Service Project and minimum donation

[LibrarianMom]

I'm coordinating a humanitarian service project at our church. I don't want to give to many details to avoid identifying the specific organizations we are working with which are both wonderful organizations doing a wonderful work.

 

For this particular project, we are asking people to give an hour and 15 minutes of their day and a minimum donation of $10 per person. The donation is needed as the total cost for the product and shipping it to the foreign country is going to be $4,700. Each $10 donation will feed 200 people for one day. I've had a few individuals indicate they think the minimum suggested donation is too steep per person particularly for families as children ages four and up are encouraged to participate. (My at the time not quite five year old participated and still talks about the experience all the time.) We are going to have sponsor forms available for those who wish to obtain sponsors to help defray costs. My question for all of you is, would the $10 donation be a deterrent to your family participating or would participating in a service project that will potentially feed thousands of disaster victims off-set any concern?

[Renee in NC]

At $10 per person we would most certainly *not* be able to particpate, despite how much it would mean to those receiving.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Yes, deterrent. Sorry, but someone asking me for my time and then demanding money for it, too is a bit much. I understand the reason, but it sounds overly controlling (of the organization, not OP!) and like they don't consider just how much money that would be for some families.

 

(And many families/people would end up feeling pretty crappy that they basically had to say "NO" to a charity,so it could end up putting a very bad taste in people's mouths.)

[LibrarianMom]

Thank you for your replies. Your input is helpful. Would you recommend we encourage individuals to give what they can while emphasizing x dollars = so many people fed? Would it be crass to just be up front and say x amount of total dollars is needed for this project?

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Not crass, imo if you word it something like,"the total cost for this project is $4,700. $10 can feed 200 people for an entire day." (HOW, btw, is that possible?!)

 

I was going to add that when I see "minimum donation" I don't do business with that particular charity. I've typically seen those words on televangelist programs when I was a kid (and now as my mom still watches those shows.) and they say "minimum donation" in exchange for some crappy book/DVD that tells you how god wants you to send them even MORE money! ACK!

[Old Dominion Heather]

Why can't you say how much money is needed and also give the facts like the $10 will feed X people for x days. Then encourage people to give as much as they can. No minimum, just as much as you can. Some will give more, some can't. Maybe you could get someone to do a matching sort of thing?

[6packofun]

If it were clarified that it's $10 per person who CAN participate, then I'd be OK with it. Mainly because we can't afford the whole $80 but a few of us or even just one would want to participate so that we could donate *something*. It really depends on how it's worded and presented.

[LibrarianMom]

Not crass, imo if you word it something like,"the total cost for this project is $4,700. $10 can feed 200 people for an entire day." (HOW, btw, is that possible?!)

 

 

The organization we are working with packs a very nutritionally dense meal that provides the entire caloric and nutritional needs of a person for one day. Each packaged meal costs 30 cents and feeds six people.

[Murphy101]

We sure can't afford $110 right now.

 

And I agree with Cyndi about minimum donations.

 

It seems there is very little charities that want anything other than money. They don't want clothing donations or whatever, just send cash.

 

I think it wasteful for me to send cash I can't afford when I have tons of clothes or whatever I could donate.

 

I know why they don't want items and prefer to work in cash. Heck, I prefer to have cash too!

 

But there's a lot more to charitable giving than cash, IMO.

[happi duck]

I'm coordinating a humanitarian service project at our church. I don't want to give to many details to avoid identifying the specific organizations we are working with which are both wonderful organizations doing a wonderful work.

 

For this particular project, we are asking people to give an hour and 15 minutes of their day and a minimum donation of $10 per person. The donation is needed as the total cost for the product and shipping it to the foreign country is going to be $4,700. Each $10 donation will feed 200 people for one day. I've had a few individuals indicate they think the minimum suggested donation is too steep per person particularly for families as children ages four and up are encouraged to participate. (My at the time not quite five year old participated and still talks about the experience all the time.) We are going to have sponsor forms available for those who wish to obtain sponsors to help defray costs. My question for all of you is, would the $10 donation be a deterrent to your family participating or would participating in a service project that will potentially feed thousands of disaster victims off-set any concern?

 

It sounds like you are asking people to donate both time and money. Likely, some will donate both, some will donate time and some will donate money only. Can you set up goals for both aspects and encourage everyone to get involved in some way? Such as "we need 100 people age 4 and up to pack the stuff on Saturday, Oct. XX etc. etc" "We also need to collect $4,700 before Oct. XX" You can offer a sign up sheet for time and then a donation box with some sort of goal update (thermometer or such). IMHO, you can encourage people to give money...even encourage them to ask co-workers* etc. but requiring a donation in order to serve will leave people out...better to make a way for everyone to be involved in some way.

 

*you could provide a small flyer with info for people to share with others...world relief specific things seem to be seen as appropriate in the workplace...at least around here.

[elegantlion]

Yes, it would be a deterrent to us right now. We're working our way out of dh being unemployed all summer and planning a move.

 

Why can't you say how much money is needed and also give the facts like the $10 will feed X people for x days. Then encourage people to give as much as they can. No minimum, just as much as you can. Some will give more, some can't. Maybe you could get someone to do a matching sort of thing?

 

:iagree:

[cjzimmer1]

Based on previous posts, you probably have your answer, but we are another one in the wouldn't do it if we have to pay. It's a challenge to pay for my own food most days right now. I'm sorry that others are hurting and every little bit helps but my first responsibility is to my own family. We don't even have $10 for the family to give let alone $10 a person.

[Julie in CA]

the moment an organization insists on a minimum donation, my funds go elsewhere. We give in accordance with what we can, and a charity that specifies what I must give to be involved leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. With that said, were I involved in the project you described, I'd give more than $10, probably more like $25-$50, but I'd expect that to cover my family's financial participation, regardless of how many in my family wanted to help with the actual physical work.

 

ETA: On the other hand, I guess I tend to be a bit skeptical, because I'd be questioning whether that many people's nutritional needs could *really* be met with the numbers you mentioned. If there's really a food that is that nutrient dense, we should all be eating it. :-)

Edited September 22, 2010 by Julie in CA

[Jean in Newcastle]

$10 for the whole family is the most we could do. If I felt pressured into doing more, I would end up doing $0.