I understand that you are striving to make the world a better place, whether it is for children, animals, ecosystems, or social causes. As a former not-for-profit employee myself, I understand that you operate on slender budgets, and rely on the largesse of the public to see the value of your cause, and to help you do your good work through donations. I understand that public outreach is needed to both spread your message and solicit contributions. But listen to me closely here, because I have had enough.
Stop coming to my home to ask for money. It is inappropriate, it is presumptuous, and it is often a damned inconvenience.
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| Ding dong, annoyance calling. |
In the last few months, my doorbell has been rung more than once by these donation-seeking pavement pounders. As someone living in a city, I'm used to the occasional shyster coming to my door, peddling a slick deal. But what I cannot abide is someone seeking to guilt me into cleaning up our waterways, or sending a child in poverty to school. And what especially sends me into a lather is that these people have no compunction about ringing your doorbell at dinner time, demanding to speak with you, and attempting to continue the conversation when you've indicated you are not interested.
Here's what happened to me last night:
Scene: 6:30 pm, Weeknight. MF is sitting with Bebe in the dining room, helping him eat his dinner. Ginger the dog is anxiously attending to Bebe's movements, waiting for a stray crumb.
DING-DONG!
Ginger sets off into a manic burst of barking - which, from an 88 pound dog, is loud and alarming. Bebe, startled, bursts into tears. MF hurries to the door, grabs Ginger by the collar, and attempts to crack open the door just enough to converse with whomever's outside.
Charity Worker: Hello, my name is Sandra and I'm with Save the Snails. I'm here to talk with you about the important place snails have in our ecosystem and what you can do to ensure that they maintain their rightful place in the digestive pecking order. The continuation of the snail species is important to you, right?
MF (struggling to restrain Ginger from giving Charity Worker a tongue bath, while also checking to make sure shrieking Bebe is not falling from his high chair in hysterics): SHHHH Ginger! Hi, I'm sorry, but this is not a good time, my son is having his dinner.
Charity Worker: Oh! Okay, no problem, I can come back...later tonight. I'll be in the neighborhood until 9:00 pm. When is a good time for you?
MF (dumbfounded): Umm, no I'm sorry. Tonight is not a good time.
Charity Worker: Well, tonight's the only night I'll be in the neighborhood. (Turns on her heel.) Snail-killer.
Charities, listen to me here. This is NOT the way to get people to support your cause. I suspect it's not doing much to pad your coffers, either. Most of us folks think of our home as our sanctuary. We do not want to engage in a conversation on our front porch with a complete stranger who is trying to brow beat us into giving up our money to a cause that we have given no thought to prior to them setting foot on our doorstep.
Secondly, if you must send representatives out into the neighborhood to solicit funds, then instruct them that no means NO. Do not encourage them to ask me if I'm really sure I want to see the snail species die off, or perhaps I can scrounge up a mere dollar a day to donate to snail saving research. I said no, and I mean no.
Finally, do not come to my house on a weeknight. Ever. I arrive home from work looking to relax and put the stress of the day behind me. I do not appreciate having my evening routine interrupted. You may solicit my attention and possible donations from 11:00 am - 2:00 on Saturday or Sunday. I may or may not be home, in which case, you are welcome to leave a flyer.
Better yet, don't stop by, leave flyers, OR call me. I'll call you, if I decide to help save those snails.
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