Cash or not, the Salvation Army is coming for your donation this year
Salvation Army kettle captains, God bless ‘em, must hear the following more often than a street escort looking like Rosie O’Donnell: “Sorry, haven’t got any cash.”
And just like that, the passerby nods, and on the charity workers go ringing their bells, braving the cold. That’s how it’s been at kettle sites on city streets and out front Walmarts for years.
But these holidays, the Salvation Army in some cities won’t let commuters and shoppers off so easy.
Many will be equipped with cell phones fitted with mobile payment systems, so anyone with a credit card – that is, most every consumer known to man – will have a tough time shrugging their shoulders when faced with solicitation this year.
According to the New York Times, the famed charity will test arming donation collectors in four U.S. cities with Android smartphones enabled with Square, the mobile payment system from Jack Dorsey, the guy who also co-founded Twitter.
From the NYT: “(The phones) are equipped with Square’s postage-stamp-size card reader and two apps, one from Square and one from the Salvation Army. Donors swipe a card, just as they would at any credit card processing terminal, and the money goes into the Salvation Army’s account.”
*Bing: Signs a charity is a scam
For the sake of disclosure, the Salvation Army has tried credit card donations before, previously setting up terminals beside its kettles to collect plastic payment. Yet by the charity’s numbers, only $60,000 was gathered that way in 2009; by contrast, more than $148 million was collected in coins and bills in the U.S. last year alone.
But the Army is sure testing the versatile capabilities of Square – only a swipe and signature are needed, whereas the credit card terminals were considered too “cumbersome,” according to a charity spokesperson – will better connect with donors passing by on the street.
No word yet on if, or when, Square will arrive for use alongside Canada’s Salvation Army kettles, but the technology’s potential is becoming quite apparent.
If the Girl Guides can use the mobile payment system to swindle Facebook employees into buying 400 boxes of cookies in an hour, why wouldn't more charities use Square to corner donors into giving where they might not otherwise?
By Jason Buckland, MSN money
*Photo courtesy Square.
Posted by: w | Nov 22, 2021 1:35:06 PM
Good old Salvation Army!Devoted anyway to their cause.Who do I contact at their HQ to return my grandfathers false teeth that were in a cup by his bed ,and when he awoke both the SA person visiting him and his false teeth were gone.They can certainly try to collect.Granted they do mean well and its helped millions,but;first and last impression of them-my grandfathers false teeth could only help one person,2 if you mean him and 1 other person.I only give to Sick Childrens Hospital,and ,Breast Cancer donations.Sorry folks,not to the SA.
Posted by: w | Nov 22, 2021 1:51:24 PM
........and ,if they catch me in Walmart,I will give a donation......that hasn't happened in 4 years,and isn't about to real soon.So just have to be aware to pay cash or be scammed.And ,when the Girl Guides start getting more into their coffers from their fund raisers...thanks to the national tv program tipping people off to that scam ......and,its not that I don't like their cookies,5 or 6 boxes,now down to none,because of the program,some mothers had watched it,and wouldn't let their children participate because of what they heard about the fund raiser,don't blame them
Posted by: Route 66 | Nov 23, 2021 5:34:11 AM
I have seen the good that the SA does in our community and I will continue to support them. In response to W, I can't see anyone having any use for someone elses false teeth. Any denturologist will agree with me. The whole notion is just silly.
Posted by: Elmo | Nov 24, 2021 2:09:05 AM
@Route 66... if you can get both upper AND lower sets of false teeth, you can crazy glue 2 springs... one on each side... and watch 'em clack away on a table. Loads of fun !!
Posted by: karra | Nov 28, 2021 4:56:40 PM
They get a smile and a "I've already donated" from me if they make eye contact.
I prefer donating twice a year and getting a tax receipt. (Plus gifts of clothing and used goods for their thrift shops).
Keep on ringing those bells though - it's the spirit of Christmas and not everyone does only planned giving as I do. (OK, maybe I'll drop an extra bit of change now and then).
Posted by: Al-man | Nov 30, 2021 9:37:44 AM
Cash is all any charity usually gets. Swipe carding for charity? I think not. Too many security issues related to that. If I have a few coins or a small bill in my pocket, fine. many charities wouldn't even get that.