Guess how you will feel when your contribution in the charity gets wasted, misused or ended up in the pockets of deceitful fundraisers? Remember that your charity dollars are an investment in your community, the nation and the world aiming to its welfare. Therefore it is wise to use just as much caution when making your decisions of contributing certain percentage of your income in some charitable organizations as you do when making other financial decisions.
Some charities hire professional fund-raisers to wield or manage large scale mailings, telephone drives and other solicitations, are entitled to certain percentage they collect. It is suggested that if you are begged for a donation, then you must ensure yourself about the caller whether he/she is a paid fund-raiser and what percentage of your donation will be kept by him/her. Proceed further if you are comfortable otherwise it will be better to send your donations directly to the charity to ensure full benefit.
One of the best way to avoid getting emotionally overwhelmed with direct mail requests for donations is by reducing the number of those solicitations. Whenever you donate to a charity, take care to include a note asking the charity not rent, sell or exchange your personal information and donation history which is generally rented or exchanged by the charity with other organizations to re-contact you. Another way to reduce the number of those solicitations by asking a charitable organization to limit its donation requests to once or twice a year failing to honor your request will let your attention turn towards different charity to support.
The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Telemarketing Sales Rule applies to telemarketers, who promptly identify the charitable organization they represent and disclose the purpose of the call. It also restricts calling times to the hours between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. and consider illegal if they call you even if you have asked not to be called and they may be subject to a fine of up to $11,000. The National Do Not Call Registry created by the federal government is an easy way to reduce the telemarketing calls you get at home. Within three months of registering your number you will start receiving fewer telemarketing calls. It will remain active for five years or until it is disconnected or you take it off the registry. You need to renew your registration after every five years to enjoy the uninterrupted services.
