The challenge of direct giving

Last holiday season I had an interesting experience in charitable giving. I bought 72 stuffed animal toys at the Dollar Store, with the intent of giving them away to anyone who wanted them, directly, without any intermediary. This proved to be extremely difficult.

I started with a post on Facebook: "I need a couple people to help me with an interesting holiday project." I kept it vague because I wanted my project to be anonymous. I was not looking for "credit" for giving away the animals. I wanted to experience the pure joy of giving as its own end.

My friends could not understand this, and many urged me not to try it. I was directed to various programs at churches, schools and firehouses where I could drop off the toys and have someone else distribute them. Some people were genuinely afraid of direct giving. I ended up having to do it myself.

About two weeks before Christmas I went to downtown Santa Cruz with the toys and a couple of signs that said "Happy Holidays - Free Toys" in English and Spanish. For a while, no one approached me, suspicious perhaps of my intentions. People asked what I was doing, and why, and if the animals were really free. I assured them they were. People started taking them and word spread around the neighborhood of the free toy giveaway.

Before long I was approached by a security guard who told me it was illegal to sell merchandise on Pacific Ave. I told her I wasn't selling anything. She told me it was illegal to solicit donations. I told her I did not represent any organization and was not soliciting donations. She said the police would not see it that way, and that if I didn't leave, I would be given a citation and have my toys impounded.

Thinking it was ridiculous that it was illegal to give away toys, I told her to go ahead and call the police and that they could feel free to give me a citation. She did, and a police officer arrived and gave me the same story. When I challenged him that I did not believe what I was doing was illegal, he told me if I didn't leave he would take the toys away, give me a citation and physically remove me from the area.

I decided not to quarrel with the police, and left the area. I traveled south to Hollister and Pajaro. I thought there might be migrant workers who would have a use for the toys. I stopped at a large lettuce field where workers were on a break and explained in my grade school Spanish what I was doing. I gave away plenty of animals here. I also took a chance and went door-to-door in a neighborhood of migrant housing and gave toys away. This was the most fun. As the word got around the neighborhood that the free toy guy was in town, moms and kids lined up for a stuffed animal.

Finally, I brought the remaining animals to a family shelter.

While the question asks about money, which has its own issu...