Giving anonymously

Like many Americans, I have certain causes I like to support. I’ve given to St. Jude’s, various cures and causes, Planned Parenthood, etc. because I support their efforts.

But my contributions are about to change. Not that they will be discontinued, but they will be anonymous.

The reason is that I’m tired of being nagged to death. Give once, on the record, and many charities will hound you forever.

It seems that a large percentage of my emails are begging or tugging on the heartstrings because I gave them money. I get similar messages from others to whom I’ve never donated. Sympathy becomes antagonism after about the fifth call, email or letter in a week’s time.

I no longer answer unfamiliar callers. I throw away piles of mail stamped with charity return addresses.

Begging emails will be redirected to the junk mail file, left to rot with messages about lotteries I’ve won and the women I’ve never met but who lust for me in poorly executed English.

So, I will give in the future but no one will ever know. I’ll live in the shadows. Can someone play the Twilight Zone intro for this?

This story was originally published December 22, 2017 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Giving anonymously."