St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

I decided to make a monthly donation. That donation supposedly entitled me to a T-shirt. Instead of receiving the shirt, I received another request for money. The letter stated that by sending another donation, I would possibly be eligible for the T-shirt. Funny, their ad doesn’t mention that and the representative I spoke to when I made my recurring donation asked me what size shirt I wanted. To me it’s not about the money it’s the principle and slimy tactics. I thought of cancelling my donation but I want to help the children. I am a cancer survivor but I will not ever support them again!

They sent multiple donation request mailers to my apartment, with the text “We miss you. Cancer doesn’t wait. . . so why should you?” in big letters on the outside of the envelope. The problem? The letters. . . are addressed to my deceased relatives. One of whom died of cancer. My relatives stopped donating because they died. It is distressing for me every single time it happens. I am still trying to get St. Jude’s to stop months later. They offer no method of canceling said mail that I can find through their website or phone tree. And no one on their donation soliciting team had the common sense to realize that a larger portion than average of their donors have cancer, and that sometimes longtime donors suddenly stop sending in donations *because they are dead.* They are more interested in making it difficult for people to unsubscribe from their mailers in case they manage to change someone’s mind about donating, then they are in making a system that doesn’t constantly retraumatize people grieving their loved ones who recently lost their battles with cancer. I can’t speak to how they treat their patients as I didn’t receive services from them - but their donation-side behavior is manipulative and irresponsible.

Around 50% of what is raised annually is actually used for helping children with cancer. 50% goes to the fundraising entity which it uses to pay " operating expenses" to includes approximately $7.7 million to 11 employees (approx $700k each) in 2013 according to their financial filing forms with the government. They are aggressive in robo calls and will not stop whem asked to be removed from their calling list.

All the advertising has to cost millions pns of dollars even if half or more o given to them as donations why don't they put that money in the donation kitty for what it supposed to go for and quit with the blankets at least the t- shirts are walking ads !!!! That's why I quit donating

Continues to make robo calls to promote more donations from previous donors. Does not stop calling when asked to do so. Uses local phone number similar to scammer tactics. Will not respond when asked why they continue to annoy donors with junk phone calls.

When I inquired some time ago asking if they used animals for their research, I was told they did not. That was a lie!! Sorry for the children but, no more donations from our family!!

Would love to donate for the children but I CANNOT!! Any hospital that makes money off the annual slaughter of defenseless raccoons can't have my money.