80sTees gets a lot of requests to donate goods or gift certificates to charity events. Usually it’s for a good cause like to help a family in need or help pay someone’s medical bills, etc.
Recently I got one from an elementary school in a well off neighborhood. They described their school as being in a well off neighborhood in the pitch. My first thought was “well why should I donate to people that really don’t need it?”. But then I realized what better way to get in front of people who might spend a lot of money than at an 80s themed event that has $150 minimum per person tickets?
This dynamic plays out everywhere, I’m sure. Somehow this is the first time I’ve realized it. I have limited dollars available to donate to this type of event, so I have to be picky. I’d be crazy not to want to get in front of this audience. At an inner city school the funds are much more badly needed, but that’s not my customer base.
So the problem here is that charity becomes business, and the beneficiaries of the charity are people who arguably should not be able to benefit from tax free gifts. I don’t blame anyone here. Even without tax free status the affluent could still get people to give them goods in exchange for getting in front of a desirable audience. The government shouldn’t be in the business of picking worthy charities. So I have no solution whatsoever.