When Do Charity Mailings Go Too Far?

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what i dont understand is how they got me in their mailing list x[.

sagm of IL 2:47PM November 15, 2011

...that the main purpose of gifts in charity mailings was to get you to open the envelope. I've never felt at all obligated to make a donation just to pay for the gift. But I've never received anything as elaborate as what you describe.
Also, it's a myth that you can say anything about the quality of a charity by looking at its overhead costs. All responsible charities need to spend money (and/or paid staff time) to evaluate whether their programs are working - and that expense counts as overhead. And quite a few irresponsible charities fudge their overhead numbers anyway.

Johanna of MD 12:34PM October 26, 2010

I determine my giving by checking the "Charity Navigator" webite to see what the salary of the head of the organization is. I feel that an organization that pays its head in the 100's of thousands (and many do) is not one with its priorities set correctly. One organization I give to regularly is UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief). 100% of what you donate is used for the project you designate. The administrative costs and "advertising" costs are paid for by a single offering taken in every United Methodist Church on one Sunday called "One Great Hour of Sharing". When you search UMCOR's website you can find descriptions of the projects so you know exactly what you money is doing. I think, you don't have to be a United Methodist or even a Christian to see that this is one of the best uses of charity giving.

Arlene Green of NJ 10:25AM October 22, 2010

This sounds like the same school that bombarded us with "gifts" in New York City back in the 60s. In fact, so many "charities" used the tactic at the time that the state legislature passed a law saying that, if you received such unsolicited merchandise, you could indeed consider it a gift and keep it, without sending back any "donation." After that, the practice ceased.
These groups prey on your guilt complex. They make you feel obligated to pay for the merchandise, even though you didn't order it. Perhaps they truly believe this is an ethical way to raise money for a good cause, but I find it a form of psychological blackmail. No one, least of all a charity, should engage in the uncharitable act of making someone else feel bad. You should not be lured into making a penance offering for a sin you didn't commit.
If you wish to donate to a charity, you should do so of your own free will, without expecting anything in return except a good feeling. The guilt tactic of enclosing unsolicited merchandise is not new, but that doesn't mean you should fall for it.

Norbert Petsch of WA 5:10PM October 18, 2010