Comments on: Collecting for Women’s refuge

By: Doug S.

Doug S. — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 04:46:26 +0000

I’m going to put on my economist’s hat for a moment.

If you only have a small amount of money to donate, there’s a pretty good argument that one should donate it all to a single charity.

http://www.slate.com/id/2034/

So, should I donate my $100 to domestic violence shelters or to, say, vaccination programs for poor Africans? (Yes, this is a bit of an unfair question, but someone has to decide on horrible questions like whether to spend X dollars on improving road safety or on improving public education.)

By: Yohan

Yohan — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 19:06:23 +0000

“I started muttering this at men who walked by without giving money - ‘You’re the problem, not me, not her, you, and you won’t even give me a dollar.’”

What did you say to women walking by without giving money?

I never give money to such collectors, there is a lot of scam and misuse going on with donated money. I give money only directly to poor people who really need my help.

By: Maia

Maia — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:33:07 +0000

I’ve been doing this for ten years soon, giving out leaflets, collecting money, running stalls. I know how to deal with the frustration of people’s reactions without them knowing (by the way if you’ve ever worn a Che Guevara T-shirt and not taken a political leaflet then the giver has sworn at you behind your back).

I didn’t write about the worst incident, when a bunch of guys came up to our table and said “hey ladies” (in a pick up tone of voice) and then said “we love women”

By: Rosemary Grace

Rosemary Grace — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 05:52:41 +0000

The only time I ever stood on a street and rattled a can to collect money for a cause was when I was 16, and it was for the Royal National Lifeboat, the UK equivalent to the coastguard. It was interesting, as a fairly attractive 16 year-old girl I got a fair few male contributions, the one that sticks on my mind was some jerk who thought it would be funny to slap the collection box out of my hand and cry “gimme yer money!”. When his strike succeeded in knocking the whole collection can out of my hand he looked shocked and ashamed, and, even at that young age, I remember thinking “what a prick, trying to impress a girl by assaulting her”. Moments later he came back with paper money for the can and a sheepishly apologetic look.

I feel a little bad when I pass by jar-rattler without giving, but I pick my charities and give online, because there are so many charities here in the US that SOUND like they are pro-woman and pro-child, and they turn out to be wingnut conservative antiabortion charities. I don’t put my change in the jars in case they turn out to be jars that fund the so called prolife movement.

By: Jamila Akil

Jamila Akil — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 01:49:33 +0000

I started muttering this at men who walked by without giving money - “You’re the problem, not me, not her, you, and you won’t even give me a dollar.”

Did any of the men hear you and respond to this?

By: Mandolin

Mandolin — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 22:53:36 +0000

Maia,

Interesting anecdotes, particularly the one about the young man who returned. Thanks for sharing.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 22:46:37 +0000

See, from a male perspective, myself as well as those I know, we don’t generally give to women’s organizations because they are the same ones that attempt to paint men as brutish and the rest of the negative imaging that the “few good ones” have to deal with and try to disprove every day.

Just from my observations, most men give to general admission or male shelters. It doesn’t really surprise me though, most people give to causes that they can associate themselves with. I don’t think this is inherently right or wrong, because on a basic level it makes sense. People like to think the money they are giving is going to a good cause, and what constitutes a good cause varies among each individual.

By: The Chief

The Chief — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 20:27:14 +0000

“I started muttering this at men who walked by without giving money - ‘You’re the problem, not me, not her, you, and you won’t even give me a dollar.’”

Good idea. Pointing a finger with one hand and holding out your palm with another really works. Personally speaking, nothing makes me reach for my wallet and make a donation faster than a surly, hostile accuser trying to hold me accountable for things I’ve never done.