I've got a bit of a dilemma. I want to give some money for disaster relief in Haiti following the terrible earthquake. Problem is, none of the relief organisations active in Haiti meet my criteria for donations.
My criteria are:
- Not a religious charity or affiliated with a religion.
- Respects my request not to be spammed (email, phone or mail).
- Does not use chuggers.
- Does not spend inordinate amounts on administration and fundraising.
Oxfam uses chuggers and failed on the second item after my donation from the Indian Ocean Tsunami appeal. They also ignored my complaint about same.
Medecins Sans Frontieres, Red Cross also use chuggers.
Water Aid, much to my dismay as I respect the charity enormously, use chuggers.
Some will defend charities using these techniques, because the cause is too important. That doesn't wash with me because I expect a code of ethics to be applied across the organisation. I once had an argument with a telemarketer who called to solicit donations for Police Citizens Youth Clubs, along the lines of the government Do Not Call list excludes charities, as if that somehow excuses ignoring my expressly-stated preference.
Chuggers really got me annoyed when I worked on New Oxford Street in London and every time I set foot on Tottenham Court Road I'd be accosted by some slimebag raising money for him or herself in the guise of charity.
So can anyone suggest a charity worthy of my cash?