in their postage paid envelope with a hand-written note all over the inserts to remove me from their list, then I send it back to them. IF they are smart, they take heed as it costs them when I send it back.

The ones that get me are the hospitals. I get one bill in its own envelope with a return envelope inside for each time there is any kind of interaction between them and me, even if it was the same day, different dept. I have something like twenty different acct. numbers at one hospital. One day I got 18 of the individual bills. It's ridiculous what they must spend on paper and postage. THEN, I get an "appeal" from them to donate funds so they may continue to help all of us.

Subject: RE: BS: Christian Aid chugging
From: GUEST,BobL
Date: 07 May 11 - 05:02 AM

Kat, if they use an automated system for billing you, it may actually work out cheaper for them just to send you the excess bumf, rather than pay staff to filter it out.