Written by J.P. Wicklein
My 40 minute commute takes me through several suburbs and dozens of stoplights. During the commute I’ll inevitably encounter someone walking between lanes of traffic, with jar in hand, asking for donations. Sometimes they are collecting for well known charities, such as the Salvation Army. Other times the charities are smaller or questionable in nature. It seems like I’m encountering “stoplight charity” much more frequently than I did a few years ago. The bottom line: I’m tired of being asked for charitable donations at red lights.
Like most, commuting isn’t the happiest point of my day. Often I’ve got work on my mind or some level of frustration from battling traffic. The last thing I need is someone asking me for a donation while I’m waiting for a green light. Don’t get me wrong, occasionally I’ll drop some loose change into one of their jars (mostly for police, firefighter, or veterans organizations). When I get solicited for donations at stoplights several times a week, though, it makes me less likely to dig into my pocket. I understand that charities need to raise money but there are other ways to do it. Seriously, let me commute in peace!
What do you think? Is “stoplight charity” out of hand? Am I overreacting? Answer the poll and add your comments below!
Photo by: rpongsaj
Loading ...
6 responses so far ↓
1 Tim B. // Jun 7, 2009 at 10:56 am
I don’t donate to these to these clowns. It only encourages more of them which means more traffic disruption. You can send a check or donate to most of these charities online, and then you’re assured that the charity actually gets the money. Who knows where the money goes when you stuff it in a can. Most likely it goes to buy crack.
2 Steve S. // Jun 7, 2009 at 11:25 am
Just like corporations, there are responsible and irresponsible charities. Charity Navigator, http://www.charitynavigator.org/, is a good place to start to evaluate how efficiently a charity is run and evaluate the charity’s capacity to help reach its goals.
3 JT // Jun 8, 2009 at 12:51 am
I don’t like to dig into my pocket while trying to fight the traffic. For me, it’s a safety concern. And if I want to make a donation, I first need to research the organization so that I know where my donation goes. I work hard for my money and I don’t want to just drop it in any random box on the streets, though the box might have reputable logos (e.g. Red Cross, Salvation Army) on it.
4 Financial Fellow // Jun 9, 2009 at 6:19 am
Steve -
Thanks for the info on Charity Navigator! I checked it out and it looks like a pretty good resource to me.
Tim/JT - I didn’t think too many people would agree with me on this one. Looks like just about everyone who responded is fed up. Thanks, for your comments!
John
5 RJB // Jun 9, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I have been the collector walking in intersections, as a volunteer for Misericordia, a home for the developmentally disabled on Chicago’s north side. They do it on two days each year, usually the last Friday and Saturday of April. The take can be significant; I’ve heard rumors they take in six-figure sums in those two days, which is a great haul for a facility of its size. It’s a sign that people do roll down their windows and give and an illustration that a dollar here and a couple quarters there really do add up.
Concerns about legitimacy are valid. We have branded vests and placards and coin jars for that reason. I have had suspicions of other ‘charities’ I have seen.
6 Financial Fellow // Jun 10, 2009 at 6:38 am
RJB -
I’ve seen Misericordia before (used to live on the north side of Chicago). They pick a couple days and put hundreds of collectors on the street at the same time, right? I had an even longer commute back then so I’d get asked for a donation several times by Misericordia.
So they may haul in a six figure sum over a couple days, huh? I can see why some suspect charities pop up on intersections.
Thanks for the comments. Great to hear from someone doing the collecting!
John (Financial Fellow)
Leave a Comment