Everyone has their hand out....

[martygeorge79 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close martygeorge79]

Seems like it never stops. Now at grocery store and fast food checkouts, before you're told your total, everyone's asking for a dollar for some cause. Then you're fortunate if you can make it to your car and lock the door before some panhandler is asking for something. Try filling your car with gas and NOT have some panhandler approach you. Maybe it's just where I live. Oh well, thanks for letting me vent.

Marty

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

No, it's not just where you live. I live on Cape Cod and at the local grocery stores there's always someone from some organization asking for donations. I feel accosted when I enter and leave. It's one thing if it's the local little league or girl scouts, it's another thing if it is a national charity.

I also dislike when I am at a traffic light and there's someone in the median collecting for some cause.

We don't have panhandlers like they do in cities (I live in a village with a year round population of about 15,000), but we do have a very big homeless population on Cape Cod, along with high instances of drug abuse, alcoholism and domestic violence.

If you go to Hyannis you will see it all. So, no, it is not just where you live.

Joy

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

When we go to the farmer's market, we buy extra and give the the collection site at the market for the second harvest food bank.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

When we go to the farmer's market, we buy extra and give the the collection site at the market for the second harvest food bank.

That's a different situation altogether. In that instance you are choosing to make a donation without being pressured by somebody rattling a collecting tin. It really hacks me off (I was going to use a stronger term) when you get either dirty looks or insults thrown at you when you don't contribute.
It's my money and I will decide which charity I donate to and when.
I actually had one instance where the collector with their tin berated me for not giving when the reality is that I actually did donate on a regular basis by direct payment. I gave the collector both barrels and also wrote to the charity to tell them I was cancelling my regular payment due to the attitude of their collector.

[pkyorkbeach Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pkyorkbeach]

Yes. at the stores and restaurants they do ask for a dollar. I agree if it was for Scouts or childrens group in our area I would feel differently. But many of the larger agencies collecting also receive money from United Way...where many people donate weekly from their paychecks.

In my town we do NOT have panhandlers. It is a small town. So I am fortunate not to have someone asking for money while I drive or get into my car.


Yesterday I was asked at Dairy Queen to donate one dollar to a large orgainziation.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

Have to ask

Seems like it never stops. Now at grocery store and fast food checkouts, before you're told your total, everyone's asking for a dollar for some cause. Then you're fortunate if you can make it to your car and lock the door before some panhandler is asking for something. Try filling your car with gas and NOT have some panhandler approach you. Maybe it's just where I live. Oh well, thanks for letting me vent.

Marty

The worst part is at the grocery where I work if we don't ask for a donation we can be written up and after three times we can be terminated. The company then turns around and announces to the world how great they are at donating money (your money).
Bart

[abc31 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close abc31]

I feel exactly the same way. I have always been very charitable, but My husband lost his business & right now things are very tough for us financially. I find it really difficult to say no to someone when I have my two healthy kids with me & they are asking for a donation to fight birth defects or something. Lately, it is everywhere I go. I really don't like being put on the spot. I can't help everyone, and like you, I would like to be able to decide which ones I feel I would most like to contribute to. I resent being pressured. It is one thing to have a tin can sitting on the check out counter, so I could put in my spare change if I choose to. It is another thing to be flat out asked to contribute by the cashier.

The other day I was at a drive through & was asked to give a dollar to help kids graduate from highschool. I wasn't even told who the charity was. I gave a dollar & drove away asking myself "isn't highschool free?". What exactly are they using the money for? I feel embarassed to ask questions, so I just hand the money over.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

I haven't seen any of this where we live. We have a metro population of ~350,000.

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

The local Publix routinely has the cashiers asking for donations to whatever the cause of the week is. I don't like it a bit. Can't I even pick up a loaf of bread without being solicited these days? Apparently not. And that is after running the gauntlet of whatever cause is patroling the sidewalk outside the store (but that is at least less often - maybe once a month, but still...).

We get calls on the house phone, we get calls on the cell phone, we get asked while sitting at lights, we get asked when we buy groceries. The donation asking in mailers is at least easy to toss out unopened. It just never stops.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Not mine.

I keep them in my pockets.

[Hoc Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Hoc]

I have notice that it is becoming more and more frequent. I donate to charities on an annual basis, but it kind of irks me to be asked at every grocery store, gas station and drug store checkout whether I want to donate money to some charity. Then, I walk out of the store, and there's usually someone on the sidewalk asking me to give money to another. We don't have many panhandlers here in Orange County, so I'm spared that.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

Vons

I haven't seen any of this where we live. We have a metro population of ~350,000.

Don't they have Vons by you? Heck, we are right outside of San Jose and the whole Bay Area is forced to ask for the donations.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Don't they have Vons by you? Heck, we are right outside of San Jose and the whole Bay Area is forced to ask for the donations.

Yes, we have Vons but we never shop there. We shop mainly at Stater Bros and Sam's Club.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Not mine.

I keep them in my pockets.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I thought they were my pockets.

[M. Henley Class President Find all posts View Profile Close M. Henley]

Ha!!

It used to be OF pockets.