The Junk Mail Trap: How My Aunt’s Generosity Was Exploited

Athena
4 min readSep 16, 2024

A few weeks ago, my aunt passed away. She was one of the most kindhearted, generous people I’ve ever known, always looking for ways to help others. Even as her health declined, her focus never shifted away from wanting to make a difference in the world.

Unfortunately, in her final years, she became entangled in a frustrating — and all too common — cycle of endless junk mail from countless organizations, each begging for donations. Every day, her mailbox would be stuffed with letters and flyers, all using emotional pleas for money. And being the generous soul that she was, she responded to many of them, sending what she could in hopes of doing good. But as her mailbox overflowed with requests, I began to wonder: were all these organizations really helping people, or were they just exploiting her kindness?

The Cycle of Generosity 📬

My aunt was the kind of person who believed deeply in giving back. Whether it was contributing to a charity that promised to feed children in need or sending a check to a cause for environmental protection, she saw it as her way to make the world a better place.

But as the donations rolled out, the junk mail multiplied. It wasn’t just a few organizations; it was dozens, if not hundreds. Each one with another urgent appeal…

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Athena
Athena

Written by Athena

Mom of three boys. Computer programmer living in the country with my husband focusing on my hobbies and youngest son. https://ko-fi.com/athenaandrew

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