I'm having the same problem with American Red Cross. Donated blood in 2011, now being harassed 15-18 times per week on cell phone at work. Set phone to not ring when their number came up, but phone number keeps changing. Totally disgusting!

Just call the number back -- it *is* the American Diabetes Association -- and the automated response will walk you through having your phone number removed from the call list.

You're then advised that federal law gives them 30 days to comply with your request, but that they'll try to do it right away.

They call everyday even on weekends. They don't leave a message.

THE CHARITY NAVIGATOR LINK LISTS LARRY HAUSNER OF AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION AS $150,000.  THIS IS WRONG.  IN 2008, THE IRS FILING SHOS THAT HIS SALARY AND BENEFITS TOPPLED $500,000

AND....AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION'S LARRY HAUSNER'S SALARY FOR 2008 WAS OVER $500k.  WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TOO?  GREEDY AND DISGUSTING

So, like me, you have been subjected to the unending and abusive calls from American Diabetes Association slimeball fund-extractors.  Surely, you think, they can't know that someone is being so abusive in their name?  

Well, here is a quote from the head of ADA's fund rasing department (Vaneeda Bennett) : "“If you don’t make X number of calls, you’re not going to get results. If you don’t have X number of prospects, you’re not going to reach your goal. "

The article then states -

"And to that, ultimately, is what Bennett herself attributes the phenomenal growth of both her department and the donations it brings in."

(source: Fundraising Success Magazine, Cover Story, "
Cover Story : The Art and Science of Fundraising: The American Diabetes Association has fundraising down to an art and a science" by Margaret Battistelli

If that isn't enough to turn your stomach, the very informative and independent Charity Navigator .ORG web site gives the American Diabetes Association its lowest rating (1 star).  

I find myself wondering what sort of people have gotten control of this once fine organization, and what they are doing with the money that they receive.

If, like me, you are fed up with the abusive behavior and bad management at the American Diabetes Association, I would suggest the following:

(1) Do not donate to them
(2) Contact them, in writing, by certified, return receipt mail, and advise them that they are not to contact you for any reason.  You may also wish to take this opportunity to explain (in a business like way) why you will not be donating to them.
(3) If they continue to contact you after your letter, write your state's attorney general's office, or other charity regulators if your state has them, explaining your problem, and their abusive behavior.  Include a photocopy of your letter, and the signed return receipt card.
(4) Make sure that all of your friends and family members know about your concerns and your experience with them.
(5) Contact your elected officials (state and federal) and let them know about the problems you are having with this organization.

Here is some contact info:


American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
tel: (800) 342-2383
EIN: 13-1623888

Tel: 703-549-1500
Fax: 703-549-1715

Also, the ADA web site has a "local office finder" if you would like to contact your local folks and let them know how they are shooting themselves in the foot.
(This is one reason why it is useful to contact your state officials - they are local as well as national).

One final quote from Vaneeda Bennett, who seems to have an elitist point of view about how we ordinary folks ought to be treated by ADA, "But it’s an art because you can’t treat everyone the same.”

I think it is time that Ms. Bennett comes to realize that she can't treat her beltway insider and big money donors with kid gloves, and then cr*p on the rest of us - lets all make the effort to educate her, and the ADA.

No one left a message.  I'm sick of this.

It is disgusting, annoying and absolutely rude the way these people go after donations. No respect for privacy. They call at any time during the day or evening, weekends. No consideration to privacy. I have donated to them in the past but from now on it will be "NO"

They call almost everyday and sometimes two times a day. I am on do not call list,why do I keep getting these calls

Call several times a day beginning at 8AM thru 9PM INCLUDING WEEKENDS -We are on National Do Not Call list but I understand charities are exempt!!!!  Have asked them to take us off their list but they keep calling

remove 262-654-2608

I was getting many phone calls from this number with nobody on the other end.  A total of 18 calls in two weeks. Never anybody there.  I called them back. Got some recorded info about if I don't want them to call punch in my phone number and it will take up to a month to stop.  It NEVER stopped.  I finally wrote a letter to Larry Hausner, CEO of the American Diabetes Associtation in Lexington , Virginia. asking for his help.  I never even got an answer. These people apparently just don't give a darn about how they go about soliciting donations as long as they get enough in to pay their inflated salaries.  I now have them blocked from ever calling me (at least until they get a new phone number.)  It's really disgusting that an organization as large as the ADA stoops to this rotten way to get donations.  They will never get another one from me... and I've got Diabetes.  If the CEO doesn't care about this, who does?  Since the ADA is a charitable institution they are allowed certain privleges regarding making solitating calls, but these people are REALLY doing some NASTY, HATEFULL, RUDE, PATHETIC, DISGUSTING and DISTURBING stuff.  They just don't care! Voice YOUR opinion by calling 1-800-372-2383 or 1-703-299-2002  and tell them what YOU think of THEM.

They call my business cellular number every day and leave no message. What a pest! I'm on the do not call list and it makes no difference.

@ "very irritated"

That wasn't my experience at all. I didn't even speak with a live human. When I dialed the number, a recorded voice said something like, "We recently tried to contact you..." which would mean they have some kind of caller ID mechanism.

Anyway, one of the options I was offered was to remove a phone number from the call list, so I poked in the number they'd been calling. That's when I got the message that they had 30 days to comply but would try to do so right away. They called twice more after that, but the last call was four days ago now; and they had been calling at least twice a day every day.

Again, I never spoke to a person. It was all automated.

They will only take you off their list if you give your name and address. They aren't concerned with stopping the calls, just stopping you from complaining. Would you trust them with your name and address? Where did they get our numbers in the first place? They have the wrong name for my number and I'm not giving them the correct info. If they become serious and fire who ever is doing this, will that person have all of your info?

Call them and let them know that they have no credibility unless they go after the problem instead of putting the band-aid on us. They have other people in their phone bank who are conscientuous, then they get our numbers and start they conversation with angry people: so the good people in the phone bank should be complaining and turning people in so their own credibility is saved. Or as a previous writer said - fire the whole department.

Introduced herself as Infocisions, or, Infosystems, or something like that.

Calling on behalf of American Diabetes Association local campaign

Frequent Annoyance Call

I'm on the National Do not Call List. This above referenced number calls both my home and cell and frequently just says hello....hello and hangs on. These folks are prank callers and their number should be shut off. I am further reporting them.

I had this number on my phone without a message.

I just called it back and it answered as the American Diabetes Association saying that they tried to call me about something new.  I do not have diabetes so I figure they want money.  The recording said to press 1 if you do not want them to call.  After I pressed 1, they wanted me to put in my 10 digit phone number and the same old blah, blah, blah.

Keep getting calls from 703-398-0004--weekdays and weekends (8:00 on Sunday night).  Leaves no message

I've been getting calls from 703-398-0004 as well. I called the number back today by direct dialing, apparently automatic call return is unable to reach the number. The call was answered by an automated system announcing I had reached the American Diabetes Association and that if I didn't want to receive anymore calls from them to Press 1

Second time I got a call from 703-398-0004 without them leaving a message. Just plain annoying. ADA needs to fire their better marketing department. There are much better ways to spend advertising bufgets then on annoying outbound calls.

Write to the ADA @ AskADA@diabetes.org

Constantly calls and I can't make it to the phone easily so I just let it ring.

This number is constantly calling,leaving no messages.  It happens all hours of the day, night and weekends.  I am on the do not call list!!It is very annoying

Write to the ADA @ AskADA@diabetes.org

No one spoke when i answered to phone.  Caller ID told me that this was the number.

Calls every day does not leave a message on answering machine. Just says "hello hello" when you answer the phone

call my cell phone no respone on voice mail