A few months ago I made a contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, IL. Yesterday I received an acknowledgement letter and at the bottom was a post script that read; “From time to time, the Alzheimer’s Association shares the names of its donors with other organizations the we think may be of interest to you. If you do not wish us to share your name, please call us at 888.272.3900.” I was really ticked off!!!!!!! What gives them the authority to share my name (which in reality means sell my name) to other organizations without my permission and then after the fact tell me if I don’t want to continue, call and have my name taken removed from the list? How can they determine what other organizations may be of interest to me? Since I made this contribution I have been inundated with charitable requests, most including return address labels as an enticement to respond. I have enough labels to last several lifetimes!!!!!!!!! Although I made the call and took my name off, the damage is done and my name is flying around cyberspace as a potential donor for all to contact.
I will continue to support my local chapter, but for the national organization, I’m done.
(Joan: If you walk again next year, count me in!) DickS
A charitable organization such as Alzheimer's should be ASHAMED of themselves. I expect that nonsense from for-profit companies, but not charities, especially one as well known as the Alzheimer's Association.
Although, as you say, the damage is done, I would still go as high up in the Association as I could go and make LOTS OF NOISES OF COMPLAINTS.
And thanks, Dick, yes, I am walking again. The good news is that the walk is right here in Tradition, in my little town. We have beautiful lakes and walking trails, so all I have to do is train on the one they are using, and I'll be way ahead of the pack!
I really appreciate when i see those footnotes saying the opposite..........."WE WILL NEVER SHARE YOUR INFO ." But they aren't usually the orgs looking for donations.
Alz Assoc. KNOWS ( by virtue of what their donors are dealing with) just how tough it is to get those charity mailers off our back, and also knows the travails so many of us have gone through when our ADLO's are still able to give their credit card or banking information, AND get their mail.
How many of us have had to start taking over in time to find our loved ones were scammed (or about to be), and had written checks, or authorized people to charge credit cards? How many times have we found out a loved one was giving so much of their money away every month that they were in financial trouble?
Know what they tell my DH now? Over the phone, when he cannot seem to navigate his wallet or give credit info I've come on the scene in time to find them saying, "We'll just charge the same card number we used when you donated last year." I've missed a couple of these when i've been out of earshot of the phone and found a "donation" charged to our credit card when the bill comes a month or so later.
New Realm, I hope that you challenged the charge. And if the bank wouldn't reimburse you, insisted on changing your card number or even got a card from another bank.
Back when my husband was still going on-line and still had a credit card in his wallet, I'd periodically find charges I didn't recognize. We'd go to the bank, I'd file a complaint, they'd reverse the charge, and they'd give us a new card with a different number.
After the third time, the bank and I were both getting a little fed up with the routine, so I had to take the card away. He was pretty good about it, only sulked a little...
That is the reason I never give donations over the phone or by mail. I only contribute thru my church and they send the $$ where I designate (World Vision, etc.) Very handy. I have also had one of those "stop mail" things some time ago but I lost the address. Also the same with phone numbers but that doesn't work with charities.
The thing that ticks me off is when I drop everything and run to the phone because I'm expecting the dr. to call back or something and get a recording of a very loud, excited, "Hi! This is Mark. You've just won...." That just really burns me up!!