Communication Complications

     In order to get a better feel for the organization and those who are a part of it, it is a good idea to contact them and ask them questions about the charity they work with. If they are enthusiastic about what they do and enjoy working there, I am obviously more likely to donate to that organization than one where the receptionist is just annoyed that you called them right before their lunch break. A class period was dedicated to calling an organization we were interested in and asking someone a few questions, mostly to see what kind of people work there and how involved they are. Unfortunately, even just getting a hold of someone proved to be a problem. Many people were either sent straight to a voice mail or to unhelpful people. I myself attempted to call a foster home organization only to be met with a lady who didn't seem to want to listen to what I had to say and tried to redirect me somewhere else. On top of that, a lot of us were not treated as seriously as we should have been because we said we were high school students. It's not like we aren't trying to donate to these charities or anything... I understand that working organizations are busy, however as potential donors it is really frustrating when the group you want to donate to doesn't have time to talk to you. I was finally able to contact an organization that not only had time to answer my questions, but was enthusiastic about what we are doing. The Director of Social Services for SAY San Diego was more than happy to talk to me, and even though SAY San Diego was an organization we were not initially going to donate to, my group will definitely be putting funds towards it now. Message of the day: the more welcoming you are to those who call you, no matter who it is, the more likely they will want to donate to your cause.