Charity guilt trip at work

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Charity guilt trip at work
19
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 5:52pm

UGH. Does anyone else work in an office where someone is ALWAYS asking for money for something? It's usually a baby shower gift around here, but this week it's a charity thing. The two employees in charge of the project are going desk to desk, multiple times, asking (hounding) for money and keeping a record of which staff members contribute and which don't.

I believe very strongly in giving to charity and the community - something everyone should do, I think. But, I also feel very strongly about giving to causes I have a personal passion for and that I have had a chance to research. In fact, I have spent quite a bit of time in the past year thinking about my giving "plan." I'd rather give more money to those causes than $5 or $10 bucks to random causes (many of which are worthy, but I can't give to *everything*) just because someone stopped by my desk.

So, I know I could put a few bucks in the bowl just to get them off my back - but it's not a contribution that I would feel great about because it was given out of guilt and not from a giving spirit on my part. Finally, the keeping track part annoys me. A lot of people like to give anonymously, and something about this whole thing just feels wrong to me.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

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Avatar for cl_shywon
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 6:09pm

That does seem very wrong.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-29-2003
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 6:31pm

Just curious, are the two employees at any higher level or managerial level, than the rest of the employees? The only person at my current company who may ask employees to donate, is our HR director, in which case he sends a company wide e-mail to all, and lets them donate or not, and no one else in the company knows who does or doesn't donate.

Regardless of whatever level these two are in, peer level or managerial level, I think it is wrong for them to keep tabs on who contributes and who doesn't, to keep track sounds really petty.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 6:33pm

>> Do your bosses know they're doing it? <<

Oh, yes. The charity happens to be chaired by one of our Board members - so there's an internal political component as well.

I don't know if my bosses know the collection method, though. I like the envelope with the check-off list that you guys do - that at least keeps it anonymous.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 6:37pm

One is managerial (not executive, though) and one is on the sales staff.

The managerial one is the one hounding and stalking people.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

Avatar for cfk_3
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-1999
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 7:26pm

Are they writing down the amount as well!? That's so silly. I guess they are writing it down so they know who NOT to hit up on the second go 'round?

Where I used to work, my boss made us donate at least five dollars before we could participate in the Lee National Denim Day. I was one of the collectors and one of my friends never donated (not sure why) but she always had her jeans on when the time came. I thought it was kinda funny. It was like, "I dare you write me up".

You know, I would feel sorry for the people who are brown baggin' it every day and absolutely cannot afford to give a penny. What are you supposed to say, you know?

I don't like giving money when I'm not sure what's being done with it. There are sites online now which supposedly account for every penny.

I think emails should be sent out letting everyone know that if they would like to make a donation to _______ they can see ________.

Avatar for mhash
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 7:38pm

Some of the companies I have worked at had policies that did not allow solicitation for this very reason. You might want to bring that up with your HR person.

Mark

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2004
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 11:28pm

One of the reasons why I'm glad I don't work in an office setting anymore ;)

I feel the same way...I have no problem donating to causes that I personally feel strongly about. For example, I love animals and every year I walk with the Michigan Humane Society in the Mutt March. Last year I raised almost $1000 by myself, and one of my friends declined not to donate and just said "I give a lot to them during the year and I got my dog from the shelter so that's how I support" or something like that. Totally fine, that's her perogative. And when it came time for her to do a walk and take donations, I opted not to. Not because she didn't donate to my cause, but because it was something that I didn't feel very strongly about.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 10:22am

>The two employees in charge of the project are going desk to desk, multiple times, asking (hounding) for money and keeping a record of which staff members contribute and which don't.<

WHAT??!!

Oh that is bollocks. How tacky can you get??

My office sort of does the same thing (although they don't keep track - I can't believe your office does that - that's ridiculous!!). I got sick of it too and just stopped contributing anything. Yeah, I'm the office b*tch but I'm sick of making contributions on my tiny little salary that I get.

About two years ago, we got hit up for TWO baby showers in one month - for two managers (who make triple my salary BTW). And ONE was not even his FIRST baby - it was like his third! So I for SURE didn't contribute to THAT one.

When they pass out those contribution cards I just mark a big fat ZERO on them nowadays. When I get even a cost-of-living raise THEN we'll talk about it. Until then, *I'M* the one around here who should be getting charity, not the managers.


iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 10:40am

>>And when it came time for her to do a walk and take donations, I opted not to.<<

Both at work and among friends, there is *always* someone doing a walk for something. Again, they are also very worthy causes, but like you, I now only contribute to the ones I truly believe in.

I had a coworker who wanted me to do a humane society walk with her (I LOVE the humane society- adopted my puppy from them, and I do support them). I turned her down because the MS Walk was that day, and I have a family member with MS. It was important for me to do that walk. My coworker got all bent out of shape because I didn't do the humane society walk - even after I told her my reason for doing the other one. Sheesh - a person can't win.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 10:47am

>>who make triple my salary BTW<<

Um, yeah. Especially when one coworker registered at Pottery Barn Kids and *nowhere* else (cha-ching).

Our department "tradition" is to go to this swanky old hotel for high tea on each person's birthday. A really nice idea in theory, but it's something like $40 per person - that's something I'd spring for maybe once every five years. I mean, it's tea and scones for crying out loud. I can make an entire batch of scones for $3. Now, we go six times a year! When it's the boss' birthday (she's a senior VP), we pick up the tab for her. Her salary is in that triple-mine range. :)

In her defense, she picked up *everyone's* tab when we went for my birthday, so I think she realized the disparity.

This is the kind of thing to which you can't say no, in the interest of positive department relations, but it just gets to be way too much.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

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