March 02, 2006

• RSPCA
• I give to two animal charities, as we are the cause of most of their troubles. I believe human governments and agencies should look after people, not charities, that's what my massive taxes should be spent on, so prefer to help the fluffy, scaly bitey things we share this planet with. Local cat / dog / mountain lion shelters?
• In general, I eschew large charities - their overhead is large, their percentage of per-dollar-to-needs is low, and they are aggressively arrogant. I try to go as local as I can, because overwhelmingly I find that small, local charities are actually *doing* the kind of work that you want to assist, as opposed to a lot of discussing of it around the gold-plated water cooler. There's a couple that I like more than others: first, your local human society. Dogs and cats, man, it doesn't get any better than that. Look for a no-kill shelter if you have one nearby, they tend to have higher costs and need more help and, you know, they don't kill anything. Second, while I am an atheist, I support a couple of church-based orgs because I feel they are providing truly positive work in the community. YMMV, but even if you are not the spiritual type, don't discount small religious charities. Oftentimes, they're the point of the spear. This guy is a good example. A lot of preachers are shysters, but this guy walks it like he talks it. Lastly, look at non-traditional stuff. I've supported these people for a while now - they're local, and they've taken a problem that affects people, one single slice of the overall misery pie, and made it their own to fix. I like that. Baby steps. Anyway, that's my 2c.
• I like Doctors Without Borders, Engineers Without Borders, and Right To Play.
• this site looks like it might help to identify u.s. organizations that spend money wisely. if you want your money to go straight (as possible) to the poor, how about a homeless shelter/homeless outreach/food for street people program?
• I take paypal.
• oh, and good on you!
• (mct, not kit)
• Whatsamatter, coerced donations not good enough for ya?
• Yeah whatever happened with that anyway? I agree with kit on helping with the furries. Animals that is. the barky things. So many of them. Spay & neuter you slack jawed yokels!
• Yeah, all I can say is stay far, far away from the United Way. Where I work there is a special "United Way Coordinator" who sends out nagging memos and talks about "goals" (read: quotas). Fortunately, there are plenty of engineers and scientists where I work that really hate coersion tactics, so there's a sizeable resistance to the United Way's bullying.
• I'm a fan of the Jazz Foundation's Emergency Fund. Helps poor and elderly jazz musicians buy groceries, make the rent, that sort of thing. They also have a New Orleans-Katrina campaign on right now. Personally, being big on the jazz, I think it's a very worthwhile cause, as their art has never been particularly lucrative. But even if you're not a fan of the music, they're still the poor and elderly, and still in need. The 'musician' qualifier is just as arbitrary as any.
• I've heard wonderful things about Modest Needs.
• I heard you were bigger on jizz, Capt.
• Thanks for the animal recommendations, but quoth the original post: Second, I'd like it to be a charity that is specifically focused on the redistribution of wealth. I love literacy projects and cures for disease and animals, but the Mrs. and I just would rather our money go to the poor in some immediately useful form or other, at least for this go-round. Don't get me wrong, we likes teh puppies and are in fact going to adopt from a shelter before too terribly long, but for this round at least we'd like to keep it in the species. The United Way thing? I had a heart-to-heart with my manager about it, and she essentially said she'd back me up. But it turns out a coworker quietly made a $5 donation in my name just to smooth things over. Irritated me, but then them's office politics.
• Ooh, an alert monkey has brought the nation's fagg problem to my attention! How can I effectively hates teh fagz0rz?
• Well played, kit! See? Was that so hard? We knew you could do it! Good for you! Here's a widdle wollypop for you!
• I'd rather have a beard.
• How can I effectively hates teh fagz0rz? I hear there's soil around Des Moines, Iowa. You can't farm it, you can't build anything on it, but at the very least you can stick some old I-beams in the ground, and prevent it from becoming landing strips for gay Martians....
• Mercy Corps is one I've supported since the tsunami. 92% goes to programs, and they team up with local groups to get the stuff on the ground and to people in need quickly. They also send fewer annoying solicitations than some others I've dealt with.
• You envy my beard, don't you.
• I met a guy yesterday who really reminded me of you, middleclass, which is odd since (a) I've never met you; and (b) he's from CA not AS. He had a beard and a snappy suit though. Nice guy.
• Ah. Quiddy's in luuurrrve!
• CHUT UP
• Quiddy and Tooley, sit-tin in a tree..! *makes kissy-kissy noises*
• It's not even tooly, it's a cheap imitation thereof!
• It's nice to see it when two crazy kids get together! Don't tell the guy in the thread upstairs, though.
• CHUT UP!
• You are a gay homosexual
• *turns back towards quid, wraps arms around self, wriggles, makes more kissy-kissy sounds*
• Back. On. Topic. There is a lot of suffering on the Gulf Coast right now. If I could direct you to a group that helps the residents who have to deal with the pain of the 2005 and 2004 hurricanes, I would. There must be a bunch of deserving groups out there. Perhaps if you contact ColdChef, he might have some ideas.
• My wife and I split our donations between Foster Parents Plan and local out-reach organisations. I have found that local shelters and churches (temples - any faith) that work directly with those in need in our community have the lowest overhead and the greatest need of financial assistance.
• One of our favorite charities is Smile Train which does free reconstructive surgeries for little kids with cleft palates. They do work both here in the US and internationally, and the surgery dramatically changes the kids' lives in a tremendous way. Bonus: their operating expenses are covered by a private grant, so 100% of the money they receive goes to their work.
• Just don't send it to Nigeria. -points up-
• I give money monthly to Amnesty International and to the Fred Hollows Foundation (they do free cataract operations in the 3rd world and train local people to do them safely and cheaply).
• I have a monthly set-up with Oxfam Canada though all the Oxfam offices are really top-notch (I believe it's originally a British charity). They are all about poverty, erm, in the 'anti' way, so that should fulfill your requirements nicely. I'll second Modest Needs as well, and Dress for Success (which I've heard good things about and is worldwide, not just in Fes' area). Médecins Sans Frontières is another great one that I would like to have a giving plan with though it's not as directly geared to what you were looking for, but I can't resist plugging it anyway.
• Concerned with our own American poor? or overseas folks count? What about Heifer International? I think their livestock is a tad pricy from what I could go to the saleyard and bid on, but they do great work in that the livestock directly benefits the family, and with an investment of the reciever, via some elbow grease/hard work, they can continue to increase their little flocks in to big ones. Not just charity, but more along the lines of teaching a man to fish.* I believe there is a charity along the lines of Feed the Children, but you'd have to research it for credibility. “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime” or as we say in I-dee-hoe: Give a Mormon a fish; they'll make jello and invite you to dinner. Take a Mormon fishing; they'll drink all your beer.
• Heifer's automatically on the list. They're actually local, my wife's been trying to get a job with them for years. They are a great organization.
• Second Oxfam, livii. Oxfam UK has an online store where you can buy someone beehive or plant trees.
• Good for you, but I hope you're treating yourselves as well. I'd second rocket88's recommendation of Medecins sans Frontieres. I believe they're efficient and unarguably beneficial.
• Good for you, but I hope you're treating yourselves as well. I'd second rocket88's recommendation of Medecins sans Frontieres. I believe they're efficient and unarguably beneficial.
• So good I'd second it twice. *Puts Penderyn back in the cupboard*
• Fear not, we're treating ourselves. Once we get our plumbing and siding issues sorted out at the house and I've actually graduated, we're talking vacation. Perhaps a week in Europe, maybe even close enough to your neck of the woods for a meetup. All very up in the air right now, of course.
• Will you be changing your name to uppermiddleclasstool?
• I'm really poor and sick, so you could send it to me and that would be charity... ? :D :)
• I'm sorry, was that one of the plebes addressing me?
• following on from the "daddy needs a new suit" thread, i think you ought to seriously consider fes's dressforsuccess gang. there's possibly a clothing karma bank that you owe credits to.
• July. New Zealand. Do it. DO. IT.
• How about the Drug Policy Alliance? (link to an article posted by homunculus).
• Not even a grand?
• Is this a good time to mention I've legally changed my name to "Charity?"
• Here is something I/we do. On a hot (Fl.) Friday night when the wife and I are bored we head for a Burger King and sit with a cup of coffee watching people come in. Often a Mexican family will show up who are obviously out for a VERY OCCASIONAL family treat. That they are 'working poor' is evidenced a number of ways, not the least of which is the vehicle they pull up in.- I go up and pay their bill and we are gone before much can be said. Not a big deal or a lot of money. But we know where it went and it makes us feel good. And no, to date I don't believe anyone has been offended. Rather there have been some sincere thank you's.
• July. New Zealand. Do it. DO. IT. I am informed by the beautiful and sassy Mrs. T. that we will only be venturing that far south when it is cold up here.
• That's fine, I can do half-birthdays.
• Kensington Welfare Rights Union does good work. I tend to give out of solidarity rather than charity.
• /mrandmrstoolfangirl Whatever you end up choosing, I applaud your continued efforts of living well and giving well. This is yet another example of that. Good for you. BTW, my charitable bent is always towards needy children, whether it be literacy, food, clothing, safe havens, whatever.....
• You might want to consider giving poor and/or immigrant children in your area a shot at a brighter future by setting up scholarships. These need not be for huge amounts -- just providing money for textbooks for a student from a poor family or paying for needed eyeglasses, etc. can be a huge thing for individuals.
• Yes, one that I am newly involved with is in Muranpur, India called Neerekshe. Gentleman who runs it is named Shadrach Pete. Great organization.
• We had a lot of individuals at one college I attended who couldn't afford to do much, but would buy one text book for one student. When you've got a large group of people doing that, it makes a heck of a difference. The first one that came to mind for me was also Doctors Without Borders, but a homeless shelter near to you seems like the best way to start close to home.
• Don't fall for all that "Doctors Without Borders" bullshit. They can still do all their doctoral shit without a thick black outline defining their 2-dimensional shape - they usually just take your money and go help sick people in the developing world. It's an absolute fucking scandal, but no one will listen to me.
• As for the RSPCA - they are even WORSE. It's the "Royal" society, which means that every time you give them money His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has to go and walk somebody's dog. That means he has no time for important matters of State and consequently Sweden is now the poorest country in the developing world.
• Oxfam? They are dedicated to making Oxen famous by putting them on reality TV shows like Pop Idol or that Island where celebrities have sex with coconuts. RUBBISH. WaterAid? "Ooh ooh we must make sure that Water has enough to eat - it's so thin you can see through it". IDIOTS. League Against Pasta? They don't even EXIST. I just made them UP. MORONS.
• I'm always a fan of Habitat for Humanity. Owning a home is often the line between the poor and the middle class (it's easier to get credit if you own a home, for example), and this is one organization that is dedicated to taking the working poor up class lines. And -- I'll admit it -- I tend to be a sucker for most things Jimmy Carter does.
• That is nice of you, Toolie. There is tons of people and critters out there that need help. The question to ask yourself is who (Katrina victims? Iraqis? Darfur refugees? Cuddle animals?) you want to help and how (Education? Food? Clothing? Shelter?). I agree with an earlier poster about 'teaching someone how to fish'. Have you considered giving a year or two of your time to being a volunteer abroad through an organization like VSO or even Peace Corps? Tired of throwing money at supposedly good causes I did. And I had the best year of my life doing it. I got to experience a foreign country like I have never experienced before (a community absorbing me as one of them). And I got to use my skills as a techie helping disadvantaged people learn these skills to generate incomes for themselves. Best of all, I did not spend a penny of my own doing all of this (except paying a monthly fee for some storage space where I stored all my worldly goods). MSF, though they do a decent job, is very very media savvy. I don't like them for insisting their volunteers wear MSF t-shirts when TV crews are around. Habitat for Humanity is good. Giving to VSO or Oxfam is also good. You might even consider giving to PBS (and help get those annoying beggers off the screen).