Your wild wolf notecards are enclosed!

I am far from a philanthropist but I do donate annually to causes I believe in, that I think are well run and that I hope truly serve an important purpose. I am biased toward local organizations serving local needs. I approve of organizations that use 90% or more of the donation for their primary purpose. I have always supported activities of member groups of local United Ways and the Rotary International Foundation, for example. I have sat upon several of their Boards of Directors over the years so I know what the needs are.

When I make a donation I feel like writing on the check, “That’s it for this year! Don’t waste my money asking for more money from me!” One of the ways I evaluate a charity is if, after a donation, I continue to get appeals for more money every month. They will drop from my list for next year this way. My donations are relatively small. Why waste them on mailings asking for more?

After Martha died, and with her earlier understanding, I made what were for us very large donations indeed to two organizations: one that had impacted my life in important ways and one that was very important in Martha’s and Jessica’s lives. In my letter to them I stressed that this was a one-time deal and that they should not waste their time and money asking for more. One of the organizations has followed my wishes exactly after sending a warm and personal thank you note. The other, a much larger organization with many professional development staffers, has tried hard but can’t seem to believe I might not want to do something even more generous.

National environmental organizations and international anti-poverty groups are the worse. Even though I dropped some of these groups from my list of charitable donations years ago I am still receiving personalized mailing stickers, calendars, note cards and more on a monthly basis. They are as bad as the circulation departments at magazines but don’t get me started on them!

The advice I was given as a young man was to just say thanks.