Favorite Charities, holiday time or otherwise?

[Zoocat]

I discovered a new nonprofit that I've enjoyed donating to recently. It's called DonorsChoose.org: Teachers Ask. You Choose. Students Learn.. You get to donate for specific classroom projects that are proposed by the teacher. They have a new effort to help schools in Katrina affected regions. Really a great organization!

Also, I've sponsored a girl from Tanzania through the Christian relief organization, World Vision. World Vision - Sponsor a Child and Make a Charitable Donation.

What's your favorite charity?

 

[RetireeRobert]

I discovered a new nonprofit that I've enjoyed donating to recently. It's called DonorsChoose.org: Teachers Ask. You Choose. Students Learn.. You get to donate for specific classroom projects that are proposed by the teacher. They have a new effort to help schools in Katrina affected regions. Really a great organization!

Also, I've sponsored a girl from Tanzania through the Christian relief organization, World Vision. World Vision - Sponsor a Child and Make a Charitable Donation.

What's your favorite charity?

American Red Cross
Salvation Army
Union Gospel Mission
Children Incorporated
Habitat for Humanity

 

[youbet]

There are lots of good charities. One I'm familar with and support is Easter Seals. (No religious connection, despite the name.) They do great work for kids and adults with autism, cerebral palsey, etc. I spend a half day Wednesdays at our local facility and, from what I see, they do an excellent job for deserving people.

Easter Seals: Helping people with disabilities gain greater independence

 

[Goonie]

My #1 Favorite Charity is "Friendship House".....a GREAT local organization that helps and trains the developmentally handicapped to be active participants in our community. They teach them all sorts of skills, and help them get jobs. It's really neat to see how happy and proud those folks are to be out in the real world, and being able to earn a living and live independently.

Habitat for Humanity.

American Red Cross....local chapter.

Salvation Army.

 

[travelover]

I'm impressed with KIVA, an international micro lender. And it is a loan, not a hand out.

Kiva.org - Loans that change lives

 

[template]

Salvation Army
USO
Red Cross

 

[Nords]

IHS, The Institute for Human Services

HawaiiFoodbank.org - Help Feed Hawaii's Hungry

AccesSurf Hawaii

"The Kid's Dreams (TKD) of Hawaii", helping Hawaii tae kwon do junior athletes afford the costs of national/international tournaments.

I haven't figured out how to donate to our local Habitat for Humanity without the money having to go to the national organization.

Hey, I like that DonorsChoose idea. I've been looking for an anonymous way to support school projects without calling attention to our kid or influencing the teachers.

 

[RetireeRobert]

I haven't figured out how to donate to our local Habitat for Humanity without the money having to go to the national organization.

Donate your time, labor, and or materials. If you give materials, I am pretty sure they aren't going to ship them to the mainland.

 

[Nords]

I discovered a new nonprofit that I've enjoyed donating to recently. It's called DonorsChoose.org: Teachers Ask. You Choose. Students Learn.. You get to donate for specific classroom projects that are proposed by the teacher. They have a new effort to help schools in Katrina affected regions. Really a great organization!

Thanks again, Oldbabe, that non-profit is really a sweet deal.

I found a teacher at one of our local schools who wants an LCD projector. This recalled my military-instructor days when you had to check those puppies out from a central vault as if they were carved from a block of 24-carat gold. A little additional research helped me figure out the teacher's identity, and she does good work.

We've tried gifting teachers before and it was all but impossible to remain anonymous. DonorChoose has an option to donate by a check (which "holds" that project for our donation), and then we can make the actual donation through our Fidelity donor-advised fund with a restriction for that teacher's project number. No confusion, total anonymity. I like it.

This is going to put some fun into philanthropy...

 

[Peaceful_Warrior]

Current donors include:

• Innvision: This is a local charity for when I used to live in CA - the help out the homeless but the part that draws me to them is they have programs that take them from homeless, ultimately to employed through a series of steps.
• monroeinstitue.org: Consciousness research. Interesting stuff, and I went to one of their programs and thoroughly enjoyed it.
• The Nature Conservancy - Protecting Nature, Preserving Life: Nature Conservancy... I like our environment, so in addition to my own conservation / environmental efforts, I like supporting others.
• National Wildlife Federation: National Wildlife Federation - My wife loves animals.
• Kiva.org - Loans that change lives: Not actually a "charity" for donation sake, but I certainly am not giving them money with any expectation of return. I enjoy being able to support other business owners, and the fact that they have high success rates makes it all the more appealing.
• Various other charities that come around - sometimes for major natural disasters, or occasionally local fires, etc. Also donate a lot of stuff to Goodwill, as well as give away on Freecycle.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Border Collie Rescue of Southern California
Leonberger Rescue

 

[Zoocat]

Thanks again, Oldbabe, that non-profit is really a sweet deal.

I found a teacher at one of our local schools who wants an LCD projector. This recalled my military-instructor days when you had to check those puppies out from a central vault as if they were carved from a block of 24-carat gold. A little additional research helped me figure out the teacher's identity, and she does good work.

We've tried gifting teachers before and it was all but impossible to remain anonymous. DonorChoose has an option to donate by a check (which "holds" that project for our donation), and then we can make the actual donation through our Fidelity donor-advised fund with a restriction for that teacher's project number. No confusion, total anonymity. I like it.

This is going to put some fun into philanthropy...

Very cool, Nords! I'm so glad I posted about it! I really like the idea of citizen philanthropy where you donate directly to the people who use the funds. I was able to help a few teachers finish off their projects. My favorite proposals are for math materials for high achievers, like graphing calculators. They are expensive and low income kids are at a great disadvantage without them. You're right, great fun!

 

[Moemg]

My favorite is ALSO out youth for young gay in Sarasota ,Fl.

 

[Khan]

Local no-kill cat shelter
Local GLBT support org
Local library