Real Life MMD: Friends won't sponsor me, should I say something?

cheerful

I agree with what people are generally saying in reply to this MMD.

However, I think there is a more important issue:
What are you being sponsored for doing? If it were something of benefit to others, e.g. jumble sale, entertainment, fixing/cleaning things in the community, people would pay something directly for it.

"Sponsored" activities usually seem pointless (wearing a silly hat all day, etc.) or only of benefit or enjoyment to the person being sponsored (parachute jump, hill walking etc.)

I knew someone who signed up to do a sponsored parachute jump. After she had collected the required minimum amount of sponsorship she discovered that the cost of the jump came out of people's donations. She regarded that as asking for money under false pretences and chose to pay for the jump herself and make sure that all the sponsorship money went to the charity.

bogwart

No, you should say nothing. People have an absolute right not to participate in your charitable efforts, whether you like it or not. I don't regard your attitude as particularly helpful anyway - just because a charity may be important to you it has to be borne in mind that there are a thousand and one of them, all having worthwhile causes.

It is rather presumptuous for you to decide whether or not your friends and family can afford something or not. If this is the impression you give when soliciting contributions I wouldn't be at all surprised if you put a few backs up. I suspect a majority of refusals you get are due to this rather than an inability to pay.

davedogs

To avoid a long winded rant all i can say is "oh dear"

sugarlumps22

I support by monthly DD the Salvation Army, WaterAid, and Cancer Charities and have done so for many years plus a one off annual payment to the Elisabeth Fitzsimmons homes. Now retired my husband suggests I should stop these. However it's my choice and I know these small monthly contributions help. BUT like other folk I do get frustrated with the constant flow of requests for sponsership no matter how good the cause. It is an individual choice how we spend our money. No matter how well off or not we are. So I am selective in what I support on a one off basis. I think anyone being cross at not being supported in their quest to raise money is totally out of order and lacks basic common sense about charity giving.

She has no right to expect folk to support her in anyway what so ever.

jlc57

I do always try to sponsor my friends but sometimes it gets beyond a joke when you get lots of requests - this is particularly true when you are working. No-one should feel obliged to give to any charity. Also although you may think people have the money you never know their commitments and they may be on very tight budgets

tgroom57

How is this a Money Moral Dilemma ?

What terrible thing happens if they don't sponsor you?

portlandboy

The way that "sponsorship" has become similar to "begging" annoys me. If someone wants to raise money by doing a sponsored act they ought to respect the fact that some people will want to donate, while others will not. Many people are happy to give to their personal choice of charity on a regular basis and should not feel pressurized into giving.
Schools seem to be getting very good at using peer pressure on kids when it comes to either sponsored activities or donations. My child often says "I have to pay for..." and that is out of order. At Christmas he was told he "had to" buy a pair of gloves to send to a child at a school that his own school "sponsors" in a foreign country!
Sponsoring must be a choice not an expectation.

JoannaS_3

This really made me laugh!!!

Times are tough and even those who appear to spend their money on what you consider to be luxuries does not mean they have plenty of spare money to give to charity.

Even if they do, you have no right to decide what they should spend their money on! Put the shoe on the other foot!

I actually don't like being asked to sponsor people for this very reason, if you don't because you can't afford to or just don't want to (which is your right) people like you think you have the right to judge! There is always someone at work, in tha family or among friends doing something for charity, which is great but you just can't give to everyone every time!

What would you say anyway....So you can buy that but you can't sponsor me?! That's just going to lose you friends!

Good luck! :T

Joface_2

Is this for real! I would consider it extremely rude to be challenged over not sponsoring someone for charity. I never sponsor people, don't really like to be asked and I would never feel compelled to justify why. Whilst raising money for charity can rarely be a bad thing I sometimes question what motivates people, is it about the charity or is it about them? I do give to charity but mostly, by giving time and not money.

jjbennett_uk

I've done a few events in my time and for each one raising the required amount for the charity has been a harder and longer effort than doing the actual event (and I include marathons and 100km walks when I think about the fundraising). And the required amounts keep going up each year. - So much more now that they have priced me out of doing them.

I have great sympathy for the original poster in this case.

Perhaps times have changed and perhaps people have become bitter and hardened about their friends and colleagues asking for money.

I have found better ways to raise money are with arranging bake sales, football 5-a-side tournaments, raffles, etc. People are more inclined to spend their own money when they get something back for it.