Too Many ?
The economy is hurting many wallets, budgets and margins. Recently unemployed, underemployed and potentially unemployed are living frugal on their 401K’s and savings, using discount coupons and tightening belts to make ends meet. People are staying home more than ever and along comes the Holiday season and they need to squeeze an extra amount of dollars out of an already challenged budget.
The economy has also reached the point where charities and fundraisers are starting to hurt beyond the subsidies and grants they usually could count on in previous years. With resources rapidly drying up, charity and help organizations are trying to appeal more than ever to the humanity of giving for those who cannot take care of themselves.
At SearchAmelia we have made it our motto to help as much as we can, which is why I wondrously complied when the request came in to “volunteer” for the annual MDA Lock Up program.
In different ways we already were contributing websites and assistance to many local community causes¬† such as Joy to the Children, Micah’s Place, Warrior Vacations, the Nassau County Humane Society, various Christmas Toy programs and others. Signing on to raising money for Muscular Dystrophy however became our first effort in making people part with their hard earned dollars. This has turned out a much more difficult task than ever experienced in the past. I can’t even move people I work with on a daily or weekly basis to open their wallet and be generous, unless I use more convincing methods that would border on over the top pressure.
Too many charities and fundraisers in this small community at Christmas time is turning out to be a strategic mistake in our opinion. To be sure this is not an excuse for lack of performance, it is simply an observation.
In spite of hundreds of emails in which value is offered in return for a donation, the amounts collected are minimal compared to the effort.
The Marathon Music Fest last Friday at Indigo Alley was well attended, especially from Happy Hour all the way through midnight, yet the collection, which included an auction of at least half a dozen prizes, halted at $345 among an estimated 100-120 guests.
A 25 course Exotic Dinner ticket (Indonesian Rijst Tafel), which you could not get at any restaurant under $75 per plate, has so far generated 2 potential tickets @ $55 per plate.
A  99 page e-book loaded with tons of great ideas and savings tips on how to celebrate the Holidays in Frugal Flair has generated two sales so far, even though it is on Twitter, Facebook and has a special color leaflet hand out. The price is only $7.95 and it all goes to MDA.
We put a fun game right here on the website and are awarding dinner prizes for the winners. The maximum donation costs, if someone plays the entire game is $15. Two people are currently playing the game.
Are there too many fundraiser and charities scheduled for this time of year, while many people need to turn their dollars a couple of times before deciding to spend them?
When I found out that 11 people in my circle of friends and acquaintances were also “volunteered” for the MDA lock up, people that I had counted on writing up for a donation, my conclusion became that yes there are too many charities and fundraisers going on at the same time, and even the timing of the Holidays is questionable, considering how small of a community we live in.
I will continue my efforts to raise more bail money before the clock turns 9am on December 16, but if I don’t get there, I guess I will see a lot of friends and acquaintances behind bars, because that same day the Police Force has a Toy fundraiser for Kids, so they’ll be happy to get us out of the way.
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