Our largest annual donations go to our local Second Harvest foodbank. (They changed their name to Feeding America nationwide, but ours is still Second Harvest.) We also have a local community support program that provides household items to people in our village. When I finally decide on a new car (it may be a while out now), that's who's getting our old one. They've had enough soap and diaper drives that I know that when I see good deals on laundry detergent and diapers at Costco, I pick some up to donate.

I've got a stupid amount of clothing and a few kitchen items waiting to go to St. Vincent's, and we support a lot of charities with a larger definition of community than you are talking about. Part of our response to the economic climate has been to drastically increase our donations to charitable organizations this year. But I did decide I needed to do more than write checks or give away things I wasn't using anyway, and I took some time to find something I think will be a good fit for me.

A local literacy group trains volunteers to offer either English as a Second Language or Basic Adult Literacy tutoring. It does background checks on tutors and learners alike and then matches volunteers up with learners. Together, the team meets twice a week and plugs away at literacy goals. I've asked to be trained for ESL tutoring and will start that in right after we get back from Steve's mom's funeral. I've done ESL tutoring in the past, but think the experience will be much richer with the resources of an organization like this behind me...

My husband tends to handle the church donations for our household, and I veer toward the secular ones. I had stopped volunteering my time for about two years, because it was the one commodity I didn't have to spare (Maslow's heirarchy). But, my plans are to start it back up directly at my library.

My business gives a decent annual donation to our local food pantry. Sometimes this service is abused, but it still ABSOLUTELY must continue its emergency services, regardless. I can't abide the thought of children going hungry, even if it is through their parents mismanagement of resources.

Yes, I give what decent household or personal effects and appliances I can no longer use to Goodwill, likewise I will purchase from them when I find something I can use, giving it preference before I buy something new. That's a win/win for several reasons.

I support various nature/wildlife groups with time and money too, and typically donate products from my business for other charitable groups in their fund raising.

There are others to a lesser degree. But most groups find that modest efforts add up. I always check the efficiency of those groups to whom I make monetary gifts, to make sure the money is spent on their efforts and not their staff or advertising.

Michelle, my condolences to you and your husband on his mother's death.

i was thinking the same way last week took about a dozen bags of groceries into the local food bank and have a bag of stuff ready to take in this next week to charities, have plans to take about 4 or 5 bags there this week, i'm fortunate they moved a LOVEINC just 5 miles from my house last fall.
Thanks for the info on 2nd Harvest, didn't know they changed their name, they fed us when we were destitute for a while

Yes on the 2nd Harvest. Ours is still called that. While I am a single mother on a limited income, there is still more discretionary left since he took his exorbitant student loan payment (his fault, he overstepped his bounds and it is at $535! a month) with him. I am just now getting back into the swing of things. Habitat is my favorite and I donate what I can to it, but right now a handful of $ is all I have. 2nd Harvest is another I can definitely afford and is fantastic in its mission. Like Suz, time is the most precious and limited commodity I have, and have to wait for 78 more days at the earliest before I can consider that.

I think i mention before that im an avid coupon clipper. I get tons of stuff, like shampoos and toothpaste, free or near free. Same goes for boxed meals like Hamburger Helper...all free. I take all the foodstuffs to the food bank and the toilet items go to one of the many womens shelters here in town. Old towels and rugs go to our local ASPCA. I NEVER donate a cent through a national headquarters...too many chiefs that have to be paid out of those donations.

Our church sponsors a community meal once a month at a city church. I volunteer at that. We also gather groceries from parishioners for the "Door Ministry" at the church where we give food to those who come to the door.

The local supermarkets sell grocery cards to various churches at a 5% discount and the church sells them to the parishioners at full price. The Outreach Ministries get the 5% donation and it doesn't cost the buyers anything. You just take your card to the grocery store and they deduct what you spend from the card until it's used up.

Our MG group created a veggie garden at the local at-risk youth facility and the produce is donated to a local women's shelter. Everybody benefits.

Every two weeks I watch a movie while donating aphresis. I have been called to donate for specific patients at times. It keeps me out of the movie theaters. Last movie was "The Fastest Indian" with Sir Anthony Hopkins, recommended highly. By the way where is Pidge with the reviews?

Here is a link that might be useful: Apheresis

If anyone wants to help people directly, just check out your local 501 (c) 3 organizations. Due to the horrible economy, they are all desperate for help either monetary or in volunteer time.

Don, I'm impressed. You're giving something money can't buy.

one thing i remember from the years that we had to seek help from 2nd harvest gleaners, is that not only did the gleaners people have the packaged food, but often the farmers and gardeners would donate extra produce by bringing it in to the food distribution points..A lot of people don't realize that fresh produce and even baked goods are often distributed by a lot of different programs that have the capability. When my husband had had surgery he did some of his rehab with a mentally challenged group of people at a factory that they assembled small parts at..and several times a week, loads of food would come in and be given to the people that worked there, most of them on social security disability..Ron was given things like rolls brought in by a bakery, breads and things brought in by a baked goods outlet, and vegetables..so don't just think canned and boxed foods this summer when you are donating to these places, those extra zucchini before they become baseball bats are a great offer as is fruits and other vegetables and even a few plates of cookies to a sr citizen home might be nice??

Our local food kitchen (associated with the emergency food pantry) gladly accepts garden produce, or other items from farmers like fresh farm eggs they may not sell.

It's a special treat for the recipients to have fresh produce from home gardens where the bounties might otherwise go to waste. I've taken in hoards of cucumbers, tomatoes and green peppers over the years, the last of which never seemed to come down in price in the markets. Next to meats, fresh produce is one of the higher priced commodities for free kitchens.

Jazz's comment about donating good used vehicles especially warmed my heart. You know that a good, older car never sells for anything what it is worth, but might mean a job for a recipient who is in that catch 22 where they want to work, have an opportunity to do so, but no way to get there. It can be a ticket to financial independence and off a dole. One of our local community centers ran an article on that a few months ago, where a single mom was the recipient of a good, older used car and it meant working or not.

really be careful on the giving away of cars..we have given dozens away in the past but we did have a few really bad experiences....
one situation they never changed the registration,got in an accident with the car, it was hauled to a tow away and we were charged with the tow away fees, we just told them to keep the car..and they did and sold it.

similar things have happened to us a few other times..but i still would NOT tell people to not give away their cars, just make sure that the registrations are changed immediately and make sure your name is NOT left on any of the auto paperwork.

Were these to legitimate charities? I would really suspect they have legal guidelines to prevent things like that happening. To an individual, well..........it's up to you to see that it's done. It would be scary assuming liability for somebody else. A tow charge is getting off easily. An injury lawsuit is a worst case.

Our Foodbank is in need of help as the number of people turning up for assistance grows. They suggest that they can get more bank for the buck if we give money and they buy. So, I do that. At my Unitarian Fellowship we donate two collection plates a month to local non-profits, that amounts to roughly $18,000 a year,as well as monthly collections for H.O.P.E (helping other people eat). I'm a Big Sister, I don't give money there, I give myself :)

Tough times all around. Help is needed in so many places.

Don't have much excess money nowadays but donate stuff which my housekeeper takes for her church to distribute or to sell at monthly yardsales to help members, many of whom need assistance. I like this because she knows who needs help but sometimes they wouldn't ask. Just as important though is just time to help... some of these folks don't know about, fear the process, or need transportation for getting to aid offices. They often need a strong advocate to deal with SS, VA or other gov't offices. An attorney friend and I pay for my housekeeper's time and gas and help decipher/fill out forms, write letters when needed. She's a one-woman dynamo and our extra help makes her even more effective. Getting home-help, a walker, extra money for disability, allows elderly or disabled folks to remain independent...lots of help available but it takes knowing about it then following up...ofen takes weeks or months but so satisfying when accomplished.

Years ago I worked (in paid positions) for a few nonprofits locally in advertising-PR, and still occasionally now donate my time to help out. I can't donate money myself but I'm good at wangling corporate or individual grants in money or services, products for silent auctions, etc. All those little personal thank-you notes over the years paid off...lol And again, I KNOW where the money goes and that it helps directly in my old hometown.

Wish I could do more, but since I don't drive and have little excess money or energy my help has to be limited but I'm going to do some thinking...good thread. josh