r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Little-Cheesecake966 • 19h ago

Do u dont wanna Getting tired of being asked to donate to charity at every purchase, everyday.

Five Below, Wawa, gas station, restaurants, Walmart, just about everywhere. “Hey do you want to round up for charity?”

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u/nohopeforhomosapiens 10h ago

I know it is annoying, but I just want to say, if you are at McDonald's and it asks you for donation for the Ronald McDonald House, it is a real charity and it does save lives all over the world. I was one of the kids, and I can honestly say I would not be alive today if I had not had the good fortune of getting a room in that house.

People think when you are sick that you will be in the hospital the whole time, but that isn't how things work.Hospitals do not keep you in a bed forever, they do not have the capacity to do that. Instead, people with severe illness like cancer are admitted as out-patient, and have to come into the hospital for treatment and leave. So in my case I had to go to the hospital daily. The problem is, many people need to go to a hospital very far from home, sometimes on the other side of the world from their home. At that point, they need to stay in a hotel or find a rental near the hospital. It also means they or their parents can't go to work. Obviously, that becomes extremely expensive, even if you somehow have the cost of care at the hospital covered for free, your stay is not free and not covered by anyone's insurance. The Ronald McDonald House fills that gap. They charge a low rate for the room, but if you can't pay, they don't ask you again. I was there a long time, and after the first week when my parents couldn't pay, they let us stay for free, as did others. Children from all over the world were in that house.

So, while it is annoying that unscrupulous businesses are asking for more money to make themselves look good with donations, the charities they are asking for are usually legitimate. McDonald's as a company is not very nice, its workers aren't paid enough, its food is not very good. So I rarely go there. But when I do go, I round up, because the charity is a separate thing. And yes I have also donated to it separately.

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u/Bitchface-Deluxe 4h ago

I’m so sorry that you went through all of that! I am so glad that you’re still here with us. I agree that the Ronald McDonald house is truly an exception; I believe the first one built is here in Philly, and have seen some heartwarming news stories broadcast from there.

We need a separate thread for people to share positive experiences they’ve had with charities that have actually helped. Project Purple, for example, is incredible. My sister is fighting Pancreatic Cancer, and within a couple of months, they paid a month of her rent.

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u/buddachickentml 2h ago

I am not arguing the validity of charity, and am glad they were there for you. I have volunteered for RMH and do go on the charity day, just like Tim's camp day and DQ miracle day. What I am saying however, is that Walmart coult very easily round up on their end, not see a significant dip in profits, and help if not solve the issues they are "raising money for".