800-506-4717

Call from Needy Children's Shopping Spree.

I received a call asking for a donation for the Needy Children's Shopping Spree. The caller mentioned that it is a 501(c)(3) organization and that contributions are tax deductible. I'd donated before and noticed that my company, which matches charitable contributions for organizations that have 501(c)(3) status never has matched my contributions to this charity. I mentioned that. I asked the caller to tell me where to look online, since I was online at the time, and he told me to look up Child Safety Bureau. That search turned up nothing using either Google or Windows Live search. There was no caller ID for this call.

Received call from Needy Children's Shopping Spree asking for donation. Had them fax their information. I was able to "google" them by their tax id number. The information I found can be found at the following web site: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/charities/search_detail.aspx?charity_id=853

I too received a call.  Unfortunately sent money.  Local charity group knew nothing of them.  Went to website by WA State and found that their charity status expired 11/30.  What it did say was that they only donated 51% not a good rating -- will not donate in future.  Called numbers listed on state site and they are personal phone numbers yet to see if they call back.

I rec'd call from Needy Children's Shopping Spree, sponsored by Children's Safety Bureau.  They gave this # as a call back #.  I can't really find anything bad about these guys, but nothing good either.  Looks like they've been around for a number of years.  I had intended to donate, but the address is a PO box #.  I guess I'll keep looking for info before donating.

Also got a phone call and told them they could send me info to look at. Got their material which looked hokey and their website looked a little a shoddy  so I was skeptical about them. Nothing in the BBB. Only 54% goes to the cause, so they won't be getting my money this year.

We got a fax with this number on it. The address listed on the fax doesn't even exist. The phone number is only a voice mail. Also, by going to my states website (WA) http://www.sos.wa.gov/charities/search_detail.aspx?charity_id=853 it shows that only 57% of the funds went to the actual charity. We will be giving our money to a place which gives all the money to the needy.

I got a call from Needy Children's Shopping Spree today. Last year they invited me to help at the shopping spree. I know they are a real organization as I attended the Walmart and had a very neat experience. They paid for 70 or so preschoolers Christmas presents. They said they put on about 50 of these events every December.  I'm helping again this year :)

A person claiming to be from Head Start is having donation checks mailed to a local UPS mailbox. She is calling on land lines and claiming that the money they donate will go to Christmas baskets for Head Start children. I am the E. Director of the Head Start program in our two county area.  No one has contacted me so  I am under the assumption this is a scam operating under the name Needy Children’s Shopping Spree..  http://www.csb-ncss.org/about.html  --  

I agreed to donate $25 to the Children's Safety Bureau for Needy Children's Shopping Spree.  When they called to see if I had sent the donation, the representative mocked me by laughing when I said I was sending it.  I immediately became suspicious and looked the org up on the Better Business Bureau website.  They do not meet one or more of the standards and are considered a risk.  When they called back again, I told them what I learned.  They were rude, argumentative, agreed to take me off the call list but called three more times from an "anonymous caller" being rude.  I spoke with a Mathew and Brent all times and referenced their unprofessionalism as "suspect",  Brent called one last time and stated that regardless of the BBB, I agreed to donate and when held my ground, said he appreciated me misunderstanding the BBB's review and promptly hung up on me.  God forbid they are actually doing anything for children anywhere.  

Received a call from Children's Safety Bureau asking for donation and stating that I donated $100 the year before.   I remember donating something to them the year before, but didn't believe it was as much as $100 so I decided to check them out before donating again.   I asked how they selected the needy children and who took the children on the shopping spree - they answered my town's school district teachers selected and took the kids.   I checked with my town's school district and they had not heard of them.   I also looked on line and saw some other non-flattering information including a low percentage of donations actually being used for the charitable purpose.  After this info, I decided not to donate.

I received a call from this group or person today. They or he should at least be forward regarding the share of contributions paid for children's gifts.

I just got a phone call from Needy Children's Shopping Spree tonight but caller ID showed number as "unavailable". The man requesting donations told me 85% of donations go to the children and 15% is overhead. He told me they take kids to the local Wal-Mart . I found a rating of No Rating at BBB. I agreed to donate, taking the man at his word,  but based on others ' research I'm not confident that I should. I guess the next step is to check with whatever the state charity regulating authority is.

received a call from Brent. When I asked how much they held out for administrative costs he said 5%. I got suspicious when I received the pledge in the mail. Brent acted like I had donated to them before, but when I looked back I discovered I have not. After reading these notes, I have decided not to donate. The address where you send the money has a UPS store and several other small businesses but no listing for this organization.

Received a call today and when I asked to be removed from their calling list they called me rude.

Received the phone call from Needy children's shopping spree. I was suspicious from the beginning and after looking them up, found they donate about 51% that means 49% overhead.
I won't be sending them a dime. Very hard to find info on them and comments above seem to confirm my suspisions.