STOP SHAKING THAT CAN

DON’T SHAKE ME DOWN FOR YOUR CHARITY!

Giving to charity is a good thing.  Collecting for a charity is difficult; no one likes to feel like they are begging.  I do have empathy for people trying to collect for a worthy cause, but I also have a major bug up my butt over some collecting methods.

To those that do the highway shake-down:

When I am at a stop light I probably see you and your bucket.  The reason I have the window up and am looking straight ahead is I don’t have spare change, or I just don’t want to give it to you.  I may well have given earlier on my way to the store.  Do I have to give on the way home? 

Please don’t tap on my window! 

When I go to the grocery store, do I really have to have people shake a can of coins in my face and ask “Do you want to give to cure cancer?”

“No, I want to go grocery shopping!  I give to charity.  I give a lot.  I probably should give more, but if I do it will be to my cause, not yours!”

Look, first of all, I have no idea whether your cause is real or not.  For all I know you are sticking those coins right back in your own pocket.  Am I jaded?  Blame it on all the fake charities out there that are on the news every week.  Blame it on all the shysters who have taken my $5 or $10 so they could buy a train ticket home and would mail it back to me.  Yes I have fallen for that one about 4 times.

Do I want to find a cure for cancer; yes that is why I write checks to legitimate charities for Pancreatic, Breast and Brain cancer.  I give to others also so stop sticking that can in my face and shaking it.  Stop your snide comments.  Stop your sarcastic “Thank you very much” and “Have a nice day” when I fail to drop a quarter in your can.  Stop your little holier than thou smirk.

Lots of people give; they don’t need to give to you.  Lots of people can’t afford to drop 25 cents into every can that gets shaken in their face at grocery stores, stop signs and stop lights. 

I know that collecting is difficult, but you can and should do it without trying to shake people down with your can shaking.  When you are disrespectful you damage your charity more than you help it by bullying people for their quarters.

And please, stop shaking that can in my face!