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What organizations or causes do you give to, if at all?

I'm reaching the phase of my life where I get to start deciding these things. There's a few I have in mind to make a respectable but not obscene donation to each year (I'm not rich, but I appreciate causes that I believe in), but haven't started just yet.

This may not apply to younger members. Philanthropic donations generally don't begin until one is somewhat established with a job or career, though there are certainly exceptions to this.

I give a few dollars to Child's Play each year because they advertise on sites I go to and make some donations to the Red Cross when there are disasters. As a student with no income, however, I can't really afford to make long term commitments with donations.

Are there sites that collect lists of reputable charities?

Medecins Sans Frontieres

http://www.msf.ca/

Though, like Sym, I really don't have the money to contribute that I would like. Give it 5 years... I hope...

If I had a tremendous surplus of cash, I'm sure I'd donate to some animal charity. Ones that stop endangered species from going extinct. No other types come to mind.

Heh. I was kinda guessing that this wouldn't exactly be the right crowd. Most of us seem younger, without career-style jobs or still in school (or still in debt). Presuming I don't **** things up in my current job, I'll be able to do this with some freedom in a year or two, and I got to thinking about it the other day.

Three come to mind for me:
American Cancer Society - family history, and cancer sucks hard, so it seems pertinent
Sinfonia Educational Foundation - Associated with a Greek organization, they support students of music and music organizations. There's other music groups out there, but I know guys who have been helped personally by this group, and whose education was saved by their intervention.
Skeptics Society - awesome as an educational force for lectures, debates, education, and materials toward the promotion of responsible scientific inquiry. They also do a lot to debunk pseudoscientists and paranormalists who prey on the uninformed or gullible for profit.

Even something like $100-200 a year isn't a ton, but seems more substantial when you think about it over a long period of time.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Are there sites that collect lists of reputable charities?

A good question. I'd be interested to know this too. I actually went to a conference on nonprofits (I have excuse to work with them occasionally in my job) where some horror stories were outlined of either outright fraud, or more frequently inefficient use of funds, and/or a program that didn't accomplish much. Not all philanthropies are created equal.

Originally posted by inimalist
Medecins Sans Frontieres

http://www.msf.ca/

Though, like Sym, I really don't have the money to contribute that I would like. Give it 5 years... I hope...

I've heard a lot of good things about Doctor Without Borders. Don't know much about them personally though.

Originally posted by Digi
What organizations or causes do you give to, if at all?

I'm reaching the phase of my life where I get to start deciding these things. There's a few I have in mind to make a respectable but not obscene donation to each year (I'm not rich, but I appreciate causes that I believe in), but haven't started just yet.

This may not apply to younger members. Philanthropic donations generally don't begin until one is somewhat established with a job or career, though there are certainly exceptions to this.
You should donate to liberal causes like Media Matters or some gay marriage thing.

Originally posted by Zeal Ex Nihilo
You should donate to liberal causes like Media Matters or some gay marriage thing.

Any reason why? Or are you just trolling?

Last year I donated money or done charity work for a few causes

Royal National Lifeboat Institute
Cash For Kids (A local charity)
Shelter Scotland (Homeless charity)
Macmillan Cancer Support
Circles around Dundee (Local childrens charity)
Oxfam

Some of it involved direct donations. Some involved fundraising and some involved securing donations from 3rd parties. Some also involved my job (I work for a co-operative that does a lot of work for charity)

This year I'm organising a big event for the Prince's Trust with an Olympic Games theme. (Basically a big fun/sports day) through my work. Hopefully that'll be a good day and be pretty successful.

Digi, I think volunteering your time AND money is easier and more meaningful. Find a place to do some voluneeter work and give money or pay your own way to do so. Kind of like "Doctors without Borders"...but you be the doctor.

Originally posted by dadudemon
Digi, I think volunteering your time AND money is easier and more meaningful. Find a place to do some voluneeter work and give money or pay your own way to do so. Kind of like "Doctors without Borders"...but you be the doctor.

I'm aware there's options. I just made this topic to see what kinds of things others are into. I'm a member of a group that goes into nursing homes and hospitals and brings them flowers, hand-made cards, and performs music for them (usually vocal). It's not much, but the affect it can have is tangible.

Originally posted by jaden101
Last year I donated money or done charity work for a few causes

Royal National Lifeboat Institute
Cash For Kids (A local charity)
Shelter Scotland (Homeless charity)
Macmillan Cancer Support
Circles around Dundee (Local childrens charity)
Oxfam

Some of it involved direct donations. Some involved fundraising and some involved securing donations from 3rd parties. Some also involved my job (I work for a co-operative that does a lot of work for charity)

This year I'm organising a big event for the Prince's Trust with an Olympic Games theme. (Basically a big fun/sports day) through my work. Hopefully that'll be a good day and be pretty successful.

I give to the government.

Originally posted by King Kandy
I give to the government.

You can give them less if you give to others!

Mosty if anything The Salvation Army things like United way I don't trust because the money they take out of your paycheck can go places you don't want to support.

The Salvation Army has a notorious anti-gay agenda. I tend to stay away from them because I prefer charities that don't discriminate based on arbitrary distinctions.

Originally posted by Digi
What organizations or causes do you give to, if at all?

I'm reaching the phase of my life where I get to start deciding these things. There's a few I have in mind to make a respectable but not obscene donation to each year (I'm not rich, but I appreciate causes that I believe in), but haven't started just yet.

This may not apply to younger members. Philanthropic donations generally don't begin until one is somewhat established with a job or career, though there are certainly exceptions to this. Goodwill, VFW, Metropolitan Ministries, Disabled American Veterans and the Red Cross when there's a major catastrophe.

I don't have much income at the moment, but if I could, I like finding charities that help people help themselves. Like fair-trade stuff. Or something like Make a Wish, where the "Wish" can help the kids to forget about their illnesses for a while...

Originally posted by Digi
I've heard a lot of good things about Doctor Without Borders. Don't know much about them personally though.

what really sold me on them was their decision to stop taking funds for the Boxing Day tsunami when they had collected more than the needed, and encouraged people to give to lesser known causes, while many other agencies just collected lots of money they will never be able to spend.

Originally posted by Digi
What organizations or causes do you give to, if at all?


Off the top of my head:

I've donated small amounts to various animal-based organizations.

Did the monthly adoption of a brown child for the $20-odd a month for a year.

Donated a car to a children's cancer foundation.

I've participated in Habitat for Humanity (through my job) one day a year for the last 6 years now. Actually enjoyable most years.

Most recent: I bought a San Francisco crack-head(an actual crack-head) a Coke and slice of pizza; then gave her $2.00 for her "birfday". Hindsight, I should have bought her more food instead of giving her $2.00.

I gave some money to cancer research.

Trees for Life

I'm too cheap to donate any money, but if I did it definitely would not go to any sort of international NGO as I believe them to be corrupt and all possess some sort of hidden agenda.

I'd consider donating to VFW, Goodwill, and small local causes where they really make the biggest impact. I wouldn't trust larger organizations like PETA or Redcross with my money.