contributing to people you don't know...

[nanamom]

Re: contributing to people you don't know...

My DH came home today and told me someone had sent him an email at work about a pizza fund raiser. I couldn't place the name and he said it was a guy who used ot be in his group a couple years ago and lives across from some friends of ours that have moved. I figured that out and then asked why he had a fund raiser when his eldest was barely out of diapers. Apparently his wife works at a school that is having a fund raiser. They didn't have any pizza's without meat so he emailed we were vegetarians and he sent a note back that they had cheesecake also. Needless to say we bought a cheesecake. I don't mind supporting schools after all I used to run one but wow I never asked people I didn't see except at fund raiser time

[DebbieL]

Re: contributing to people you don't know...

Nobody at my work ever gets asked to give to anything. I don't consider it an expense of working at all. When somebody is leaving the office (new job, etc) we will usually all take them to lunch and pay their share (might come to $2 per person). It would drive me batty if I were being hit up at work all the time. I am grateful that I work in a small office, and with a great group of people!

[fairy74]

Re: contributing to people you don't know...

I contribute to people at work, i.e. for birthdays, baby showers, the like and once in awhile for activities their kids collect for. If I am not comfortable with the cause or the occassion or it does not fit in the budget I am more than happy to tell someone no.

[lrjohnson]

Re: contributing to people you don't know...

I agree that it is unfair. Coworkers shouldn't put you in that situation. I never bring my daughter's fundraisers to the office. It is all horribly overpriced stuff - wrapping paper, candy, etc. I don't buy the stuff and I wouldn't expect anyone else to either. The Girl Scout magazine sale is actually a pretty good deal, but I don't bring that to work either. The only fundraiser I do take to work is Girl Scout cookies, but my coworkers actually look forward to that one.

Thank you! I am glad that the products can be seen as overpriced even by parents who have children selling the stuff.

I never buy the items being sold. If it is a cause I believe in (or school/children's activity I'd support), I will offer to make a straight donation.

When a group at work fundraises for a good cause, I tend to donate, but if there is pressure, I won't do it.

In my little group I will sometimes get the gifts for the coworkers. I charge the others the percentage of the cost. One guy can't handle that sometimes it is 75 cents each; he won't accept change for a dollar. I get nice items at garage sales and thrift stores. In case you all think my idea of nice is not the same as others, I continue to be the designated gift giver.

[richinspirits]

Re: contributing to people you don't know...

wow, this really makes me feel lucky that this is not an issue in my job! i work for a large corporation and there are about 400 people in my building. it must be that management has established this as a no-no. i do sometimes see forms left in the breakroom for children's fundraisers, which is non-obtrusive, and then i will sometimes see people who work together and are friends to look at their children's fundraisers, but not a lot of the random asking.

the other thing that i will see people advertise more is when they are doing something like a Heart Walk or Relay for Life, which is also more ok in my book than pushing useless items on people.

ugh, i just remembered that i did work somewhere else a couple of years ago with a Partylite gal who was always asking us to parties! i would always come up with an excuse. that is the worst in my opinion, because it is not even benefitting anyone but the person throwing the party! someone that you don't really like or talk to a lot saying "help me get presents for myself!" man!

[rob62521]

Re: contributing to people you don't know...

Thank you! I am glad that the products can be seen as overpriced even by parents who have children selling the stuff.

I never buy the items being sold. If it is a cause I believe in (or school/children's activity I'd support), I will offer to make a straight donation.

When a group at work fundraises for a good cause, I tend to donate, but if there is pressure, I won't do it.

In my little group I will sometimes get the gifts for the coworkers. I charge the others the percentage of the cost. One guy can't handle that sometimes it is 75 cents each; he won't accept change for a dollar. I get nice items at garage sales and thrift stores. In case you all think my idea of nice is not the same as others, I continue to be the designated gift giver.

I second that thank you! We don't have kids, yet all of the people I work with and our neighbors think we should buy lots of stuff for fundraisers. Last year some kid rang our doorbell, wanted me to buy something, and I asked him who he was and where he lived. He said he lived down the street and it was for his school. I told him that I worked at a school and I understand the need, but I really felt like he shouldn't be asking me to buy something when he hasn't said hello or waved when he's seen me out. He wasn't happy, but I for one am getting sick of buying overpriced junk.

We are having the same problem at school. My boss always wants us to donate for this person and that person and puts the pressure on. We have a social committee that sends flowers for sick employees or a memorial for a deceased immediate family and we chip in $20 a year. But, this constant asking for more money for this or that person on staff by the boss is getting old, especially since she rarely gives anything herself. She's awfully eager for every one else to donate this or that, but doesn't do much donating of her own. Grrrr!

[shelbylovesmelby]

My husband comes home regularly with bought items that coworkers
have hit him up for especially for thier kids' fund raisers (eg. candy etc).
It is hard to say no to a coworker asking to help out their kid and
I think a bit unfair.

My dh gets hit up all the time too. But since we have a dd in school the shoe is now on the other foot but we don't usually sell stuff that people won't buy KWIM? No wrapping paper & junk like that. More like entertainment books & gold-c books that people will get their money's worth out of it KWIM?

When I was working the only thing we got hit up for was GS cookies & can you really tell your boss' dd's no?

[BCHGRL]

WoW! Some of you are pretty grouchy. I'd never tell a kid "I won't give because you don't wave to me." They are kids. Even though I get annoyed that they are always in the street or don't have a great attitude, I blame the parents. Anyways, when a kid comes to my door I either buy or say "I'm sorry sweetie, I don't have any cash." That is usually a true statement anyways.

As far as work, an envelope is sent around and you have to initial off that you have seen it. No one has any idea who gives and who does not. If I don't want to give, I just initial my name and pass it on to someone else. I do think it is absurd to be paying for a present for your boss' wife's birthday, but again, I would probably just initial off and pass the envelope on that one.

I think it is funny because there is a guy in my office who posted an article outside of his cubicle about how inappropriate it is for people to solicit on their child's behalf at work. But somehow it is okay for him to send out an e-mail every week inviting our office to attend church function.

[Ima saver]

I think the envelope method is a pretty good idea, I hope no one takes anything out. I know a guy that would, he always picked up his tip when everyone left the table in a restaurant.
I hate to say it, but I mostly don't answer the door when the bell rings, unless I am expecting someone.

[benosayi]

The office where I used to work had something called the Sunshine Fund. The idea was that a group of people got together and each put in $10 a year. In the event that anyone in the group had a baby or had a death in the family a card and gift would be purchased from that kitty of money. The money carried over from year to year if there was a surplus.

Doing it this way kept people from being bothered to give money every time something good (or bad) happened to someone. I thought it was a good idea.

We had this but our sunshine fund was up to 20 dollars and still running out before the end of the year. I told my coworkers I would no longer be doing this. I asked everyone who would like to go in on some cards. (Got them 4/1$. When something happens the staff now sends a card and if they want to a gift. (No one sends a gift anymore). Sometimes it takes one person to stand up and say what most everyone is thinking.

[benosayi]

One of the people in charge wanted to use the sunshine fund because someone was having a bad day. She purchased a floral arrangement with a stuffed animal for her friend. She did not know that it had no money in it. So she sent a note to get her money back. I gave her 100 pennies. She only collected about 3 dollars and spent 50.00.

[lieweheksie]

In african culture funerals are a VERY big deal- in my office if a relative of a colleague dies we will contribute towards the expenses of the funeral- no flowers, just hard cash- so although we often dont know the person who died we do know the realtives who have to foot the bill so wel help out- plus these things have a way of coming back to you
i still have the wedding present my colleagues gave to me years ago

[Thrifty Ray]

I always tried to donate or buy a little something...but that was definately in my past life. Now that ive lived semi-frugally for a couple of years, my opinion has changed.

Amy Dacyzyn had a great idea of just donating a couple of dollars to the fundraiser, rather than buying an overpriced, unnecessary item---

As far as buying for the bosses wife...that would still be a tough one if asked when the money was needed ...I would probably go ahead and donate, and afterwards broach the subject with the staff to change the rules so that it didnt happen again in the future.

[Ima saver]

I always thought it was so strange that we poor working waitresses, making $2 an hour, were asked to contribute several hours pay to buy a present for our boss, who was a millionaire.

[crabbypatty]

I always thought it was so strange that we poor working waitresses, making $2 an hour, were asked to contribute several hours pay to buy a present for our boss, who was a millionaire.

What! I've heard that in general you don't "gift up" in a work environment.