Charity

[eg1]

My wife is in charge of most of our charitable giving, unless you include church donations.

 

[Connemara]

For the first nine or ten years of my life, I was raised in a very modest (and for a few years, dirt poor) household. We lived on the first floor of a run-down Albany rowhouse for a good 3 or 4 years, and after that moved to Long Island. My mom and dad often remind me that there were months where, had it not been for the generosity of my grandparents and other family members, they would not have been able to pay their bills. But my parents are a frugal pair, and managed to scrimp and save enough to get out of the shithole that is South Albany. The life I live now is ten times removed from the one I lived as a small child.

Coming from this sort of background, I feel a very strong urge to give. And I do. Personally, I don't have a ton of money, and most of my meager funds are diverted to selfish endeavors (clothing, food, booze, etc.). But I manage to give something every year.

Last year, I told my parents I wouldn't be buying Christmas presents for them. Instead, I made a donation to a cross-community organization in Belfast that tries to teach unionist and nationalist children tolerance. This made me feel really...I dunno, fuzzy. lol. I also donate to some local charities and volunteer for an Albany soup kitchen on Thanksgiving. They dole out huge, free meals to poor and homeless people, and it's a great way to spend a Thanksgiving morning/afternoon.

 

[philosophe]

+1 more for Heifer. They're great.

We also give to our local food pantries, to the Marines' Toys for Tots (outside all stores now!), and to Doctors without Borders. My better half has sponsored poor chidlren abroad for years; I do the local United Way.

Topcat, how did you get involved in the letters to Santa program?

 

[Concordia]

We give away a baseline of 10% of income. A mix of performing arts, education, social services, or combinations thereof.

We also have our daughter (11) on an allowance, from which she gives about a quarter to charity. This year, it's $13, and she's asked me to arrange to have it sent to an animal hospital. In past years, we've done Globe Santa (the local newspaper's Christmas drive for kids), and various hospitals.

 

[Piobaire]

I think part of the problem with circa 2007 US is that too many people are not engaged in being active in society. There is too much isolationism and atomism. So I usually find charities that somehow foster volunteerism or community involvement. I give to things that foster a continuation of my cultural heritage (I send a kid to a Gaelic based summer camp every year, as an example), I give pledges based on the organization finding matching gifts to get mine, I give (and more importantly volunteer my time) to a non-profit that focuses on getting kids into math, science, and engineering, and the Sally Ann.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by topcatny

Those letters are definitely eye opening. For us we feel like we are really making a difference for at least one person, sometimes more. We plan on including our girls in this process next year. Our oldest will be 4 and we plan on having her come to the store with us and pick out things for another child, explaining to her that we are helping someone else enjoy Christmas that wouldn't get any presents otherwise. I want my kids to start learning how fortunate they are and that when they are in a position to help others they should do so.

we did that one night of hanuka this year with my son

 

[Gus]

I give to a local Crisis Center, a local Food Bank, the International Justice Mission, The Salvation Army and the Mother of Peace Orphanage and HIV/AIDS clinic in Zimbabwe. The two local groups and the Salvation Army have done amazing things to help those who are really in need. I give to them knowing that the people I see asking for money on the street can get help from them if they just ask. Plus, they have an amazing record for getting most of the money you donate to the people in need (and not to their overhead). The orphanage is an amazing story supported by a Dr Robert Scott from Oakland,CA who travels there 4 times a year to save lives and to keep this place going. It is a story of hope, compassion and success in a really messed up part of the world.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by Connemara

For the first nine or ten years of my life, I was raised in a very modest (and for a few years, dirt poor) household. We lived on the first floor of a run-down Albany rowhouse for a good 3 or 4 years, and after that moved to Long Island. My mom and dad often remind me that there were months where, had it not been for the generosity of my grandparents and other family members, they would not have been able to pay their bills. But my parents are a frugal pair, and managed to scrimp and save enough to get out of the shithole that is South Albany. The life I live now is ten times removed from the one I lived as a small child.

Coming from this sort of background, I feel a very strong urge to give. And I do. Personally, I don't have a ton of money, and most of my meager funds are diverted to selfish endeavors (clothing, food, booze, etc.). But I manage to give something every year.

Last year, I told my parents I wouldn't be buying Christmas presents for them. Instead, I made a donation to a cross-community organization in Belfast that tries to teach unionist and nationalist children tolerance. This made me feel really...I dunno, fuzzy. lol. I also donate to some local charities and volunteer for an Albany soup kitchen on Thanksgiving. They dole out huge, free meals to poor and homeless people, and it's a great way to spend a Thanksgiving morning/afternoon.

Sounds like you and I have a lot in common.

Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy

Plus, they have an amazing record for getting most of the money you donate to the people in need (and not to their overhead)..


That's actually partially why I asked. I saw on some news channel the other day a special talking about how many of these charities have founders or chairmen who are pocketing about 1/2 a mil a year. I saw one of them, a supposed charity for veterans, that it turned out only about 8% of the money they raised was for veterans. I wanted to steer clear of this most definitely.

 

[topcatny]

Originally Posted by philosophe

Topcat, how did you get involved in the letters to Santa program?

In NY you can go into the post office and ask for letters to Santa and you can go through them and pick out ones you want to answer. I believe they will send you some as well.

The website below has some information on the program.
http://www.operationlettertosanta.com/

It's interesting I was reading that website and people send the families notes on how many packages are coming and some even call the families. My wife and I have always done it anonymously, sending the gifts from "Santa". We never thought of doing otherwise.

 

[marc237]

Through the internet and other sites, one can ascertain whether the charity is worthy of your money or not. Also, most not-for-profits have posted their tax returns on-line.

Philanthropic and charitable giving falls into three categories:

1. Religious (to the church, etc.)
2. Institutional (supporting one's alma matter, the symphony, the the opera, etc.); and
3. To the poor or needy either directly or through social services and other entities (e.g., Good Will, Habitat for Humanity) or to causes (ACLU, Common Cause, etc).

The vast bulk of giving goes toward the first two categories. I work on poverty issues and tend to give exclusively in the third.

Also, lack of money is a poor excuse. Many organizations that do good work welcome the support of volunteers. Soup kitchens, food pantries, ASPCAs, Habitat, environment clean up groups, and so many others could all use our labor and support. In many respects donating labor is even more satisfying than donating time!

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by topcatny

In NY you can go into the post office and ask for letters to Santa and you can go through them and pick out ones you want to answer. I believe they will send you some as well.

The website below has some information on the program.
http://www.operationlettertosanta.com/

It's interesting I was reading that website and people send the families notes on how many packages are coming and some even call the families. My wife and I have always done it anonymously, sending the gifts from "Santa". We never thought of doing otherwise.

I just signed up. This sounds so amazing. Thanks for the awesome link!

 

[life_interrupts]

Personally, I've contributed to nonprofits working with youth in my community, arts-related organizations, and my favorite homeless guys. My website, BeBetterGuys.com hosted a Toys for Tots drive last week that netted toys and donations for local kids who otherwise would have nothing for Christmas. See www.toysfortots.org.

 

[Man In Space]

You guys rock. I send 25 bucks or so a few times a year to either animal welfare groups or feed the children groups, but I could probably do more.

 

[sho'nuff]

Originally Posted by marc237

Through the internet and other sites, one can ascertain whether the charity is worthy of your money or not. Also, most not-for-profits have posted their tax returns on-line.

Philanthropic and charitable giving falls into three categories:

1. Religious (to the church, etc.)
2. Institutional (supporting one's alma matter, the symphony, the the opera, etc.); and
3. To the poor or needy either directly or through social services and other entities (e.g., Good Will, Habitat for Humanity) or to causes (ACLU, Common Cause, etc).

The vast bulk of giving goes toward the first two categories. I work on poverty issues and tend to give exclusively in the third.

Also, lack of money is a poor excuse. Many organizations that do good work welcome the support of volunteers. Soup kitchens, food pantries, ASPCAs, Habitat, environment clean up groups, and so many others could all use our labor and support. In many respects donating labor is even more satisfying than donating time!


you cannot dismiss many religious organizations and churches do funnel lot of their donations and monies to poor and needy. some even give 100% of their donations received. such as my group LWIM , we are an autonomous group not needing any money to sustain the group so all monies are donated to missions and orphanages.

 

[Sartorian]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I think part of the problem with circa 2007 US is that too many people are not engaged in being active in society. There is too much isolationism and atomism. So I usually find charities that somehow foster volunteerism or community involvement.
Good focus; I assume you've heard of the guy at Harvard who has studied these phenomena? OP, I work in non-profits, and I don't really have a specific one I'd recommend, but I will give some thoughts. (1) Focus on something local. As Piobaire points out, the more local, the more the giving represents your investment in your community. This is good for the beneficiaries and good for you; you really know where you're money's going to. That being said, I know more about international programs and development. If you want to help with more global causes, Kiva is a really innovative organization. You are actually lending your money directly to a beneficiary; the minor costs are for a skeletal organization and computer maintenance. I think you can also donate, too. I also think one laptop per child is a great program; but I'm biased, as I lived in rural Africa in the Peace Corps. International Committee of the Red Cross is also the cream of the crop of international aid organizations (NOT the same as the American REd Cross, either.) (2) This might sound odd, but this is the big season for giving (as it is for consuming

); while nonprofits reap huge amounts during Christmas, Hannukah, they're often struggling come the end of the fiscal year. Especially if the non-profit provides some form of regular social services, it can often be more helpful to give your donation sometime between March and June. In many non-profits, they actually lay people off for a few months before the end of their fiscal years. So you might consider setting the money aside in savings/CD until then, then making your donation. (3) Children are a huge focus for many people. There might be other needy groups that are less visible or fortunate; battered women, as an example; or local arts organizations? (4) The point about efficient expenditure of your money is a good one. You want as much of the money you give to benefit the people for whom its intended, not to pay overhead costs of a big office. Before you give, do a search of the charity at charity navigator. * * * Personally, I actually try to give out gifts to the homeless dudes that might be cold; I stock up on those little hand warmers or foot warmers and give them to people who look like they're living on the streets. I have no idea where you live, so it might not be a problem where you are, but here in NYC, it gets cold out.