Don't crap on me with your crazy political ideology

[monstro]

I’m just doing my job.

I volunteered to be the coordinator for charitable donations for my division. Every year, the state agencies work themselves in a frenzy (well, not really) trying to raise money for charity. Every agency has a head coordinator and then there’s a hiearchy below that. Like, I work in central office, in a big-ass building. I’m responsible for two floors. I not only let them know about agency-wide fundraising events (like we had a hot dog festival), but I have to plan my own event for “my” people. I also have to collect their donations, answer their donation-related questions, and tally how much money was collected at the end of the week. It’s a little work, but my schedule isn’t jammed packed with stuff right now. I don’t go from cubicle to cubicle soliciting donations, nor do I guilt people into giving. Everything is pretty laid back with what I do, while still letting people know how badly charities need help right now.

Every Monday, I send out an email to my colleagues (I’ve got 64 people who I must “coordinate”). I’ve contacted a bunch of charities, asking them how $100 could help them in concrete ways. Why $100? Because that’s about $2 a week, which donors can choose to have deducted from their paychecks. It’s such a small amount of money that people don’t really miss it. And $100 is a nice round figure. Most of us are scientists, so we appreciate facts and knowing exactly what services our donations would pay for. I think the weekly email is a good way of reminding people to give without being an asshole about it. They get an email from me at the beginning of the week with a “testimony” from a charity and then at the end of the week I tell everyone how much money we’ve raised and good job, people! Like I said, I’m not trying to guilt people or make people give a certain way. Last week I highlighted a dog rescue charity. The week before I highlighted a charity that airs audio material to reading-disabled people over short-wave radio. Next week it will be a call-in crisis center or maybe the free clinic down the street.

Today I highlighted a global charity. Here’s the email I sent out:

This might reasonate with many of us, especially with the outbreak of cholera in Haiti in the news. I asked ___ from Water for People (CVC code #1437), an NGO that helps build potable-water and sanitation infrastructure in developing countries, how a $100 donation would help her organization. This is what she replied with:

*In 2008 the global cost per beneficiary for water and/or sanitation was $41.92. This amount reflects much more than just parts and mechanics to build a well or a toilet, as Water For People also concentrates on education and capacity building with the local government, local partners, and local people. Water For People calculates this number by dividing the organization’s total expenses by the total number of beneficiaries served. By using this formula, Water For People ensures that all costs are accounted for and eliminates ambiguity around expenses that cannot be broken down by region or country.

Water For People’s goal is that the systems put in place are sustainable life-long solutions. Water For People seeks to empower the people we work with to be able to maintain, manage, repair, and eventually replace their systems without our continued direct support. The $41.92 not only goes towards installation of systems, but towards building local capacity of communities, the local government, and the private sector. By building the local capacity upfront we hope to ensure the communities served have access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities for a lifetime.*

So in other words, $100 goes far for an organization like Water For People and the communities it serves.
Thanks so much for reading this,
monstro

I sent it out, thinking, “Man, I hope this brings in more donations!” You see, I work in the Water Division of my agency. Most of my colleagues are charged in some capacity with enforcing the Clean Water Act. So clean water is supposed to be something we can all relate to.

But I was wrong. Literally five minutes passed before I received this unexpected email:

from crazy coworker who I don’t even know 'cuz she works on a floor that I rarely visit:

Well, since you have given your own opinion and put forth your own suggestion for just one of thousands of worthwhile charitable organizations trying to help people, I offer my own personal response in this case, in my opinion, this organization and others need the funding within the US, not going out of the country. This kind of funding would create jobs for Americans in America. What is the code to support updating water systems in America? Perhaps you would like the statistics on how many American’s are still not on any kind of indoor plumbing supply or perhaps how much infiltration we currently have even in the downtown Richmond area from existing systems. We need to get our money working for America, within our own country, creating jobs for our own people here on American soil and transfer the money that we are putting into feeding the needy into giving them a way to feed themselves. Those are my thoughts…

The elipses at the end are hers, not mine. That’s the full email.

I was speechless and then worried that I had done something wrong. But then I thought about it, read over my email, and thought, “HELL TO THE NAW!!!” Here I am, trying to get people to help others by highlighting just one charity that does something we should all find admirable, and here’s this woman chewing me out for not doing what? Encouraging job creation in the good ole USA? And while I know our infrastructure is suffering, we don’t need NGOs to fix it. That’s why we pay taxes and have governments. Water for People serves places where they ain’t got no government! At least not ones capable of providing basic services like clean water.

Despite being flabbergasted, I was able to send out this response:

Coworker,

I appreciate your comments. In case it wasn’t clear, my intention is not to advertise for specific charities (although I am clearly giving them a shout-out, if you will…and the agency does the exact same thing with its kick-off every year). I’m only trying to demonstrate how far $100 goes to charity in general. If you think $100 is best served assisting water-related issues in the US, then I’m sure there’s a charity out there that provides those services. As you said, there are thousands of them. Also remember that Water for People is a global NGO. I have no reason to believe that they don’t help Americans too, either directly or indirectly. You would have to contact them to make sure.

All the charities I have contacted besides this one have been local (as in, Virginia-specific). This is the only international one on my list, and I chose it because it deals specifically with water issues, something most if not all of us can relate to. Some people like to give locally and others like to give globally. I see nothing wrong with either giving strategy because we’re all humans and suffering does not know national boundaries.

But of course, that’s only my opinion too.

Again, thanks for your comments,

monstro

She replied with silence. And I was grateful.

I later learned that this coworker is known for being a little “vocal” about religious and political things and that–you knew it was coming–she is an ardent Tea Partier. Ha. Burned by the nas-tea. I guess she thinks I’m a commie-pinko Obamamunist. I guess she thought I was telling people to give support to baby terrorists or something.

And yet she said not a word last week when I highlighted the doggie shelter. How many jobs are created with neutering and spaying dogs for free? I’m guessing…none. And I’m also guessing (though I could be wrong) that she said nary a word when we were spending billions of tax dollars rebuilding Iraq’s infrastructure, to the expense of our own.

One thing I have learned: I now know why no one else wanted to be the donations coordinator.

[Snowboarder_Bo]

You showed great restraint IMO. I’d have mentioned to her that the goals of charities rarely, if ever, include creating jobs, and that since I’m the boss, when I want her opinion I’ll ask her for it.

[friedo]

Please remember to spay or neuter your teabaggers.

[Lynn_Bodoni]

Personally, I don’t charity drives in the workplace, and getting an email every week about a different charity would annoy the hell out of me. I have my own charities that I like and donate to, and I don’t want to be emailed every week about some charity or other.

What you consider to be friendly reminders are probably annoying to most of the people in your division. And yes, you ARE trying to impose a little guilt in them, IMO.

[friedo]

I agree about the obnoxiousness of workplace charity drives, but emails are pretty easy to ignore. It takes a lot more effort to compose a snooty reply than to press the DEL button. In the grand scheme of things it’s a pretty minor hassle.

[Chicagojeff]

You know Lynn I don’t like flyers in my mailbox for Rooms to go either… I simply toss them in the trash can. When in the world did it get to the point where we think we have a right not to be annoyed?? Glance at the damn email then delete it…

[monstro]

@Lynn_Bodoni

Personally, I don’t charity drives in the workplace, and getting an email every week about a different charity would annoy the hell out of me. I have my own charities that I like and donate to, and I don’t want to be emailed every week about some charity or other.

What you consider to be friendly reminders are probably annoying to most of the people in your division. And yes, you ARE trying to impose a little guilt in them, IMO.

Well, I suppose I can be like the coordinator last year and do absolutely nothing. And guess what? We raised practically nothing either. It was embarrassing because the floor tallies are posted for the entire agency to see.

And no, it isn’t a guilt thing. I frankly don’t give a rat’s ass if people give or not. But if I’ve been tasked to do a job, I’m going to do it. And not halfway. The campaign only lasts a few weeks and the agency has decided it wants to meet the ambitious goal of $75,000. It’s no skin off my teeth if we don’t reach it, but I’m not going to be the coordinator that everyone points to as not doing her part. If I don’t raise any money, fine. But I want to be able to say that I at least tried.

People know by now who I am and what the Monday email is going to be about. I put key words in the subject line so they don’t even have to open the emails. And it doesn’t bother me one bit, because I’d probably do the same thing if I were in their shoes. But you know what? Today I got a bunch of donations, more than I’ve gotten since I’ve been doing this thing. I’ve gotten kudos from long-timers who have seen a myriad of coordinators, good and bad, come and go. The boss of the division, which everyone is freakin’ afraid of and still scares the bejesus out of me just because she talks so loud, has applauded my efforts personally, repeatedly. And so has my immediate supervisor. I trust that he would tell me if I was going overboard or guilting people. I know doing both are possible, so I work hard to be as easy-going with this as possible.

I have been the only coordinator in central office to solicit sponsorship from local restaurants in the form of gift cards. I have a coffee can I keep in my office. If you put a single dollar in it, your name gets entered into a raffle for 4different prizes. I don’t go around banging the coffee can, crying for the dying children and poor widows. I simply remind people on Fridays about the raffle and the prizes. I don’t even say anything about how giving is good for the heart or any sappy thing like that. It’s all about fun and games.

So if people feel guilty about my efforts, that is on them. Not me. That’s how I feel about the whole thing.

[Lynn_Bodoni]

Does the OP ask if people want to be on that email list? Does she remove people if they tell her to take them off the list? Spam is spam. I’m sure she doesn’t think of it as spam, because it’s not commercial email, but it has about the same effect. In fact, this is worse than real spam, because it actually IS workplace related, sort of, and someone might delete something that’s actually relevant. The OP needs to have people opt into this email list.

Rooms to Go actually subsidizes other mail. What I hate are the official looking junk mails, like the ones that I used to get which sent a letter looking almost exactly like a renewal bill for the magazines that I subscribed to. I had to practically get out a magnifying glass to see the little disclaimer that it wasn’t a bill, but an offer.

[kaylasdad99]

Sorry you got crapped on, monstro. It’s probably a little late to be thinking about it for this year’s drive, but in the event that you find yourself snookered into spearheading it again next year, you might want to consider crafting a disclaimer of sorts. If Rule 34 is if it exists, there’s porn of it, then Rule pi might well be if it exists, then somebody will be able to find a reason to be offended by it. (I chose pi because it’s irrational ;)).

Heck, even spaying and neutering pets. I met a woman, back in the 70s, who once bagged on Doris Day for being an anti-animal-cruelty advocate, because the activity used up resources and energies that could have gone towards fighting against abortion.

[monstro]

@Lynn_Bodoni

Does the OP ask if people want to be on that email list? Does she remove people if they tell her to take them off the list? Spam is spam. I’m sure she doesn’t think of it as spam, because it’s not commercial email, but it has about the same effect. In fact, this is worse than real spam, because it actually IS workplace related, sort of, and someone might delete something that’s actually relevant. The OP needs to have people opt into this email list.

You do know email is a two-way street, right? If people don’t want to be on my list, they can simply email me and tell me to stop sending them stuff. So far no one has done that. And since the campaign is due to end in a couple of weeks, I doubt anyone will.

We get slammed with all kinds of agency-wide emails everyday. Everything from announcements from the receptionist that she found a lost earring to memos from the director about lays-offs. Mass emails are natural for state workers and we know how to winnow through them. I know which ones to leave unread but undeleted and which ones to instantly delete just by the subject heading and who’s sending it. I can’t imagine that I’m the only one who has this skill, and I also don’t see how two emails from me each week is going to cause that much stress or irritation. It’s just two among a quadrillion that we get every week.

But you seem to be missing the point of the OP. The crazy coworker wasn’t complaing about getting too many emails or being guilted or anything like that. She was complaining that I had chosen, just this one instance, an international organization that serves non-Americans. What are your feelings about that? Do you think this woman was being reasonable?

[John_Mace]

Yeah, I think the thing to do is to start the process out by introducing yourself, explaining how you plan to run the campaign (regular e-mail updates) and inform people that they may opt out if they want. And then on every subsequent e-mail, put something at the end that tells them they can opt out at any time and how to do that.

That’s not guaranteed to end the nasty responses, but it should reduce them considerably.

[Frank]

@Lynn_Bodoni

Does the OP ask if people want to be on that email list? Does she remove people if they tell her to take them off the list? Spam is spam. I’m sure she doesn’t think of it as spam, because it’s not commercial email, but it has about the same effect. In fact, this is worse than real spam, because it actually IS workplace related, sort of, and someone might delete something that’s actually relevant. The OP needs to have people opt into this email list.

The OP seems to me to be handling as well as possible a mandated charity drive, and, I’ll add, handling it with creativity and initiative. I wouldn’t contribute–I don’t contribute to charities at work–but I don’t see any reason that an email every Monday for three or four weeks is an unreasonable intrusion.

And you never know, maybe one of those blurbs will catch someone’s eye. I contribute to a charity that I never would have known about if not for a United Way drive at work. They don’t get my money through work, or through United Way, but I’m happy to write a check directly now and then.

[monstro]

@John_Mace

Yeah, I think the thing to do is to start the process out by introducing yourself, explaining how you plan to run the campaign (regular e-mail updates) and inform people that they may opt out if they want. And then on every subsequent e-mail, put something at the end that tells them they can opt out at any time and how to do that.

That’s not guaranteed to end the nasty responses, but it should reduce them considerably.

OK, I’m confused. All I do is send out emails from the division roster. There is no need for assistance with “opting out”. People can just tell me personally or through email that they do not want any emails from me whatsoever (including the one announcing that they won a prize in the raffle). It’s not like this a list-serv where you have to unsubscribe or anything.

[Bosstone]

So how do you feel about being a jackass whom everyone surely secretly hates even though you’ve received no evidence to the contrary?

I don’t really think that, but I saw everyone else ignoring the thrust of the OP and wanted to join in too.

[joebuck20]

nm

[joebuck20]

@friedo

Please remember to spay or neuter your teabaggers.

But, then they won’t be able to teabag.

[Rand_Rover]

I thought from the title of this thread that you were pitting Obama.

[Smeghead]

My relationship with my employer is (or should be) simple: I do work for them, they pay me. In my dream world, there would be none of this extra crap foisted on us in the name of, I don’t know…whatever. My internal work communication should be limited to information that I need to do my job, or information I provide other people to do their jobs.

It’s a dream, I know. And, yes, if it were me getting these emails, I’d delete them and move on. Writing a snarky reply is a little over the top. However, in general, if someone feels strongly about a charity, they have just as much right as you do to tell people about it.

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

Seriously, Lynn–that would annoy the hell out of you? Man, some people must go through life constantly annoyed. It’d be like a Greek tragedy if it were more epic.

[monstro]

@Smeghead

My relationship with my employer is (or should be) simple: I do work for them, they pay me. In my dream world, there would be none of this extra crap foisted on us in the name of, I don’t know…whatever. My internal work communication should be limited to information that I need to do my job, or information I provide other people to do their jobs.

It’s a dream, I know. And, yes, if it were me getting these emails, I’d delete them and move on. Writing a snarky reply is a little over the top. However, in general, if someone feels strongly about a charity, they have just as much right as you do to tell people about it.

She didn’t have a charity she felt strongly about. She was just ranting that I didn’t highlight an American charity that creates jobs for Americans and builds up our water supply systems. First of all, creating jobs is not the point of a charity, unless it’s something like Goodwill or something. And secondly, she’s an idiot. We ARE the agency responsible for our water supply system. If there was an organization doing what we are mandated to do by federal and state laws, then it wouldn’t be a charity. It would be another governmental agency!

And thirdly, point me to a place in the US where people are dying of water-borne illnesses or lack of potable water…where children’s bodies become mishapen because they have to carry heavy buckets of water five, six, seven miles everyday because they have no running water. Her rant was more than over the top. It was completely bananas.

I believe that if she felt so strongly about her opinion (and I didn’t even provide one in the original email, if anyone cares to read what I wrote), she should have hit reply-all so that her inarticulate tirade could have been seen and appreciated by everyone. That’s what one does when they are taking the kind of valiant stand that she was supposedly taking. Again, she didn’t say a word when I mentioned the two other local charities, both serving relatively small communities. It took mentioning one trying to prevent things like cholera and typhoid outbreaks–you know, things that actually kill people–for her to get her granny panties in a bunch.

Personally, I don’t get why charity drives drive people nuts. I don’t know what happens at your places of work, but it’s not like people beat us over the head to give money. We just have events, usually involving food, that people are perfectly free to stay away from. The director doesn’t even say a single word about the campaign, just so no one feels pressure from the uber-boss. It lasts a few weeks and no one hardly notices it when it’s over. I don’t understand why the state feels compelled to raise all this money, but I do wish one thing–that the people who hate state workers would see how much money we DO raise. Maybe they’d appreciate us more or at least shut the hell up about how much we suck.