Mar 14 2008
Observations on Canvassing Door to Door for March of Dimes
I volunteered to canvass door to door for the March of Dimes this year. Turned in my envelope tonight.
I fully expected to hear a lot of people say no. Or that they gave at the office. Or that they can’t make any more donations. I expected to hear all those things, and more.
What I didn’t expect was the number of people that were obviously at home and wouldn’t answer the door. I’m not even sure what to make of that.
I got to the point that I wished I could tell them that I’d throw in a couple of dollars for them if they’d just tell me why they would just ignore someone at the door. Weren’t they curious who it is? lol
Any thoughts? Why might people just not answer the door?
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If I am working at home I don’t open the door. Mainly because I know I am not expecting anyone and don’t want to be disturbed. More recently, however, I have a new puppy and a new porch and the phaff that goes on when someone knocks. The door opens outwards, so one hand on the door & one hand stopping the excited, bouncing, barking, puppy escaping lol
That makes sense. I found myself wondering if people don’t answer because they think it’s a door to door sales person… or if they think it’s someone canvassing for charity and it’s easier to not answer than to say no…. or if they just don’t care who it is. It’s a funny feeling to be the one on the other side of the door and hear people inside and wonder why they won’t come to the door.
Linda, you and 70s are both correct. I can add more to the list.
Personal observations:
1. I don’t allow the kids to answer the door to anyone they don’t actualy know while I’m not home.
2. Those with kids that are special needs or even those highly ADHD, may choose not to answer the door. When #1 was little, he couldn’t cope with unexpected company or happenings. I got to learn that it was just easier. An unexpected caller would send him into a fit of nervous, anxiety-ridden hyperactivity. A door to door caller just wasn’t worth it for me.
Having said that… people really should learn to place “No Soliciting” signs on their mailbox if they don’t want to be bothered. It doesn’t stop the ignorant, but does help. I use one.
I say that also, from the POV of someone who has been the fundraising professional responsible for a major health organization’s campaigns. If people would bother to use those signs, the volunteers wouldn’t disturb them, and then they wouldn’t have to phone me with their asinine complaints because how am I supposed to know they don’t want to be called on if they don’t have a sign? Knowing up front which houses are not going to result in a donation would leave the volunteer more time to pay attention to the other houses… or have time to make a second trip to those where people actually aren’t home since leaving those envelopes in the mailboxes doesn’t actually translate into much of a response. Most of them end up in the garbage.
Hope your experiences were otherwise acceptable Linda. Volunteers to do those campaigns are harder and harder to come by. Good on you for doing it!
Here, Here! Good on you Linda! If people would only realize how much time someone gives up to do that work instead of being wrapped up in their own worlds, maybe they would be considerate enough to use signs.
Hi aussiebabe. If you check out the comments to Linda’s Melee post, you’ll get a quickie update on the fraccy child. I’m hoping to get to my email tonight.
Hey aussiebabe!! Good to see you here again! Although there are extenuating circumstances like the ones Fraccy mentioned, I really think that most people don’t answer the door because they don’t want to be asked to buy something or to donate to something.
And yet, I wish I could make them all realize that if every household picked 10 charities that they believe do good work and donated just $2 to each one, what a difference they could make in the world for a total sum of $20.
$2 from every house in the city could make such a difference for so many - and $20 per year is such a low amount, that 99% of households should be able to swing that $20.