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At Safeway I just round up to the next dollar. Makes keeping my checkbook easier. This month, in this area anyway, the cause is prostate cancer (I did correct the spelling when I was there, prostrate cancer). As a man I can get behind that cause.
First off, my father died of prostate cancer so I'm all for curing it. But here's my take on being asked at checkout for donations to cure various diseases. The pharmaceutical companies are charging obscene amounts for drugs and making obscene profits. And yet I'm being asked to "help find a cure" at the checkout stand. I'd be a fool to help keep the big pharmacies from spending too much of their huge profits on finding a cure. There are plenty of ways to give and my favorite is to give directly to the food bank. If I have even an inkling that a profit and/or mismanagement will be made somewhere by my donation, I WILL NOT donate.
In defense of the charities that collect the food in a barrel just inside the grocery store doors, what better place to collect food than a grocery store? We all make a few 'impulse purchases' that might better be donated to the poor. It beats these groups going door to door. Our church also collects food on the first Sunday of the month, but I usually forget to bring it! I think that's why these groups collect at the stores.
But do we know where these donations are really going or what percentage reaches the needy? Have we vetted these charities? I would rather do the research and be sure that as much of my hard earned money as possible is getting directly to those who need it.
Docs Without Borders, IIRC, is a well managed charity. I ended up giving to Partners In Health after doing a lot of research.
To me this surge in donation solicitation smells like another shakedown. It's been noticed that people are generous and/or easily guilted into donating to most anything even in these tough economic times.
It just feels like another shakedown of the middle class to me. Most large charities have unnecessarily huge "administrative" expenses and who knows where that money goes?.....could be to something I want no part in supporting.
I never donate when pressured to donate by a cashier. There's usually some sort of dumb internal contest going on at the store.
I am espeically suspicious of stores with drop off bins food or toys, anything that the particular store actually SELLS. What's to stop the store from returning the donations back to the shelves to be re-sold?? Nothing. Just their integrity.
As for the food donations, I take them to church where I know they go to a local food pantry.
I never donate when pressured to donate by a cashier. There's usually some sort of dumb internal contest going on at the store.
My policy as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Easybreezy
I am espeically suspicious of stores with drop off bins food or toys, anything that the particular store actually SELLS. What's to stop the store from returning the donations back to the shelves to be re-sold?? Nothing. Just their integrity.
My question as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Easybreezy
As for the food donations, I take them to church where I know they go to a local food pantry.
Good for you. It is not just that we want to spend our money wisely, but we want to ACTUALLY HELP the maximum number of those in need.
But do we know where these donations
It just feels like another shakedown of the middle class to me. Most large charities have unnecessarily huge "administrative" expenses and who knows where that money goes?.....could be to something I want no part in supporting.
Exactly! We are the little guy who ends up paying for everything.
I never donate when pressured to donate by a cashier. There's usually some sort of dumb internal contest going on at the store.
I am espeically suspicious of stores with drop off bins food or toys, anything that the particular store actually SELLS. What's to stop the store from returning the donations back to the shelves to be re-sold?? Nothing. Just their integrity.
As for the food donations, I take them to church where I know they go to a local food pantry.
I agree with everything you say. If the store sells it, it should not be collecting it for donations in first place. Yes, they could be putting the donations back on the shelves. Or another scenario is employees taking the donations too. There are plenty of honest people but sometimes there are crooks. Church is the best place to take food for donation hands down.
We have one too at our supermarket. I asked the cashier once where the food goes and she didn't know.
I donate directly to the local food pantry. They know what the people come in for and are very helpful as to what type of food I should bring to donate..basically mac & cheese in a box and any convenience food in a can. This is what they want, this is what they will eat so this is what I buy. The cases of veggies sat there for months untouched
I never donate when pressured to donate by a cashier. There's usually some sort of dumb internal contest going on at the store.
I am espeically suspicious of stores with drop off bins food or toys, anything that the particular store actually SELLS. What's to stop the store from returning the donations back to the shelves to be re-sold?? Nothing. Just their integrity.
As for the food donations, I take them to church where I know they go to a local food pantry.
Good point.
A increase in profits for the supermarket using the emotional appeal. They buy wholesale, sell retail, and make themselves look good. Just another marketing ploy.
If the supermarkets were really interested in helping with food donations maybe they should offer wholesale prices to the donated items.
All of these kinds of little irritations add up. People like to say "no big deal, if you don't like it just....". But honestly, the little irritations are why people are so cranky and irritable all the time. It's not healthy to be bombarded with 1000's of "good causes" every time you go about your business. It's not just those asking for donations either, we get petitions and sales pitches and religious propaganda shoved in our faces all the fracking time. I think it's all on everyones last nerve.
I agree 100%. I especially have to stock up and live in my bunker for a month during December because it is impossible to go anywhere without getting held up for donations.
If I could also extend this discussion, I find it extremely annoying the Girl Scout or Little League mothers that set up tent outside the market and pimp their kids out to beg for donations for their troop or team. It is not appropriate and it is not a nice thing to do to your kid either.
I guess I live in the wrong part of town; I never see this at my local supermarkets. The only time I see the Girl Scouts there is in early spring when it's Girl Scout cookie time and I'm usually quite pleased to see them since they no longer go door to door in this area and none of my coworkers have daughters in the Girl Scouts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana
In defense of the charities that collect the food in a barrel just inside the grocery store doors, what better place to collect food than a grocery store? We all make a few 'impulse purchases' that might better be donated to the poor. It beats these groups going door to door. Our church also collects food on the first Sunday of the month, but I usually forget to bring it! I think that's why these groups collect at the stores.
The food donation bins at my local supermarket are branded by a reputable food bank here and are collected regularly by the charity; I have seen them doing it. So I donate to them with confidence.
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