Address Labels

Perhaps like me, you receive many requests for donations from a variety of charitable causes. Each is a worthy cause and well deserving of receiving a donation. Unfortunately the requests often outnumber the amount of disposable dollars available for donating. So, one has to simply decide where to place those few dollars.

Then comes the difficult part. Often the agency, cause, organization, sends along a little something as a thank you for donating. No doubt this is to encourage that truly Canadian guilt trip and cause you to send a donation. Sometimes it is a small prayer card, a hand printed Christmas card, a personalized note pad.

What I have noticed of late is the increase in the number of mailing labels received with the donation requests. They may be from just about any organization. Often they have either a nice graphic or the logo of the organization in the top left corner. Truly useful items if you need them.

The questionbecomes what to do with all those labels. First, just how many mailing labels does one need? Most communication today seems to be via electronic means. Few write letters regularly. Then there is the ethics question. As Canadians we seem to believe that if we use the labels we must send a donation. Back to that guilt thing again.

In our case, the solution is twofold:
a contact with the agency asking for the donation requesting we be removed from their solicitation list (this rarely works);
shredding of the labels because we are concerned that simply putting them in the garbage allows another point of information for those unprincipled folks who are looking to steal an identify.

Think of it, someone pulls a batch of labels from your garbage and starts sending notes identifying themselves as you. With all the requests received to sign up for this and that credit card what could be easier. They need only put a label on the application and the envelope and mail it back. Then quickly send a change of address to the company saying sorry, we moved. The card goes to the "moved" address and your credit goes down the tube.

Have you ever tried shredding those labels? Sure they can get chopped up in strips or small pieces depending upon the model of shredder you have. Unfortunately, the adhesive part also manages to stick to the cutter blades. Now you have the task of pulling, where possible, the adhesive items off the blades. This is not a fun task, believe me I speak from experience here.

The solution? Well, I propose that the agencies sending labels not send them but rather send a note that say with your donation you will receive customized mailing labels. This is a win-win solution for all concerned:

• The agency does not incur the cost of printing labels that end up being destroyed one way or another with out a donation.
• The donor can get just the number of labels they require and from the organization they wish to show support for.

Of course, there is another option, send the entire package back to the agency postage due with a large note in permanent marker on the front "STOP SENDING ME LABELS". Oh year, add "Please" because after all we are polite Canadians.