Day 173 of 365 - Charitable Donations

A few weeks ago a pouch style envelope arrived in my mail without a clear indication on the package about where it originated.  I opened it to find a pair of socks with butterflies on them, two notepads with nature images, and a half dozen birthday cards with pretty foil seals for the envelopes.  It was from a wildlife federation, describing their services and seeking donations, all the while assuring me that there was absolutely no obligation.

I have to give them credit for choosing a time of year when there is not a deluge of solicitation items in the mail, and also for doing something a bit different by adding in the socks.  In a drawer I have sheets of address labels with bird, flower and tree images from different organizations.  Usually, when I receive something like that, I put them away in that drawer, along with the donation card to decide later whether I want to contribute anything.

But, this time I only sat on it for a day or two before sending a one time donation for my 'free' gift.  I'm still not completely sure why I did.  The thing is, I already make charitable donations, within my means.  A few are with organizations I believe in and give to on a monthly basis.  Then, there are other singular times during the year when I choose to support something a friend or family member is involved with and am happy to do so.

What surprises me about that pouch of items I received is, wondering what the cost of such a solicitation might be.  Do they get all those items generously donated by some sponsor?  The cost of mailing a large envelope is no longer cheap, nor is the quality of the sturdy envelope they used.  It's the old question about how much money is eaten up by administrative costs versus used for the actual purposes for which the organization exists.

I no longer answer telephone solicitation calls from any organization, thanks to caller ID service.  If there is no ID shown, if it is an 800 number or even if it has an organization name, I don't answer.  Since there is usually no message left, it is a fair assumption that a telephone solicitor would be trying to convince me to increase my donation related to some current crisis.

There is such a thing as donor fatigue.  With so many organizations seeking our funds, they have to be more and more creative in sparking an interest. I suppose in this recent case for me, it was probably the butterfly socks that stayed in my awareness, and would continue to do so when I wear them.  This was a strategy that in this instance worked to recruit a first time donor and no doubt I will be contacted again in future seeking more.

Many very worthwhile non-profits exist, providing supports and services or research not otherwise funded.  But, we need to be mindful about donating within our means, rather than giving to every cause which contacts us.  At least, that is certainly true for me, and probably for anyone else who does not have a wealth of funds to distribute.


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