I don't want to seem harsh, but I have 2 charities close to my heart. The ONE campaign and my mother.

I get all these charity address labels in the mail asking for donations. I used to give to all of them, but then I realized that I had A LOT more charities ask for money the year later. So, I stopped giving to those charities...I still keep the address labels and use them though. I think it's a waste if not. But man, March of Dimes put this cute little child on theirs and every time I go to mail something, I feel bad.

Boy, they sure do know how to market!!

Do you get those in the mail too?

By Mommmie on Friday, August 5, 2005 - 10:27 pm:

I get thousands of them. I give money to one charity - a children's home in Texas - and they must sell their list bec I get so many requests for money now from charities. Every day. I shred most of the address labels I get now. I couldn't begin to use them all. I don't donate money to any other organization I don't care how many requests I get.

By Marcia on Friday, August 5, 2005 - 10:43 pm:

I get them from the people I've donated to in the past. I get from Heart and Stroke and cancer - normally breast cancer. I use them all, but don't donate because of them. My normal donations have either been at the funeral home or to support someone doing a walk, etc.

By Reds9298 on Friday, August 5, 2005 - 10:48 pm:

I used to get them all the time from 2-3 charities that I always donated to, BUT I was getting personalized notepads, address labels, little calendars and I started thinking: Are my donations going for these 'little gifts' or for the actual charity? It has really made me think, so I don't donate as much as I used to. My biggie is still the Amer. Heart Assoc., but I also used to donate quite a bit to March of Dimes and the ASPCA. I just think it's ridiculous that they waste so much money on sending out all of this stuff. I hardly think people donate based on how many address labels they get for Heaven's sake, you know?

By Annie2 on Friday, August 5, 2005 - 10:49 pm:

We donate privately to the Cancer Research Fund. I do use the labels sent to me from the various orgs. Don't destroy them. Using them helps to get their message out, in a small way.

By Heaventree on Saturday, August 6, 2005 - 11:09 am:

I put them back in the mail marked "returned to sender" so they remove me from their mailing lists and don't keep sending them.

By Bea on Saturday, August 6, 2005 - 11:16 am:

Charities like this are using poor marketing tactics as far as I'm concerned. I don't contribute to any cold mailing requests. As you pointed out...it only leads to more requests. They make the money by selling address lists.

I wish I knew a way to help that twinge of guilt you feel. I don't think it's justified. I think Annie has a point. Using their logo spreads the message. Use away!!!

By Reds9298 on Saturday, August 6, 2005 - 12:10 pm:

Mine never have a logo on them though! They just have a flower or something ugly and cheesy. No logo or symbol at all.

By Boxzgrl on Saturday, August 6, 2005 - 12:26 pm:

We get them every year from the ASPCA since I donated a few years ago. I donate when we can but they usually send stuff around Christmas when money gets more tight. I only donate to animal causes, how much of a traitor am I? LOL!

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, August 7, 2005 - 10:04 am:

I get them from a number of places too. I only donate to the Red Cross annually, but other places, such as National Wildlife Federation and several other *charitable* organizations, as well as banks and insurance companies send them to me. The funny thing is, I ordered address labels online and have a roll of something like 1000 labels that are just basic black print on a clear background, with no cheesey pics or emblems on them, and those are the ones I like to use.