To Whom This May Concern,
Due to the current economic strain on all of us the yeshiva’s and the other valuable organizations have been hit the hardest with financial burdens like never before. A few years back Yeshivas Shor Yoshov started a raffle for $100k. They headed the raffle and sold tickets at a lower price depending on how much that yeshiva does purchase to other yeshivos/organizations to sell to the chashuv’e yiddin that do support that institution(s). Due th the success of this campaign the institutions that are larger have since made their own raffle’s. I do believe that most of the yeshivas participation in Shor Yoshov’s raffle are actually calling you personally because you have some connection to their organization or have previously given to them for any reason a friend was honored or a neighbors son was there and he/she solicited funds from you. Due to the widespread reach of the internet once you have a persons name you can find out their listed phone number in around 60 seconds. As a bochur in a yeshiva that does participate in this campaign which does raise a great sum of money i have made phone calls to my contacts, and to people on a list that my yeshiva gave me. I can assure you that all “telemarketers” who are only calling you to try to express hakaros hatov to their institution would rather not call you multiple times, and in my particular situation they print out all donors on a card and if that person says “we are unable to pledge at this time” that card does get thrown out. But even then some people get called twice due to some typos so their card got printed twice etc. If you say I’m sorry but we don’t pledge over the phone in turn you might get asked can we send you a envelope ( which might have written on it as per your phone conversation which you did have just you said you don’t pledge over the phone. In summation if you are able to help you should and if you aren’t their are ways to politely inform the person(s) calling that you cant help out. (providing they are polite to you) If you don’t answer your phone they probably will still call as they go over the same lists till all names get crossed off. These people would rather hear a no then can you call back or I’ll get back to you so just be honest and imagine you were the “telemarketer” how would you like the person on the other end of the line to treat you. In my particular yeshiva they only allow calls by bein hasdorim so as not to affect the z’manim of the yeshiva which is why the campaign was held for in the first place.