What do you think of this ad??

[guest32]

http://boise.craigslist.org/wan/231784860.html

This is on our local Craigslist.....I've emailed and sent a list of local, state and Govt. agencies that they could go to for help. The reply was...that they are 13 (cents) over the income cut off. I find this VERY hard to believe....I KNOW we have more than one food pantry, churches, LOVE, Inc, etc. for people/families in need. And also, I thought they could not shut off heat to a home if you have minor children???

And I'm suspicious because I personally know of someone who did this on a Craigslist and everything was a lie...

Am I just a scrooge??? I have/do volunteer for several agencies, and some (like the SA) does not ask for income verification (except for the Christmas program...I take apps for that so I know the criteria)

[FrugalWitch]

Guess I'm a Scrooge too. Anyone can post a sob-story, not sure I'd believe it.

[FrugalMomof3]

I agree with you ladies, I am sometimes a sucker for things like this but I've learned my lesson from a few others who did this and it was a scam. It's a shame because there are families out there just like the ad mentions who really need the help. I dont fall for these ads anymore, I would totally help out a friend or family member though if needed.

[YankeeMom]

I can understand the scepticism.

For myself, I would rather help someone, even if I later found out they didn't need the help than to turn my head away from someone who might truly be in need.

There's someone higher than me who has to judge those who would pull some shady stuff like that.

[starsapphire]

Sounds like a scam to me. Thirteen cents over the guideline? I've never heard of an agency counting down to the penny, maybe they are out there. The way that post reads, it still smells fishy to me.

[lottaLove]

I think I would be skeptic. I see posts for help sometimes on our local boards, this one sounds fabricated to pull at your heart strings.

I know the programs that we have here do not ask you about your income. They have a clothing donation room that you can come and grab things from if you feel you are in need, and they have a special program for mothers who cannot afford necessities, like diapers and cribs, to get them from the family clinic.

The posts that I see that I *believe* are genuine have a more desperate tone to them. That's not to say that someone who is desperate necessarily sounds like they are, but generally people will ask for diapers or old clothes or blankets before they will ask you to pay their electric bill.

If you feel you want to help someone that is in need, just donate whatever you would have given to a local women's crisis centre or teen pregnancy centre. There are people who go to these places who are in a much worse position than the person in this ad, I am sure.

[i.m.cheap]

I think it sounds like panhandling. There are so many agencies in place to help families in crisis situations. The USDA food stamp program is available for low-income workers. Maybe the parents could just try living frugally, cutting coupons, and buying their clothes in thrift stores like so many of us on here do. I would not send them a dime.

[MTS04]

There are programs like WIC that could provide food for the children. and there are multitude of other programs that could assist the family as a whole.

I am skeptical

[guest32]

That's the thing...I sent them names of specific agencies in our area. They also do not give ages or anything about the children. The reply stated that they could only go to the food bank once every 30 days??? Nope, I don't think so, and we have several. Plus, a local mission will feed families for free, no questions asked. The SA has emergency assistance, or will give them the names of other agencies also, and they have their own food bank/box program. I just wonder if they don't want to *go to all the trouble* to seek out assistance. We support and volunteer at SA programs and we are huge supporters of our Rescue Mission...I KNOW what these places offer.
Sigh.....

[Stella]

We had a lady here that was posting similar ads on craigslist. She was saying that her kids needed clothes and she could not afford them. They needed food also. It turned out to be a scam. She was listing every 3 months that it was her kids BD and she could not afford any presents. It pulled at your heartstrings at first. People on craigslist were onto her and found she was selling the stuff "donated" thru a store on ebay.
I think if someone was *really* in need they would not wait for someone on craigslist to respond. They would find somewhere that they could receive help right away.

[Buckeye5]

Listen to this one, awhile back, a boy in my daughter's class and a friend of ours was diagnosed with a tumor on his spine, he had to undergo lots of surgeries and treatments and now is permanently disabled. Anyway, we did tons of fundraisers, like spahetti dinners, (several) raffles, I sent $$, bought them pizza etc.all of the proceeds went directly to the family, then we all find out that the Dad is spending the money going to the tanning beds, buying ATV's etc. that put an end to the community generousity to them. How sad.

[danni]

The reply stated that they could only go to the food bank once every 30 days???

A couple people I know use the food bank and you can only use it once every 30 days here. That doesn't mean I'd believe the story though. We qualify for social programs because of our low income but we don't use them because we don't need them, we are very careful with our money and we help out as much as possible when someone else needs it. But because we don't have alot to give we only give to people we know need it. Last month a child in the twins class had their home burned down. Their were 9 people in the family, and they had no tenants insurance. They lost everything, including all he xmas presents they had bought. All my kids went through their stuff and chose clothes and toys they wanted to give them. We gave them a food hamper(from my stockpile) and some money too. I love too help people, but like I said, they have to need it.