When Every Scroll Is a Solicitation: Choosing Where (and Whether) to Give

If it feels like every email, post, or notification is asking for money, you’re not imagining it. Social media, crowdfunding platforms, and email campaigns have made it easier than ever for organizations—and individuals—to reach into our daily lives with urgent appeals for support.

Some causes are meaningful. Some are worthy. Some are deeply personal to the people asking.

But the volume has become overwhelming.

The Reality No One Talks About

What often gets lost in this constant stream of requests is a simple truth: most people already carry real financial and emotional obligations.

• Supporting family members

• Contributing to churches or faith communities

• Giving to personal charities that reflect long-held values

• Managing rising costs of living, healthcare, education, and retirement

• Simply trying to stay financially stable

Not everyone has unlimited capacity—financially, emotionally, or mentally—to say “yes” to every request. And yet, many appeals are framed in ways that create guilt, urgency, or social pressure.

That pressure is not fair—and it’s not healthy.

Giving Should Be a Choice, Not a Burden

Philanthropy, generosity, and community support only have meaning when they are voluntary. When giving becomes something people feel obligated to do—or ashamed for not doing—it stops being an act of generosity and starts becoming a source of stress.

It’s okay to:

• Say no without explanation

• Scroll past a fundraiser

• Decline repeated asks from the same organization

• Support causes privately rather than publicly

• Give time, expertise, or advocacy instead of money

• Give nothing at all during certain seasons of life

Your financial situation, family commitments, and personal priorities are valid—even if no one else sees them.

Respect Goes Both Ways

Organizations asking for support should remember that:

• Their cause is one of many competing demands in people’s lives

• Repeated, aggressive messaging can alienate the very people they hope to engage

• Not everyone is in a position to help, even if they care deeply

For individuals, it’s important to remember that you do not owe anyone access to your wallet, your time, or your emotional energy simply because they asked loudly or frequently.

A Simple Call to Action

Don’t be pressured.Don’t feel obligated.

Choose:

• Who you can afford to help

• How much you can realistically give

• What level of involvement makes sense for your life right now

Giving—when you choose to do it—should feel aligned with your values, not extracted through guilt or urgency.

Your generosity matters.So does your well-being.