It's a sign of the times.

I give to a charity monthly, and I got a call begging me to up my donation for the next few months.

I will occasionally give to a charity at a store if it's one or 2 dollars, and they include it with my purchase (Petsmart does this when I buy dog food, and Giant grocery does as well) but I'm not as comfortable putting a dollar in the jar at royal farms when all they have is a sticker on the front says "for the kids at st. judes" written in sharpie. It just seems to sketchy. I don't trust the ex-con behind the counter not to take my donation after I leave, or the management to later send all those pennies and nickles off later.

 

That's the pet store I was referring to before.

 

That is ALWAYS my reply!

"Sir would you like to donate to Jerry's kids, MS, blah blah blah"
"Only if you donate to my kids college fund first!"

There is nothing wrong with Charity, it can be a good thing. Shoot, I should start up my own "non-profit", put on a traffic vests and stand out side with a bucket waiting for a hand out........

 

I always say no and don't feel bad about it at all.

You can almost never know for sure if a charity like that is legit.

I go out and find the charity's I want to donate to, not the other way around.

Although I don't ever end up donating as much as I should thoughtout the year.

And I NEVER, EVER DONATE TO A BUMB!

 

I now have a 170 mile commute to work, one way. I don't make it daily as I stay over but in my travels around San Antonio, it really pisses me off that on Loop 1604 on the southside on weekends, the fire depts, churches, every twit organization in the world is at every intersection wanting money. Because I travel, I also pack a gun. The last moron that tapped on the drivers window got to see what it was and just how big the hole is in the barrel. While I understand charity and it's necessity, it doesn't need to be at every stop light and you darn sure don't need to touch my truck. If I get approached at a store, I call the store manager and tell him quite loudly that I'm not coming back. If I want to be harassed by some zipperhead wanting money, I'll get married.

 

That is the one that ticks me off the most!

 

I donate to bums base on entertainment value. When they approach me with their story, I give them 60 seconds, and if it's the same old crap I've heard a million times, then they get nothing. However, If they manage to keep my attention with a weird, or just ****** crazy story, I might give them a buck or 2. If I'm going to pay you to sit around and drink beer I better get my moneys worth in entertainment

 

There is a bum always on a wal mart parking lot here, He always says his house burned. I've been seeing him there for about 5 years.
But when I see a guy holding a sign that say's, I don't lie, please buy me a beer. I'll give him a buck.

 

Like you, I have my charitable contributions deducted from my bank account each month. I don't give thousands of dollars away or anything, but 5 different charities get $10 a month each from me.
Could I give more? Probably, and occassionally I do give to the people on the street or the people in the store, but after a while you just say to yourself
"Gimmee a F-n break already!"

The only point I was trying to make is I really do believe these stores (& I know they mean well), but it's not their place to collect money for various organizations. This practice is becoming more popular lately and it's very 'off-putting'.

At Christmas I always get a bit soft with the bums.
Last Christmas, I saw some poor homeless guy sitting on a window ledge in the downtown core, he wasn't panhandling, he was just sitting there freezing his *** off not bothering anyone.
I stopped my truck and gave him $20. Is it really going to change anything for the guy in the big picture? Doubtful, but in any case, it made me feel good and at least he had a few bucks to get a warm meal or whatever.

Bleh, I wish you could help everyone, but you can't, so you so what you can.

...and Bucky, I saw your comments in the other thread, you can **** too Big homo!

 

You don't want to donate? You mean you don't want to keep kids of drugs?

 

I cant stand being harassed walking in and out of a store. I get really pissed off and some of those people are persistent.

I love how Target has a no solicitor policy banning the begging.

 

Now i do understand your frustration in this matter and i have nothing but sympathy for you. I never give or buy chite from anyone ever, i simply say no and move on. I could care less who is near me and heard someone ask who the f cares about them... Time to man up and say F NO!!!!

 

I think you would like the sign I have on my front door.
I didn't expect so many people knockin on the door in the country, but they are everywhere!

 

Not charity related but today I saw a vagrant with a sign reading Anything helps EVEN change...

I guess they are getting picky now like change is below them. Pretty soon they will have the little credit card swiper on their signs.

 

Desperate times call for desperate measures---many legitimate charities are seeing donations drop. WE gt hit at school as well---Girl Scout Cookies, raffle tickets, etc. I just usually pick up a couple of GS Cookies from the first one to ask and then politely say,"no, thanks...already been hit up." They also camp out at the local Sprawl Mart---again, I just tell them I bought some already and go on my way. The vultures, though---the illegitimate ones or the shady ones, I ignore.

tim c.