So she devised a little experiment: For an entire year, she'd track every letter and phone call, every calendar, pen set, member's card, or certificate of thanks some worthy cause employs to part the Grossmans from their retirement savings.
"Excuse me if I look at my notes," she said Monday afternoon, opening the yellow spiral notebook in which she recorded and classified each pitch. Purple tabs help her determine whether she'd given the organization money before, when, and how much.
UNICEF sent her 24 letters last year, according to her records. It called her at least once that she knows of. She last gave to the organization in June.
That was when she contributed to two other groups whose fresh pitches arrived Monday: Smile Train (17 letters in 2010) and the American Red Cross (14). Doctors Without Borders (15) received a donation from the Grossmans in September.
This year, she has prepared her own form letter to send back to the organizations. It reads:
"Enclosed is our check for -- . Please make a note that this is the ONLY donation which we will make to your organization in 2011. Any more requests shall be unwelcome and unheeded. More solicitations shall be unproductive for you and add needlessly to your costs. In 2010 we recorded -- requests by phone and -- by letter."
She has no confidence her declaration will make a difference, but it does make her feel better.
If you think the couple are bombarded with pleas for money because they are heavy-hitters in the philanthropic world, think again.
Last year, they contributed to 38 organizations. Typically, each one received $20 or $25.
"I assume the reason we get so much mail is because the charities exchange mailing lists with each other," she said. That explains why so many similar causes try to tap the Grossmans' good will.
