Downtown Seattle Solicitors

[Uncle Sol]

If there are any BBS members living in Seattle maybe you could help me out.

I just got back from a day trip to Seattle and while there I stopped and talked to a guy asking for donations for a charity. They dealt with child poverty with a focus on supplying food to needy children.

I got their information so I could check it out when I got home, but it was a busy trip and I lost what they gave me.

So if any of that sounds familiar please give me any names or send me any links. I really want to get into contact with them.

Thanks

 

[Joshua Howard]

It was one of the Children International folks who you encountered, most likely. That is the name of the organization which usually tries to get people to sign up in the retail district downtown Seattle. Every time I walk through there I get chased and cornered by one or more of them. They refuse to accept "No" for an answer, and sometimes become visibly irritated if I do take the time to explain why I am not interested in supporting their particular charity at that time.

They talk about child "sponsorship" as if it was akin to some sort of adoption process, explaining how in exchange for a small amount of cash each month ($25 or something like that) you'll get pictures of the child that you are sponsoring, and personal letters from them. To me, that sounds excessively gimmicky; and when you add to the fanfare their rather aggressive sidewalk marketing tactics, I am personally quite turned off by them.

One of the girls who petitions out there for CI actually told me that "people like me" make her "want to cry", as if my simple, courteous decision not to sign up right there was somehow a reflection of my cruel-hearted lack of empathy for the suffering of mankind. The first time I talked to them, I thought it was interesting. The 100th time, it starts to feel like a con game.

 

[Uncle Sol]

Those are really the worst kind. Makes me think they don't care so much about helping anyone. The only thing they are interested in is making their quota of donations so they can collect a bonus cheque.