Charities Should Earn Trust--and Donations

* “Big Squeeze Faces Valley Charities” (Dec. 28) reports on people’s growing reluctance to contribute. A second story in the same issue, “Charity Used Bingo Revenues to Pay Salaries,” explains why.

Seventy-two thousand dollars in back pay to a director of a charity? I haven’t earned that in the last three years of working full time.

People are tired of the “gimme, gimme, gimme” mentality afflicting too many people today.

As a self-employed entrepreneur, I work for everything I have and am up early every day to earn that living. I am also among those who have stopped giving away my hard-earned cash to many organizations who “thank” you for a donation with just another letter hitting you for even more money.

Don’t expect the self-employed, hard-working citizens of Los Angeles to throw a pity party for charities like these.

I need a computer and a new car and several other gizmos for my business, and I’m proud to say I plan on working to realize them in 1994. There is no lack of opportunity to make your own abundance when you exhibit hard work and persistence.

Let charities earn their money like the rest of us: by offering some product or service of value that benefits both seller and buyer.

DOLORES A. LONG

Van Nuys