Charity at work.

[Father Demon]

What's the general consensus on this?  Some examples:

Selling Girl Scout cookies, sport team pizzas, that Christmas catalog that comes out for elementary schools. 

I usually support those for the people I like at work, and I don't mind putting out things for my kids knowing that we are all doing a tit-for-tat type thing.  Most people that buy stuff from my kids are the same people I buy stuff from when it's their kids.  I don't see a problem with that kind of relationship at all. 

The other side of that, is when co-workers, subordinates, or superiors are doing some kind of charity thing, whether it be a walk, drive, auction, etc.  We already have a week long money raising thing each October for United Way (which is a charity I don't necessarily like), which I support (call it career stability).  When a subordinate is doing something for charity, I rarely decline to donate because I want to give the impression I support him and all that crap.  I usually don't donate when it's a peer.  And I hate when a superior is doing something, but again -- career stability makes me donate.  I don't ever ask for donations on any of my own personal causes except as noted above.  My thought is even if it's an important cause to me (diabetes and cancer), I shouldn't assume it's important to someone else.  And I would not be comfortable asking people that work for me to donate to my cause.

Thoughts?  Who thinks work is a great place to raise money, and who thinks it's crass and tasteless?

[Wingspan]

give a lot of time and money to charity over the course of the year.

however, i hate having it shoved in my face at work.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

The high school kids coming to my door selling magazines piss me off a lot more than co-workers trying to help out their young kids.  But either way, I'm only going to support them if the product they're pawning is actually something I want.  Otherwise, I'll just stick to my preferred (tax-deductible) charities.

[Sgt PSN]

The high school kids coming to my door selling magazines piss me off a lot more than co-workers trying to help out there young kids. But either way, I'm only going to support them if the product they're pawning is actually something I want. Otherwise, I'll just stick to my preferred (tax-deductible) charities.

About 2 years ago I had a highschool kid knock on my door.  I open it up and in his best Bill S. Preston voice he says "Hey man, how would you like to buy some magazines and help me earn a trip to the Bahamas?"

To which I replied "How about I save the money so I can earn a trip to the Bahamas?". 

Slam.  Door.  Face. 

[PhillyPhanInDC]

At work, if someone sets the candy, forms, etc., in the breakroom and with a note that says, "Donate to my kids blah" or Donate to help with blah" I am more inclined to do it that if some fargtard who I rarely talk to on a professional level comes up to me and asks me to donate.

I'm with FF though, if it is something I want, I'll buy it. I was at Blockbuster the other day and some little girl at the front asked me if I wanted some cookies, so when I went over and all she had left was those zesty Lemon-Creme bitches. I told her "No, thanks." and walked inside. What I really wanted to do was force feed her some of those nasties and see if she would pay me for the experience afterwards. Gross.

[Susquehanna Birder]

At work, if someone sets the candy, forms, etc., in the breakroom and with a note that says, "Donate to my kids blah" or Donate to help with blah" I am more inclined to do it that if some fargtard who I rarely talk to on a professional level comes up to me and asks me to donate.

Same here. We generally put forms out, and those who want to contribute, will.

[Diomedes]

Hardly non-profit, but we recently had a VP whose wife pushed out a runt.  His secretary went around collecting donations for a baby gift. 

"I'm supposed to donate money towards a gift for the guy who makes double my salary?" I asked?

She didn't know what to say, so I added "No thanks."  She moved on and that was that.

I HATE being solicited, regardless whether at home or at work.   

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Hardly non-profit, but we recently had a VP whose wife pushed out a runt.  His secretary went around collecting donations for a baby gift. 

"I'm supposed to donate money towards a gift for the guy who makes double my salary?" I asked?

She didn't know what to say, so I added "No thanks."  She moved on and that was that.

I HATE being solicited, regardless whether at home or at work.   

That's the shtein I'm talking about. Don't come up to me and ask me to donate. Send a "To all" e-mail out, letting everyone know there is a collection jar on someone's desk, etc., but don't come directly to people. In a work environment, it's farged. And if it is for any kind of "gift" for a supervisor, farg that. If he is a stand up guy, and gets hit by a truck, I'll put in to send his family some flowers, but not to buy a "Congrats on the Rat" bouquet.

[Father Demon]

I wouldn't mind an anonymous jar or something to donate if I wanted, but at our office the EA collects the money, and notes who gave and HOW MUCH!  It's so the recipient knows who to thank after they get it.  I think that is the wrong way to collect.

I don't mind giving for certain occasions, whether it's a boss or a worker-bee.  If someone's mom, dad, spouse, or god forbid a child dies, I'm all for money for flowers or a donation to a charity.  But anything else -- birthday or something -- then no thanks.  Although I did think it was very nice that the people at my office gave a rather nice gift when we brought our daughter home from Ukraine.  I secretly wish they didn't because I felt awkward, but it was a very nice jesture.

[MURP]

At work, if someone sets the candy, forms, etc., in the breakroom and with a note that says, "Donate to my kids blah" or Donate to help with blah" I am more inclined to do it that if some fargtard who I rarely talk to on a professional level comes up to me and asks me to donate.

Same here. We generally put forms out, and those who want to contribute, will.

same here.   

[Geowhizzer]

I teach middle school.  I'm up to my eyeballs in freaking fundraisers. 

[SD_Eagle5]

The Navy basically won't promote you from E-6 tp E-7 unless you contribute to some sort of charity. There's a CFC campaign that comes around once a year that will give you a plaque to tell  your command how great  you are. I never contributed. I chose to contribute my money to a descrete foundation to feed starving children in underdeveloped countries.

[Father Demon]

The Navy basically won't promote you from E-6 tp E-7 unless you contribute to some sort of charity. There's a CFC campaign that comes around once a year that will give you a plaque to tell  your command how great  you are. I never contributed. I chose to contribute my money to a descrete foundation to feed starving children in underdeveloped countries.

That's pretty farging selfish of you.

[hbionic]

What is this you say 'Cha-ri-tee'?

[Sgt PSN]

What is this you say 'Cha-ri-tee'?

Remember last week when I let your mom blow me without charging her?  That's chairty.