The Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation’s decision to no longer fund grants to Planned Parenthood got a lot of people fired up.
The resulting social media fury that spurred a reversal of that decision got us thinking: What should you do when your favorite charity disappoints you?
Some ideas gleaned from around the Web:
Take to Facebook, or Twitter, or Tumblr, and get vocal.
A mobilized Internet is an incredibly powerful tool and was cited as key in getting Komen to reverse its decision days after the uproar. The whole episode was declared a victory for the power of social media as supporters of women’s health decried Komen’s move. At the height of the controversy, it was estimated nine out of ten social media comments or exchanges were in favor of Planned Parenthood.
Let your wallet do the talking.
Many comments on sites such as NYTimes.com said simply, “Komen no longer gets my dollars.” Money talks. Some threatened boycotts of products that carried the Komen pink ribbon. For an organization that was powerful and popular enough to get professional football players to wear pink, this must have been a stunning turn of events. Meanwhile, donations to Planned Parenthood reached $3 million for its breast health fund, including a $250,000 matching gift from New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
Seek an alternative charity with the same cause.
Organizations such as the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation (an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization) or the American Cancer Society, enable donors to keep supporting the cause of breast cancer research, but through a different organization.
Did you take action in the days following the Komen-Planned Parenthood scuffle? Was it effective? Would you do something different next time a charity disappoints you? Give us your comment below.
