Is there a suckers list?

I’m not sure if one exists but I’m almost positive I’m on a phone list called “suckers who donate when they hear, veterans, firemen and police.” Today’s  junk charity call was from the New England Association of Chiefs of Police (NECOP).

My first question to the telemarketer, oh I mean fundraiser, was, “will this money go to the Upton Police Department?”  I had a lovely chat with the man and ended the conversation with, “Let me call the Upton Police Department and if they  think your organization is a good one to make a donation with I’ll  call you back, let me take your number.” Reply, “Okay Ma’am.” Then they hung up without providing their number.  Hmm, why wasn’t I surprised by their reaction.

About a month ago I found out a veterans organization I had been donating to only gives about 10% of the funds they collect to help paralyzed veterans in New England. I totally fell for the “local” angle of their sales pitch. Nice guy on the phone, help the local paralyzed vets returning from over seas, put a check on the door and one of our guys will get it in the morning. I felt duped, they keep almost 80%.  I should have donated to the Wounded Warrior Project who gives over 80% of what they raise to their beneficiaries.

It didn’t take much research to find NECOP was stingy with their checkbook too. They were mentioned in the Massachusetts Charitable Giving report dated December 2012. According to the report, Midwest Publishing-DN, Inc. raised $8.7 million for charities including the New England Association of Chiefs of Police, the Committee for Missing Children, and the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation, Inc. Only returning  an average of 12 percent of the money raised to the eight charities that hired the company. So the company who is making the calls keeps 78% of the money, outrageous.

I’ve decided no more donations to organization who call, even if they seem local by saying they’ll send someone to pick up the check in the morning. From now on I’m choosing who to make donations with, I will not let them pick me.

Now I have to figure out how to get off the “suckers” list.