kettal
Banned
I've never read the book they're selling, but I'm tempted. I bet it would explain the persecution complex these guys have.
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Street Canvassers
- Thread starter Hipster Duck
- Start date
I've never read the book they're selling, but I'm tempted. I bet it would explain the persecution complex these guys have.
toraerach
Active Member
My strategy when confronted by these fundraisers is to put on a thick (though not distinctive) accent and say "no English." If they keep trying to talk to you, give them a puzzled look and walk away. It's extra convincing when you pretend to make a phone call/are with a friend and make up your own language (unless you speak another one already...better hope the fundraiser doesn't speak it though). This strategy has never failed me.
marathe
Active Member
Yeah, I get what you're saying but that's not what I meant at all. When I was with the City I could and would defend Shirley or Joe's 300k+ salaries whenever challenged on them. The concept of exchanging significant merit for pay, particularly at the executive level in the public service is a vital one.
Just suggesting they pick their targets better. Head over to bay street or something and try to beg from the people with six figure salaries, not my broke self.
MindMe
New Member
Ha. My poor nephew was up in Toronto visiting me. He's from Windsor and basically you talk to anyone in the street that talks to you. They cornered him. Offered him the book. Mighty friendly, he thought. Then they asked him for money. "Sorry, I don't have any spare change." "Do you have $20?" That's like his food buget for the month. Yeah. Sorry. No.
On the subject of charities, MoneySense recently released this: http://www.moneysense.ca/2010/06/17/the-charity-100/
marathe
Active Member
$20 food budget for a month? Yikes. Get the kid a vest and a clipboard and he can start collecting donations on Yonge.
Mapleson
Active Member
Next time they threaten to call the cops, ask them to please do so. As a concerned citizen, you have nothing to fear from the police.
In addition, let them know that you've been collecting documentation for any of the following "catch-all" charges and if necessary, you'll persue a restraining order. You don't have to actually do or mean it, but it should be enough to out bluff them. Also, any real charities must show identification and proof that they are authorized to solicit funds for the charity if asked. You can call the organization to make sure the person is legitimate. If not, they are directly breaking the law and could very likely be charged.
Causing Disturbance s175
Loitering s175
Common Nuisance s180
Mischief s430
In addition, let them know that you've been collecting documentation for any of the following "catch-all" charges and if necessary, you'll persue a restraining order. You don't have to actually do or mean it, but it should be enough to out bluff them. Also, any real charities must show identification and proof that they are authorized to solicit funds for the charity if asked. You can call the organization to make sure the person is legitimate. If not, they are directly breaking the law and could very likely be charged.
Causing Disturbance s175
Loitering s175
Common Nuisance s180
Mischief s430
TOareaFan
Superstar
I work in the financial sector....spend a lot of time walking on King/Bay/York etc. I can assure you there is probably no part of town more saturated with Sick Kid's fundraisers than the streets around the bank towers.
Ironically this method has cost Sick Kids at least one financial supporter (me).....I can't imagine that such a valued and treasured institution had to stoop to this tactic....since I was first stopped on the street by these people (about a year ago) I have not given a penny to the hospital...and I told them that.
KA1
Senior Member
Fundraisers are paid a base salary plus commissions, if they collect money beyond a certain amount. They are individuals without a job trying to make an 'honest' living. Obviously, enough individuals are giving money to these fund raisers to make it worthwhile for them and the Hospital to flood the downtown area.
duper
Active Member
Generally, I find the SickKids fund raisers to be quite polite.
I recently volunteered with an (unnamed) charitable organization, literally shaking a can and asking for donations no the platform at Bloor Station. I can tell you this -- it's not easy. A few people did come up though to thank me for donating my time for charity. One confused individual came up to me and inexplicably said "I don't like that Stephen Harper."
General rules I followed was to stay in one place, don't block people as they rush for the subway, be polite and of course don't harass people who have said no and are waiting on the platform. Generally, people don't like to feel trapped by a fundraiser while they're waiting for their subway.
I recently volunteered with an (unnamed) charitable organization, literally shaking a can and asking for donations no the platform at Bloor Station. I can tell you this -- it's not easy. A few people did come up though to thank me for donating my time for charity. One confused individual came up to me and inexplicably said "I don't like that Stephen Harper."
General rules I followed was to stay in one place, don't block people as they rush for the subway, be polite and of course don't harass people who have said no and are waiting on the platform. Generally, people don't like to feel trapped by a fundraiser while they're waiting for their subway.
buildup
Senior Member
"(Sick Kids) fundraisers are paid a base salary plus commissions, if they collect money beyond a certain amount. They are individuals without a job trying to make an 'honest' living. Obviously, enough individuals are giving money to these fund raisers to make it worthwhile for them and the Hospital to flood the downtown area. "
Why do all these well groomed boys and girls look like graduate students to me? If about 90% of medical research funds go to salaries of researchers then these kids are raising funds to pay their own future salaries...ie deferred begging.
Why do all these well groomed boys and girls look like graduate students to me? If about 90% of medical research funds go to salaries of researchers then these kids are raising funds to pay their own future salaries...ie deferred begging.
tkip
Active Member
Indeed.....
Yeah. My roommate is a black woman and she was calling this scam by these guys years ago and it's kind of obvious that something is not legit with how they try and sell themselves on the basis of black history. As for aggressive charity fundraising on the streets?
Personally I have never experienced this. The vast majority of the fundraisers in the streets working for charities ( which are always young and cute looking people) smile and thank me for my time when I quietly say "no thank you" to them. I guess others have different experiences.
Yeah. My roommate is a black woman and she was calling this scam by these guys years ago and it's kind of obvious that something is not legit with how they try and sell themselves on the basis of black history. As for aggressive charity fundraising on the streets?
Personally I have never experienced this. The vast majority of the fundraisers in the streets working for charities ( which are always young and cute looking people) smile and thank me for my time when I quietly say "no thank you" to them. I guess others have different experiences.
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kettal
Banned
What does a grad student look like?
Perhaps grad students look like someone soliciting for a charity?
highlife
New Member
Not just sick kids but every other charity known to man. Add on top of it the numerous of internal fundraisers held by the companies and their employees. Oh, don't forget the few hundred homeless people/panhandlers that get fed by the same. I"m still pleasantly surprised to see commuters dropping off sandwiches, water, coffee to homeless people on the way to work.
Someone mentioned to send more to king and bay? Please note the majority of the workers in the bank towers earn less than 100k and even below 50K. Low tier bank workers are notoriously underpaid (i.e tellers, back office workers, adminstration etc.) and they number in the thousands in the financial district. Add on top of it the thousands of cleaning people, couriers, assistants who also work in the area.
I'm not saying that people in the financial district should close their wallets completely. I used to work in fundraising and was always impressed by the amount of funds the companies and employees in the financial district donate (i.e. the United Way and all the superbuild cultural institutions). The concentration of companies in the area does make perfect sense for charities to target. However, there is donation fatigue when these people are asked to donate to a new charity almost every other day and the majority of them don't make hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.