Help Me Donate $50

[lxskllr]

I'm sitting around, drinking whisky, and screwing around on the internet. Jul season is when I typically make my donations. I still have some libre software/service projects I need to give money to, but I'd like to give to some humans. Appalachia has particular appeal. I'm not Christian. and I'd prefer non-denominational charities, but as long as they do good work, it's all cool.


The only requirements is they work with people, and take credit cards. I'd also prefer small overhead, If you have a little organization in a little town, that would be great. I'm not rich, so it would be better if my small contribution went somewhere it won't get lost in the churn. I may go higher than $50. Depends on my mood, and the whisky  :^P

Thanks!

[Jeff]

How about this one from my home town. Tammy and I volunteer and the Forestry Forum supports them by taking care of all of their internet needs, so in a way, you already do to.  the Coleman Veterans memorial. A world class memorial.

Home - Coleman Veterans Memorial

If you decide to, tell them the Forestry Forum sent you.


here is a form with our mission, but the website takes donations via cc.
http://www.colemanveteransmemorial.org/media/sponsor-form.pdf

Here is a direct donation link that will identify you as a Forestry Forum member.
Make a Donation - Coleman Veterans Memorial

This last quarter the Memorial helped a disable veteran pay for roof repairs. We also matched a grant to buy new drafting calculators for the local high school and we ,ade a donation towards a "Lucas Device"  a life saving protable CPR machine for the local EMT's
Lucas CPR device - In Service Training Video - 2013 - YouTube

[lxskllr]

$25 to CVM. Was a little glitchy, so I'm not sure Forestry Forum made it through as a note. Had to hit [Back] and redo it a couple times.

Any other suggestions?

[WV Sawmiller]

  The Salvation Army has one of the best track records for use of their donations to their intended purposes. i think something like 95% of what they take in they distribute. Lowest admin cost of any organization I know of.

  The USO does great work for our troops. Keep them in mind as another alternative.

   Campcare.org runs summer and seasonal programs for kids in the Charlotte NC area who have or have had cancer and their siblings. My daughter volunteers including a week each summer to their programs. You can find them on line and look at some happy kids. For many of these kids it is literally the time of their lives.

   You might think about your local animal shelter too. Thanks for doing what you do.

[lxskllr]

Someone PMd me a suggestion of donating to Forestry Forum. Not exactly what I had in mind at this minute, but not a terrible idea either. How about a sale benefiting FF? I have a chain I got before I knew what I was doing...



It didn't have big teeth, so it must be right for my Poulan Pro. Who knew about 3/8 lopro?!  :^D


This has been opened, and kicking around the back of my truck for awhile, so it may have some dirt, fuzzies, and minor specks of surface rust, but it's otherwise brand new. For any donation to FF, I'll ship it anywhere in north America on my dime. Cheapest method possible. No tracking, no insurance, no nothin'. I'll trust you did what you said you'll do, and you trust me to do what I say I'll do.


I think I paid $30 for it, but I can't remember. First person to make a donation to FF, and post to this thread gets it. Just pm me your address, and it'll be out no later than Saturday, but probably sooner.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Charity navigator has reviews of lots of charities, I use them a lot.
We donate to a couple of children's hospitals, and veterans orgs.
We like the ones that dont spend an inordinate amount on fund raising and administration.

[Greyman]

I don't have a recommendation per se, other than maybe a local homeless or women's shelter, but thought my experiences/actions may be of interest.

I have become a huge fan of microfinance - lending to people who don't have collateral to get a regular bank loan.  I was on Kiva.org for many years, which works with microfinance institutions around the world.  Typically you loan $25 and get paid back in 6 months to a year or so.  You don't earn interest, and you can lose some due to default or currency fluctuations, but overall payback is 97% on average.  I contributed to loans in 94 different countries (including the US) for anything from farming to education and know that made a huge impact on many people. 

In the past year I've gotten away from traditional charities - my contribution seemed like such a small drop in a huge bucket.  I've made contacts via social media with a secular school for orphans in Uganda and sponsor a child there, for example - $350 gets them an entire year of school with room and board.  I also made a loan to a women's group in Uganda - $1,500 enabled 11 women (primarily single mothers) to buy 2.5 acres of farmland and also fund planting as well as their sewing and pig raising businesses.  That gives them some much-needed income and a long-term means to escape the cycle of poverty.  They'll pay it back over 2.5 years.  I'm charging them 5% interest but letting them pick the local cause that they want it to go to.  

[lxskllr]

That's a really good idea Greyman. I'm gonna research that at the end of the month. I'm almost out of highspeed data, and the internet's gotten terrible to run over lowspeed. I blew through my allotment being home for jul. In the meantime, I'll give some money to the local animal shelter. I can hit them up on my way home from work. I'd have done it this week, but work really kicked my butt, and I wasn't feeling tops. Didn't feel like stopping.