Here’s an ethical issue and Jewish source response:

https://www.hillel-detroit.org/wp-admin/post-new.php#edit_timestampCase

Mr. Kamen was the vice president of his synagogue, in charge of collecting tzedakah for community members in financial need.  One popular member, Mr. Kahn, was about to pay for his daughter’s wedding, but unbeknownst to his friends, he had just fallen on hard financial times.  Mr. Kahn secretly appealed to Mr. Kamen for help in making a modest wedding, and Mr. Kamen agreed to make an appeal without mentioning names.  When Mrs. Kamen overheard this, she begged her husband to publicly mention Mr. Kahn’s name in the appeal.  A general appeal to the congregation for helping a bride get married would only garner small donations.  However, Mr. Kahn’s popularity would bring in at least five times the amount.  

Answer

Should the cause of a tzedakah drive be made public, or should the recipients and purpose of the money remain a secret?

[a] The mitzvah of tzedakah is great indeed.  It is written that this mitzvah has the ability to grant life and death (Proverbs 10:2).  Maimonides calls it the most important positive mitzvah in the Torah (Hilchot Matanot Aniyim 10:1).  However, the importance of preserving a person’s dignity in the process of giving is paramount.  That is why the concept of the pushke (tzedakah box) was developed – so that neither the giver nor the receiver would know the identity of the other, thus preserving the dignity of the receiver.  Maimonides states that it is preferable to give less tzedakah than requested, but with a smile, than to give what is asked for by the poor person but with a dour face (Hilchot Matanot Aniyim 10:13-14).

[b] Although it is true that Mr. Kahn would receive far greater donations if his name were announced, he would suffer more shame.  His friends would now know of his financial plight.  That indignity is far worse than receiving less money.  Therefore, Mr. Kamen should not listen to his wife, and should omit Mr. Kahn’s name from his appeal.

Joel Grishaver, “You Be the Judge 2”, pgs. 47-48

Used with permission from Joel Grishaver