What are your favorite charities?

15 years ago

Many of you give a little something extra to a favorite charity or two during the Holidays. Many of you probably give thoughout the year, as well. Who's on your list as among the most deserving this year?

These are mine:

Heifer International - I like this group because they use your funds to purchase animals for families in very poor areas. Along with the donated animals, they teach and coach so that the initial gift turns into a herd/gaggle/flock. The requirements of the program are that the recipients care for the animals and then pass on some of the offspring to others in their village. It's been a very successful program. (www.heifer.com)

Goodwill Industries - most people just see the stores, but the revenue from the stores funds the real business of Goodwill. What they do is provide job training and job placement for people who have not been in the workforce. Some of the clients are physically or mentally disabled, but many come from socially disadvantaged situations and really don't know how to find or hold a job. Goodwill has a huge success rate and has been putting people to work for over 100 years.

Habitat for Humanities - these are the people who build or remodel homes, giving families an opportunity for decent housing outside crime-ridden areas. One of the things I like best about this program is that families can earn the opportunity for housing by working to build homes for others.

World Wildlife Fund - There are lots of organizations that work to preserve and protect the animals we share the planet with. I like this one best because they have a sound history.

The Nature Conservancy - They use their funds to purchase land and preserve it, as well as promoting ecological awareness worldwide.

There are hundreds of other worthy causes and organizations. It's hard to do the research on all of them to see who squanders the money we give them and who does a good job. Who do you like?

Kate

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Comments (4)

geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
15 years ago
Hospice, Haiti Missions at Salijo's church and Ronald McDonald House. Not that I'm able to give to them all, but those are my fav.

There are 2 Ronald McDonald Houses in Indianapolis. One is attached directly to Riley Hospital and is accessable for daytime napping, showers, laundry, meals and is open from 9-9. You can open the fridge or go into the pantry and take what you want. You also are able to cook your own meals if you want to. They have 6 rooms for overnight available on a daily basis if the big house doesn't have room. There are books, a fireplace and they try to make it as comfortable for the families as they can. The other RMH is across the street from the hospital and has lots more room than the one at the hospital, play rooms etc and is more geared for a family stay. Nick and Julie have been staying at the big RMH since Nov 13 and the little house at the hospital was used a lot, not only by us, but other families there, too. To donate, you really don't have to give money, but just supplying a home-cooked meal is more comforting than I can say. I can't tell you how good just plain real mashed potatoes and gravy tasted!

Sorry....got a little carried away......

SharonG
salijo
15 years ago
I currently sponsor a student at the school our church founded in Haiti. Occasionally, I contribute to Feed the Children. In the future I will probably donate somehow to Ronald McDonald House and Riley Hospital.

Salijo
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Whenever you see a disaster on the news, who's there first??? The Salvation Army. Also, we unfortunately donate to the American Cancer Society through their website. I say "unfortunately" because it seems like everyone we know who dies, dies from cancer, so we send a donation to the website, and they send the family a card from us. They even send a thank you card to the family that they can send to you. I read a big article in the paper about the Shriners. They do all their own fundraising, so they have a very low overhead. That means almost all the money goes to the children. I also like St. Jude's Children's Hospital and your local animal shelter.
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We donate household stuff to Goodwill, Purple Heart, Lupus Foundation (I've got RA),NCC (National Childrens Center), and Loudoun Women's Shelter. Glasses go to Lion's, and our older phone's and computers to various women/family support groups as they need them. Cash and annual auction items go to HART (Homeless Animals Rescue Team) a group that rescues dogs and cats from high-kill shelters and disaster areas for adoption in our area (they saved our beloved Tucscon from the kill list in Abingdon so that we could adopt her) and Phoenix Landing Foundation, a parrot rescue group (many, many people buy parrots without knowing the level of effort involved in their healthy maintenance or the long lifespans of many types of parrots, so lots of those poor parrots end up in need of loving, understanding homes.) Through Reston Interfaith, we supply Thanksgiving dinner to several families each year, and though them we also adopt several families of kids for Christmas gifts each year. Through Christmas in July, we donate building materials. We also support the ASPCA, National Wildlife Fund (though their poor use of funds and grants annoys me), World Wildlife Fund, Sierra and participate in various fundraisers for various local organizations and medical research foundations during their annual drives. All in all, for us it's probably split about evenly between local and national scope for the groups we try to help suppport.
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I don't think it is selfish to help out those here at home. There is only so much time and resources and sometimes we are so busy helping others that we fail to help those who are hurting around us. Also, I sometimes feel that we hurt other countries when we go in to 'help'. We ruin their way of life and then they become dependent on us. We donate to Salvation Army and then locally. I prefer to give to a person or situation in need rather than big groups with a lot of overhead. We've been impressed by a couple of teachers who have gone out of their way to help students learn. We find out from them what would help them to do their job better and then we donate things like math and science equipment. Also, there is enough tragedy locally where someone loses a job or a house burns down. I prefer to make a significant donation to something like that rather donate to organizations where I feel my donation isn't put to the best possible use.
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gordon43812
15 years ago
I do not usually give to different charities: the missions fund at our church, Goodwill gets donations from me throughout the year as well as the fact that I shop there also, and the childrens shoebox campaign every year. But, I give care boxes to needy families around our town that have paper products, cleaning supplies and food in them. I also work with a few different people to host benifits for people in our community that have cancer. I am currently working on one that is a friend of mine. I make rag quilts to raffle or auction off for the benifits as well as I am hosting this one for her. We also choose one needy family, either through our church or another church here in town, to sponsor at Christmas with toys, clothing, and food. With soo many in our community losing their jobs and needing a little help this year, it is hard to not to help out a little.
rosajoe_gw
15 years ago
Both DH and I volunteer at Hospice. Last year we had grandparents were raising the 2 elem school children and he was in Hospice. Very sad.
We bought Christmas gifts for the fam.
This year I know of 4 people laid off, one just this week, so I am making gifts for them.
We always donate to Goodwill, and I shop there also. I bought 12 baskets from them through out the year to decorate and fill for gifts.
We also donate to the Boys Clubs and gifts for the residents at the retirement homes.
I have always beleived that what ever I do comes back to me 10 times over.
I have taught my children to give and they in return have taught their children.
The resildents at the nursing homes love the plays and signs the children preform.
Oh, my son has been laid off so I am giving to him LOL. He has a good attitude about it, but it is hard times for many.
Bless you Kate for taking the time, and risking criticism, to encourage the more fortunate to share. I worked with people at AT&T making 3 times more than I raised my fam on and none volunteered or gave to charities.
Rosa

What are your favorite charities?

Comments (4)

geezerfolks_SharonG_FL

salijo

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