Kids and fundraising - To think the charity should have said thanks for sons efforts?

[Quibble123]

My 10yr old son recently completed a whole load of walking challenges for a well known charity, he raised over £2800 and walked over 150 miles in a single month. Now please don't get me wrong he did not do this for recognition or reward - he has a very personal experience which relates to the cause. He did it because he cares. Anyway since he completed we've heard nothing from the charity at all. It's almost been a month and not a thank you, not a message, not an email. I don't expect a fanfare or parade, but they have a large fundraising team and I just thought a simple thanks or well done would be good and encourage him to do other things! Last night he was asking about it and basically thinks they don't care, which has left him a little deflated - we did talk about them being busy doing their important work etc. But wondered on others experiences, is this common practice for charities when kids do a big fundraising thing? Has anyone else experienced this?

How had he communicated with the charity when he was planning the walk? Did he tell them in advance? And how did he give the money over? If it was only via a fundraising website it’s possible they haven’t seen it yet.

Your son should have been thanked
a letter / certificate / hand written card
i would actually speak to the charity as it’s very disappointing his great efforts haven’t been acknowledged - £2.800 is a significant gift
there’s nothing more important than thanking your donors (charity fundraiser here)

Hi yes, we'd fully communicated, sent photos etc, tagged them on social media etc. When we planned the idea they were engaged and then nothing since then.

In that case that’s pretty disappointing. Assuming it’s been a few weeks since he did it, I’d contact the charity yourself to raise it. That level of donation should get a certificate or written card

Call their team when he’s not there and ask if someone can’t drop him a thank you email. Say what you’ve said here… they’ve dropped the ball.

That's poor form. I get emails all the time from places I've donated too, I well worded one makes you happy even when your motivation is linked to something difficult.

Very poor form - I run a charity and I like to think that we thank everyone who fundraises for us like this.

That isn’t good enough at all. I’d phone and ask them to contact him.

I would be bitterly disappointed too, my son raised over £1000 for Macmillan by shaving his head after my cancer diagnosis and they were amazing. Did not expect anything, but they sent him a T-shirt and a thank you letter with some ways his money could have been spent by them funding nurses/the helpline. They even sent a letter on the 1 year anniversary. I’d be really irritated in your shoes to not even get a little mass produced thank you card!

You don’t “need” thanks or gifts, but it goes a long way towards feeling you’ve done a good thing and it’s been acknowledged.

Very very poor form from the charity especially for a child. I would email them.

How was the money paid in? Was it paid over the website stating what it was for? If it was paid in cash at a bank did you also email them letting them know to look out for it? Send them an email chasing it up so they can have w look for it.

He should of had a thank you, yes. But you'd be amazed how often money is donated and it's like a needle in a haystack trying to locate it in bank statements to link it to the donor.

Email them yourself with screenshots of the paying in, social media etc. It’ll be an oversight/ annual leave glitch but it’s a shame he feels unappreciated. Great effort!

Very poor form from the charity. And self defeating on their part.

I'd give them feedback if I were you. Find their CEO on linked in and send them a message saying it's a shame they didn't encourage your son who has been such a committed fundraiser.

It takes thirty seconds to send a personalised email or letter.

Less if they automate it.

Having worked for/with a number of charities I wouldn’t give up hope that he’ll get some sort of recognition. Things tend to work quite slowly in fundraising teams, particularly at this time of year with staff holidays etc to take into account. Could well be it’s not been picked up in a monthly analysis etc yet, then to be passed to someone working in donor relations etc. Poor form if he ultimately gets no communication from them, but I wouldn’t write them off yet.

Of course they should have said thank you. I would email them.

I work for a charity in a marketing/fundraising function.

You are right to be annoyed.

We would at the very least:

• thank the person fundraising each time they tag us/mention our charity on social media and post a comment under their posts praising their effort
• thank them once their challenge is completed by email or with a letter
• we often also highlight fundraising challenges by individuals in our own social media, website and newsletter.

Especially considering that your son has raised a considerable sum of money, it is not acceptable that no one has got back to him.

If it was a tiny charity with mostly volunteers it would be understandable that they might have a backlog of work especially in the summer when volunteers might be away but if it is a bigger organisation with a dedicated, professional fundraising team then it is poor practice...