Volunteerism
George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara were on ABC’s “This Week” on Christmas Eve morning. They were talking about the Salvation Army and their hopes for the group during this holiday season. It seemed a little late to listen to Mrs. Bush imploring people to put their spare change in the kettle, but it was probably taped a week or two before.
It was a nice piece. There was nothing offensive about it. I haven’t heard many complaining about the Salvation Army or any other group this year.
Last year a national chain asked the Army not to put their people in front of their stores. They wanted to “position” themselves as “high end”, or at least “higher end”. They felt the Salvation Army tended to put their stands in front of discount grocery stores and Wal-Marts. They did not want to be “positioned” as that type of store.
It is sad how volunteering money and time has changed through the years. It is less about the “goodness in your heart” and more about how we may benefit.
If a person donates money they want some type of receipt for their taxes. That’s fine, but it takes some of the shine off the donation since there is a benefit to the one giving. That said, I believe in getting the tax break and if you do give a substantial amount you should take advantage of it.
What is bothering me recently is the push to buy products with a “Product RED” designation. This has been most obvious to me with the Motorola V3 “RAZR” phone. If you purchase one of these phones, a donation is made to help “eliminate AIDS in Africa”, or so says the “Product RED” website.
I read a “letter to the editor” recently in a local paper that complained that the donation was considered a “marketing ploy”. Initially, I just thought the writer was a Scrooge and did not see it that way. As I reflect on it, I do follow their thinking.
Keep in mind; I have nothing against Bono, “Product RED” or eliminating AIDS in Africa. I hope we can eliminate AIDS in Africa and everywhere. Most causes that request donations are worthy causes.
My initial thought when I heard about the Motorola V3 RED was that people would not buy a cell phone just to make the donation. If they were already going to get a new phone, they would be persuaded to buy the “RED” phone over the Nokia or LG by believing they were doing a good thing for the world.
Then I realized that some people may purchase a “RED” cell phone, even when they were not thinking of buying a replacement cell phone. Maybe their phone was perfectly fine, but they want to be seen as “good people”, not by making a real donation of time and money, but by buying the “RED” phone. It’s the “Get Out of Jail (donating) Free” phone. If they pay an extra $100, so be it. At least they have a cool phone out of the deal.
Maybe the thinking is that there are people who don’t donate at all? Maybe convincing them to buy a phone or a watch or a shirt will somehow force them to donate. Is that the belief? Do we really think that little of people that we think we have to trick them to donate to a charity?
Is this what has become of marketing in the 21st century? Buy a product that donates for you? The company is not losing. If the ploy sells a hundred more phones or five hundred more, they are making a profit above what donation is made. The donation is figured into the cost of the phone.
The cell phone company is not losing anything. They gain a few more customers for the cost of some advertising dollars saying “Hey, we provide service to the RED phone”!
I took a minute and looked at myself. I donate money. Not a lot, but I don’t have a lot. I donate time to my community. Could I do more? Maybe.
So here is the plan. When I become a millionaire, I will donate lots of my money to these and other organizations. But, in order to do that, I need your help. Send me an email. I will send you an address to a post office box. Send a check to “Alexander Dimm Millionaire Fund”.
If ten thousand people donate one hundred dollars apiece, the fund will reach a million. Then, I’ll invest that money and donate to charities based on the interest earned.
Of course, I will have some expenses involved in setting everything up, so you may want to send more than one hundred dollars. If just five thousand people send one hundred and fifty dollars that will give the fund an extra two hundred fifty thousand dollars. That should cover the costs involved with the post office box and the investment company. It could also guard against any potential losses. It will pay for fees to the government for setting up the organization.
It will also offer me a small stipend for putting all this together. At the end of a year, everyone who donates will get a pamphlet in the mail telling you what a great job you did in sending me one hundred fifty dollars.
It will also remind you to send another one hundred fifty dollars. After all, I will need another small stipend. And that donation money we gave away last year won’t be going as far this year, so we need more money.
Before you reach for your checkbook, there is no “Alexander Dimm Millionaire Fund” and there won’t be. If you did not take my idea for the joke it was, it shows you how easy it is to get caught up in the sticky world of charity.
As you get inundated by people asking you for donations, please don’t turn a total deaf ear. Please by mindful of any money you choose to donate. Be careful of the marketing of charities.
Also, are great donation is your time. There are so much complaining and not enough doing. Do you see something that should be changed? Do something about it!
I had a boss who taught me “do not come to me with a complaint unless you also have a solution to offer.” It is a lesson that can be applied everywhere.
If you do not like an advertising campaign, do not go to that store. If you do not like a particular TV show, do not watch. If you are unhappy with something going on in your city, take an alderman to coffee and explain your position. If you want the war to stop, email your congressman, or senator. Explain your position. I know it is hard and time consuming. Do it anyway.
Every donation of money does not have to be thousands of dollars. Every donation of time does not have to be on display before the world.
My wish for 2007 is that you give these ideas thought. Have a great year!
Alexander Dimm
It was a nice piece. There was nothing offensive about it. I haven’t heard many complaining about the Salvation Army or any other group this year.
Last year a national chain asked the Army not to put their people in front of their stores. They wanted to “position” themselves as “high end”, or at least “higher end”. They felt the Salvation Army tended to put their stands in front of discount grocery stores and Wal-Marts. They did not want to be “positioned” as that type of store.
It is sad how volunteering money and time has changed through the years. It is less about the “goodness in your heart” and more about how we may benefit.
If a person donates money they want some type of receipt for their taxes. That’s fine, but it takes some of the shine off the donation since there is a benefit to the one giving. That said, I believe in getting the tax break and if you do give a substantial amount you should take advantage of it.
What is bothering me recently is the push to buy products with a “Product RED” designation. This has been most obvious to me with the Motorola V3 “RAZR” phone. If you purchase one of these phones, a donation is made to help “eliminate AIDS in Africa”, or so says the “Product RED” website.
I read a “letter to the editor” recently in a local paper that complained that the donation was considered a “marketing ploy”. Initially, I just thought the writer was a Scrooge and did not see it that way. As I reflect on it, I do follow their thinking.
Keep in mind; I have nothing against Bono, “Product RED” or eliminating AIDS in Africa. I hope we can eliminate AIDS in Africa and everywhere. Most causes that request donations are worthy causes.
My initial thought when I heard about the Motorola V3 RED was that people would not buy a cell phone just to make the donation. If they were already going to get a new phone, they would be persuaded to buy the “RED” phone over the Nokia or LG by believing they were doing a good thing for the world.
Then I realized that some people may purchase a “RED” cell phone, even when they were not thinking of buying a replacement cell phone. Maybe their phone was perfectly fine, but they want to be seen as “good people”, not by making a real donation of time and money, but by buying the “RED” phone. It’s the “Get Out of Jail (donating) Free” phone. If they pay an extra $100, so be it. At least they have a cool phone out of the deal.
Maybe the thinking is that there are people who don’t donate at all? Maybe convincing them to buy a phone or a watch or a shirt will somehow force them to donate. Is that the belief? Do we really think that little of people that we think we have to trick them to donate to a charity?
Is this what has become of marketing in the 21st century? Buy a product that donates for you? The company is not losing. If the ploy sells a hundred more phones or five hundred more, they are making a profit above what donation is made. The donation is figured into the cost of the phone.
The cell phone company is not losing anything. They gain a few more customers for the cost of some advertising dollars saying “Hey, we provide service to the RED phone”!
I took a minute and looked at myself. I donate money. Not a lot, but I don’t have a lot. I donate time to my community. Could I do more? Maybe.
So here is the plan. When I become a millionaire, I will donate lots of my money to these and other organizations. But, in order to do that, I need your help. Send me an email. I will send you an address to a post office box. Send a check to “Alexander Dimm Millionaire Fund”.
If ten thousand people donate one hundred dollars apiece, the fund will reach a million. Then, I’ll invest that money and donate to charities based on the interest earned.
Of course, I will have some expenses involved in setting everything up, so you may want to send more than one hundred dollars. If just five thousand people send one hundred and fifty dollars that will give the fund an extra two hundred fifty thousand dollars. That should cover the costs involved with the post office box and the investment company. It could also guard against any potential losses. It will pay for fees to the government for setting up the organization.
It will also offer me a small stipend for putting all this together. At the end of a year, everyone who donates will get a pamphlet in the mail telling you what a great job you did in sending me one hundred fifty dollars.
It will also remind you to send another one hundred fifty dollars. After all, I will need another small stipend. And that donation money we gave away last year won’t be going as far this year, so we need more money.
Before you reach for your checkbook, there is no “Alexander Dimm Millionaire Fund” and there won’t be. If you did not take my idea for the joke it was, it shows you how easy it is to get caught up in the sticky world of charity.
As you get inundated by people asking you for donations, please don’t turn a total deaf ear. Please by mindful of any money you choose to donate. Be careful of the marketing of charities.
Also, are great donation is your time. There are so much complaining and not enough doing. Do you see something that should be changed? Do something about it!
I had a boss who taught me “do not come to me with a complaint unless you also have a solution to offer.” It is a lesson that can be applied everywhere.
If you do not like an advertising campaign, do not go to that store. If you do not like a particular TV show, do not watch. If you are unhappy with something going on in your city, take an alderman to coffee and explain your position. If you want the war to stop, email your congressman, or senator. Explain your position. I know it is hard and time consuming. Do it anyway.
Every donation of money does not have to be thousands of dollars. Every donation of time does not have to be on display before the world.
My wish for 2007 is that you give these ideas thought. Have a great year!
Alexander Dimm
Labels: Politics
posted by Alexander Dimm | 9:03 AM
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