As the Holidays approach, which charities do you give to?

[Len]

Let's say, for discussion, that your church doesn't count...since you probably have them on your list already.

I throw some money at the Salvation Army when I pass by. I try to give to the Boy Scouts of America. Wounded Warriors. There's a local animal rescue that doesn't euthanize, too.

A group of us at work adopt poor kids stuck at a local children's hospital cancer ward as secret Santas. The nurses there put their requests together for us, and we each take one on.

Small side note: Couple of years back, one of the kids there had, as one of his very mundane requests, "a picture of a deer." Got teary-eyed just reading that.

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I think we all know the groups we like to avoid...but who do you think should be considered this time of year!

I'm always looking for more ways to help. We're not talking a lot of funds here, but as much as we can afford....

Len

 

[phreddy]

Operation Christmas Child is one we do. Angle Tree at the local mall and I usually sell something of mine and donate that $$$

 

[sq hunter]

local mission . meals for those without

 

[pinduck]

Christmas child and Salvation Army.

 

[Pop's2]

Salvation Army every year

St Jude's Children Hospital occasionally

 

[ThirtyAcres]

local mission . meals for those without

Ditto.

The Rescue Mission feeds---clothes---houses men--women--children without judgement.

Without my good parents and God's amazing grace there have been a few times in my life when I could have wound up at the local mission.

I often think of Matthew 25:35 thru 40 when I am too quick to judge the homeless and the beggars I see so often.

 

[labworm]

Throughout the year, and a large increase for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Salvation Army
Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries
Special Olympics
Animal Rescue League
Melrose Humane Society

 

[Steve in Vermont]

Perhaps this is a good time to bring up the subject of giving. Before my mother went to a nursing home we found she had been depleting her monthly ss check by giving small amounts to more "charities" than we could count. When I took over her finances, and started receiving her mail, I found over 3 dozen "charities" each month asking for money. I called those that had telephone numbers and developed a "form letter" asking people to stop their requests. A year later we were still receiving nearly one request each day. To this day, 3 years after mom went into the nursing home and 2 years since she died, we still get 8 to 10 of these requests monthly. Letters, calls, nothing stops them. I bring this up as a word of caution. If you have an elderly parent someone out there is stalking them, customizing a message to tug at their heart strings and con them out of as much money as they can. It doesn't seem like much, $ 5 or $ 10 a month to "save the ------" but multiply that by a dozen or two and it adds up, especially for people on limited incomes.

 

[feralmerril]

There is a couple here that our atv club sponsers, shop with a cop and "Fight like a woman". We all donate our stuff and had a garage sale that the proceeds go to them.

 

[walkin jack]

Local food/toy drives by local PD and FD. And Salvation Army of course. 'Tis the season....

 

[BearBio]

As a Freemason, we obviously support the Shrine and our Lodge supports the Diabetes Children's Foundation and the Angel Tree. The local Board of Realtors has a food drive (my wife is an escrow officer and affiliate of the Board). As a Federal employee, we have United Way as well as the various cups at the supermarkets. The local realtors also have an eyeglass drive to recycle eyeglasses. The local Forest Service Office challenges the other Federal Agencies for a Christmas in Springtime food drive (after winter, the larders get pretty bare).

While in SoCal, we participated in some AIA (American Indian Association) events, including "adopting" a family on one of the "Rez'" in the Four Corner areas each Christmas.

We also participate in various "outreach" events. In two weeks, we will start hosting nature walks for Hispanic school children, each Saturday. The Saturday before Christmas, all of the local Masonic Lodges get together and feed the needy in the County. Drivers will deliver meals to the nursing homes & incapacitated, while a host of us will prepare, cook and serve up to 350 or 400 turkey dinners to anyone who walks in.

Earlier, the Masons and VFW, etc. participated in Operation Stan-down. Warm clothing, blankets and sleeping bags, as well as meals and counseling were distributed to all vets but especially the disabled and homeless.

As one of Native American heritage on my mother's side, I cannot forget the two boys from the Rez who froze to death just across the border in Idaho. They were on there way to school and missed the bus!

 

[truckemup97]

The Salvation Army gets most of what I donate that doesn't go to my church. In fact, for several years I have asked my family to give whatever they would have spent on a gift for me to the Salvation Army. Last year I got a video of each of my nephews and nieces putting a $20 bill into the kettle. My daughter and I usually spend a couple of hours at the mall buying for an angel or two from the Angel Tree, too. For me, it's important to teach the next generation how (and why) to be generous.

 

[amazingflapjack]

The same ones that we support the rest of the year; they don't just need help during the "holidays."

 

[StatesRightist]

I agree, it's the same year round.

First of all local church.....
Samaritans Purse
Angel Tree
Salvation Army
People I meet who need it

 

[JayCeeNC]

Salvation Army.

 

[phulklip]

Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, local food bank

 

[Len]

The same ones that we support the rest of the year; they don't just need help during the "holidays."

Understood. But many like to "go the extra mile" around the Holidays to try and make it an extra special time of year.

Kudos on the year round giving...that, in and of itself, is admirable, especially when times are tough on just about everyone.

Len

 

[Viss]

We add one at Christmas time, Operation Christmas Child by Samaritans Purse. My wife enjoys seeing how many useful items she can fit in a shoe box.

We have seen video of the children recieving and opening boxes.....It's pricless.

 

[RightArm]

We give gifts to people that are adoption papers for an endangered animal.
I think it's World Wildlife Foundation. It's one of those wildlife foundations anyway. They send the papers plus a stugged version of the animal. Last year my niece got a blue footed booby.

 

[686_was_my_first]

Salvation Army Angle Tree & my church

My Sunday school class supports an apartment for battered and abuse women and children. We purchase items for the current residents for a better Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My church is working hard to give 5 church members families items for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We will give the church extra cash to assist with this task.

My family selects a child from the Salvation Army Angle Tree. Today, the girl we selected was asking for a winter coat (size 4), cap, gloves and a scarf. Not a doll, an electronic game, or a bicycle. Many thoughts are running through my head, thinking of this child. She is asking for a need, not a want. The child cannot be older than 5. What is her life like? Does she know happiness?

Oh well, sorry to stray from the original question. But is makes me thankful for what we have and thankful we can try and make someones life a little brighter