“Find a Charity You Can Trust” (Charity Navigator)
This website is a fascinating one. They have a pretty complete list of all charities, with ratings, info about their work, and, best, info on how much they spend on fundraising, and how much goes out to the people they say they are helping. Unfortunately a couple of organizations that say they are helping veterans -- are not! I give my money to “Vietnam Veterans Against the War,” a group my guy works with (he’s a Vietnam Vet). & I'm a pacifist.
My ‘fop favorite’ charities, to whom I give money as often as possible, and spread the word about what they do are listed below. I heard about a food with a silly name from seeing a documentary by chance on PBS, and it was so impressive that I checked on the charity immediately. It was 'Doctors Without Borders' developing ‘Plumpinut’ to save starving children. I immediately put them on a monthly withdrawal from my bank. I had sent them small amounts of money once in awhile, but now they are my favorite charity -- and I love the doctors and nurses who volunteer to go off to some of the worst war zones in the world to work and save lives.
The Episcopalians are impressive in their work also -- and they work not only helping the poor and ill people across the world, but also attempt to battle poverty in our country. They further do not ask if you believe in god before they help you, as they are there to battle poverty, not to convert people. I know that they work with the homeless here a lot.
There are many easy ways to help out in this world. I have a friend who orders an extra sandwich when she is out eating lunch -- then gives it to the first person she sees who looks like they need a meal (or to someone who asks her for money). She is saintly, but so quietly that few know how much she does for others.
At a memorial for a very wealthy man, his wife gave each of us a handful of money to give to the first person we saw who looked like they needed it. Another man gave dollar coins to each of us at a meeting and told us to give them to people and tell them to use it in some way to make money, then give twice as much to another person if and when they could.
Then there is CREDO, the long distance phone company to which I belong. They give 2% of their profits to a large group of charities. Their customers are asked to ‘round up’ their payment each month. i.e., if you are billed for $24.02, you round up to $25 or $30 if you can afford it that month. Then, once a year they send a list of charities, and you can pick the one you want your share of the money they have collected to go. You can even divide it and give to up to 4 different charities. A good company.
I hope that someone who has never considered giving to others, except perhaps in a very small way, reads this and then considers what he/she can do to perhaps change or save a life. I am very pleased that our new president has asked us to do what we can to help others.
Here are the descriptions of the two charities I like best:
Doctors Without Borders, USA (DWB-USA) was founded in 1990 in New York City to raise funds, create awareness, recruit field staff, and advocate with the United Nations and US government on humanitarian concerns. It assists victims of disasters and conflicts worldwide by supporting relief projects conducted primarily by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) affiliates. MSF is an international independent medical humanitarian organization that provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, negligence, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. In 2007, MSF-USA raised $152.1 million and sent 200 aid workers to work overseas.
from: http://www.charitynavigator.org/
Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States, guided by the Episcopal Church's principles of compassion, dignity and generosity as we work to heal a hurting world. Episcopal Relief & Development reached more than 2 million people in over 40 countries last year. Rather than impose one size fits all solutions, Episcopal Relief & Development supports local, long-term initiatives that address poverty, hunger, disease, economic development and disaster response where the need is greatest. Our partnership with the worldwide Church creates opportunities to serve communities in some of the most remote areas of the world, as well as in urban environments where extreme poverty persists. Also from: http://www.charitynavigator.org/
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