I Made a Grocery Clerk's Day Today

I was at the local Whole Foods (oh, I still am not a fan, but where else am I going to find local organic milk + lingonberries?) and when it came time to cash out, I was asked if I would like to donate $5 to Second Harvest Food Bank.

I asked her if I could donate $50.

She was pretty jazzed to be turning in one of those, and I got to donate anonymously.

can turn a donation of $1 into $17 worth of food. More power to 'em. (The choices of amount donated didn't even go as high as $50.)

I've given notice to the people I usually exchange gifts with, that I'll be donating this winter instead. I've been told by the wife of our company's owner that we have nothing to be worried about and am just that grateful. I'm also going to see who in my community helps people with their home heating/utility bills.

for their food bank tonite.

that defeats the whole point of donating anonymously in the first place!

Whatever.

:shrug:

besides - the story might inspire others to donate

Sure there is the whole AT&T spying thing, but eh, details! :P

then again, the internet is anonymous.

I donated a couple of thousand to SH through a DU challenge over the last few years and guess what? There are a handful of people who know who I really am.

I invite you all to look at the definition of anonymous
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anonymous

The definition clearly implies that in the context of a charitable donation when one is named or identified in regards to the origin of a donation said donation is no longer truly anonymous because the conditions of the the term have been violated. While yes, the donation was made anonymously to begin with, the state of anonymity requires that the conditions of the definition be met at all times or the contribution loses its status as defined by our language. I would argue that an intermediate stage in this case exists that is actually the most optimal. Making an anonymous charitable contribution is generally viewed as more admirable. By making the anonymous contribution and then telling people about it you in essence are able to cash in on this honorability more strategically and bolster your reputation with whoever you desire so long as you don't over do it.

Secondly, yes the internet is essentially anonymous, however this little community here is not so much. To be truly anonymous users of this website would have no user names, they could choose to post under a different alias if they pleased with no major restrictions. Numerous message boards follow this format. However like many internet communities, we have usernames which for the purpose of the community serve as an avatar or extension of the person behind username, that is assuming the user is not a troll of some sort. If you are active enough on this website you build a reputation, make friends, enemies, and establish all sorts of emotional connections with your fellow users. The more you post, the more involved you become in the community, and the more meaningful your username becomes. It would not be unreasonable to assert that the OP was searching for praise and recognition from a general community which they value. It is not as if they chose a message board at random to post this thread.

In all seriousness there is an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm that deals with this very discussion which might, again all seriousness, shed some light on this issue.

:eyes:

Thanks

:spray:

touche good sir, touche.

I used my debit card to pay, so it wasn't that anonymous, either. As far as the food bank goes, though, that money is coming from Whole Foods, not me. They'll be the ones getting the credit for it.

Have a lovely holiday season!

:hi:

I donated the last time I was at a Whole Foods too.

Thank you.

Hand one of the buttons to the checkout person. They scan the barcode on it. You put the button back.

Proceeds go to Second Harvest.

And, in spite of their employment practices, don't skip the Salvation Army's Red Kettle outside the store.

It's gonna be a tough holiday season around here.

variable amounts to the families of deployed soldiers. I thought that was pretty darned cool. (It's called "Heroes.")

Doesn't it?

change and small amounts of cash around that much. I have to keep reminding myself to put some in my pockets, but I often just forget to. When I am coming out of the store, I am usually in a hurry, and don't have time or free arms and such to dig in my purse for change or ones--which I seldom even have any more.

I also use a cane, so it can be complicated if I don't have bits of cash in easy to reach locations.

It would be interesting if someone wanted to do research on how the regular use of ATM cards for grocery and other daily purchases affects the donations in the SA red kettles.

I think it is something we need to give thought to thoroughly, and find new ways to help.

I took a number of bags and boxes to the local food bank recently, and found that the shelves were bare, and when I drove up - on donation day - there were people waiting and hoping for me to do just that.

I'm impacted by the economic slump, as a self employed person I won't lose my job, but I'm losing clients.

I think a donation such as you made could be a Christmas present to people on your list who don't need the trinket you might have bought them. Tell them you donated to the Food Bank in their name.

Your post inspired me to possibly do just that.

check from me today as well. Good group. z