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What have you done to make the world you live in a better place?
We have quite a few Europeans who love to point out how wealthy America is, how hypocritical, selfish, etc.
What have you guys done to help the starving, impoverished masses you so desperately care for?
Fellow Americans, what are your stories? Have you donated money lately or volunteered your time to a good cause?
i don't show off, i think it's crude and takes away from the deeds
If the deed is done and all is well, there's nothing to take.Quote:
Originally Posted by ecojeanne [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
In other words you've done almost nothing and you're ashamed to admit it.
its between me and my conscience, and i have to say i feel good about myself
Yep I donate and volunteer. I do it even more after meeting the bf.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gribble [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Nope, nothin' there.Quote:
Originally Posted by ecojeanne [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
you see this is the sort of thing people complain about americans for: showing off.
you're not really helping your case
Its not a good thing in my view. one does a deed because one wants to help for the greater good, not for praise of doing it, why do you think people donate annoymously? go ahead tell everyone. I won't be. :)
The point is it doesn't matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by ecojeanne [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
What changes if somebody built another person a house for free and told someone else about it?
Does that new homeowner suddenly become homeless? Go bankrupt? Become suddenly ill?
What's wrong with saying "I did this good thing, and I think more people should do things like this too."
"This is my experience with my do gooding, I hope this inspires others to do likewise, because that will be a lot of good going around."
If people don't speak up, then nobody will ever know, and it will come to a dead end, with you.
EDIT: I would also like to mention this is as anonymous as you can get without anonymously getting an article published in a magazine.
i do get your point fras, some people need inspiration and some want and enjoy the praise. Me personally i don't like the praise simply because i feel it takes the good out of it. People should give because they want to not because they feel pressured or want the praise.
speaking of which i remember there was this do gooder girl in the last place i worked and she created an idea for everyone to donate part of their christmas paycheck to her chosen charity and left a sheet on everyones desk to fill in how much and said she would go around later and collect it.
Completely outraged i sent her an email stating that there was one particular person we all knew didn't have the money to donate anything because they were in debt up to their ears.
telling people can be a form of pressure aswell. i refused to donate to HER charity. None of the office actually got a say which charity or charities the company would match. I was disgusted with the pressure put on everyone. i think 2 people donated in the end, her and the boss.
charity is a personal thing and something to feel good about in ones own privacy IMO.
EDIT: if i was new here and didn't intend coming back to this site i'd agree it is completely annonymous, but i'm not looking for people to praise me or somehow think differently of me just because of what i do to help. I actually hate praise from doing good. it annoys me and makes me feel deeply guilty because i'm sitting here happy and getting praise?!! while other people are suffering. is that weird? no i don't think so.
The only time I've ever donated money to a charity was when I received something in return.
Why?
Because chances are, my money won't go towards what I think it is, and will probably fall in to the wallets of all the "overhead".
I will donate my labor, and items, but never money.
Here's a tip: If you're going to donate in monetary form, try using a gift card, or specify which project, or need it is donated for. Non profits (at least in America), cannot touch that money unless it goes towards that specific project.
My company has a great donation sharing program where if you put aside a portion of your paycheck for various charities they will match it. This is what I do at the moment as well as attend and contribute to many charity auctions and events here in the city.
I want to start volunteering if I can. I don't have a whole lot of free time, which is why I choose to donate at the moment. I would like to definitely like to contribute my services in a way where I can actually meet people and not just be a faceless donor.
Gribble asked. You can answer or not. It's not bragging if someone asks you.
I think you've mixed up the bashing of the US administration under the current presidency and the bashing of the US population.
But as for aid itself, I'm not in favor of it, I've found it to be more of an issue of how to distribute and use it efficiently rather than just getting the money. And until I'm in the clear when it comes to coping with helluva high tuition fees I wont donate any significant amounts.
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by lesa [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
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Eco? Outraged about something? I'm totally shocked. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by ecojeanne [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
Most of my efforts are focused on education (duh). I donate my time there. I agree w/Fras, directly donating money often doesn't go directly towards those who need it. And a lot of the bigger charities will spend 40 - 50% of received donations on advertising. If in doubt about those phone calls, ASK whether they *directly* work for the charity in question. They must answer truthfully & usually the answer is 'no'. Then you can ask if they are donating their time or getting paid to make these calls (its usually the latter).
Some ideas:
- if you have kids, volunteer for your school or school board
- if you want to help your local community, get involved in city counsel--check their website
- if you care about health or education, get involved in any number of organizations or your local hospital (they always need volunteers to help console ppl in the ER, psych, & kids wards)
- some larger organizations can use help from those with professional degrees (Medicians Sans Frontiers, Engineers w/o borders, etc)
- local libraries will accept volunteers also
There are lots of thing you can do to donate your time. Most important is to put it where you feel you will enjoy it & be helpful.
Those are great suggestions, Indie. I used to use my graphic design skills to help contribute to charities I supported. I did some pro bono graphics for one of the city animal shelters a couple years ago. Once I got my new job though, I had a hard time fittting it in.
This thread reminds me of how much I'd really like to get back into doing pro bono design work
I've done volunteer work and I donate all of my unneeded belongings to people who need them.
Money donations are a crock of shit in my opinion. You can give a man a fish ;) but if you show him how to catch one... yeah, you get the spiel.
Because I used to work in the optometry field, I went to Vietnam for three weeks last November and helped fit poor people with free glasses, and give them eye tests. I also helped collect and sort donated glasses for that organization....the Third World Eyecare Society.
This month, I'm starting a volunteer program for Big Brothers & Big Sisters.
I've done tons of volunteer work, and although I agree that the highest form of charity is that which is done anonymously, I don't feel posting about it on an internet forum violates anonymity in any way.
Anyway, I've worked in a food pantry, delivered groceries to shut-in elderly people, volunteered at the schools in enrichment and remedial reading programs, art programs, room parenting, fund raising (I hated that, but implementing a new program helped my kid's elementary school raise a LOT of money). I volunteered at an adolescent drug rehabilitation hospital once a week for around six years. I've served on the governing board at my synagogue, started a book club, mentored those interested in converting, tutored kids in Hebrew, helped re-organize the library, and filled in for religious school teachers who couldn't come in. I've done work for Habitat for Humanity and tree people. I lead nature hikes for underpriveledged school kids. I've worked on floats for the Rose Parade, planted trees for Tree People... there are probably more things I can't think of right now... We've donated money, of course...
Most importantly, I have passed along my commitment to volunteering to my kids. My daughter volunteers for the food pantry, and my son tutors kids for free and volunteers for the Special Olympics, coaching basketball and bowling. :D
By the way - those of you who are concerned about donating cash because you don't know how much is going to the actual cause, you can (and should) research the charity you are considering. Ther ARE overhead costs associated with charitable organizations, for example food pantries need a building to operate out of, electricty and water access for its volunteers, etc, so you shouldn't expect that 100% of the cash you donate would go toards buying food. However, it is possible to research what portion of your donation is being spent the way you want. Here's on place that rates your charities. [url]http://www.charitywatch.org/[/url]
I've heard the of the extent that Hands On Network burns through their money and doesn't even keep track of donations.Quote:
Originally Posted by shh! [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
My girlfriend's affiliate, Hands On New Orleans ended up losing thousands of dollars in donations because the parent organization who they were becoming independent from, didn't keep track, and didn't want to honor HONO's records. Some non-profits, like politicians, forget about their cause and just soak up the money. Non-profits should pay low salaries so only the dedicated and idealistic will work for them.
Same for politicians.
When I donate I don't donate money (anymore). I go to the store and buy the products in need and give it to the group/organization without signing my name or telling them who I am. I drop it off to them and walk right out.
When I was in my teens and early twenties I would write a check to some organization claiming to do good things. I would mail it and who knows what they really do with the money. Now, I buy whatever they say is needed.
I'm going to start World War 3 and put humanity out of its suffering
I tutor students in need.
I haven't done it yet, but I plan to get a vasectomy as soon as possible so I don't have any kids.
Since I got back from overseas I've become a weekly volutneer for Meals on Wheels, a charity that makes and delivers meals to the elderly and the invalid. Before I left to go overseas I raised $1500 for a cancer research charity by completing a long distance ocean swim. And before that I was involved in a project to help rebuild family homes in our local area that had suffered severe neglect, usually as a result of illness. I've had a sponsor kid since I was 18 too.
Well, none of that means anything now that you've told us.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Boy II [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]
What a shame!