How do you support your favorite charities?

[SweetErika]

What type of charities do you support? What are your preferred ways to do so (time/volunteering, money, goods...)?

Until a couple of my favorite local charities sent me their AmazonSmile links this month, I had no idea this program existed. The 0.5% Amazon returns to non-profits is a piddly amount, and it seems like most charitable organizations might be far better off if they used the Amazon Associates advertising program. However, yesterday I needed to make a bunch of purchases on Amazon anyway, so I used those Smile links, figuring it'd be better to send that measly 0.5% to my charities than let Amazon keep it.

If you buy on Amazon, do you use Smile or Associates links to support your favorite non-profit(s)? If not, why not?

 

[Que]

I prefer to give generously close to home. There are usually holiday drives and we seem to pass the hat a lot. Funerals, illness and injury, births. I have gotten the reputation as a soft touch, so I get a lot of calls for, "can you just help with __________?"

Recently a tire, and someone else wanted grocery money. I took them groceries a couple of times. They haven't asked again since, so I am assuming they are doing better or they wanted the money for something other than groceries.

I love thrift stores, so I keep an eye out for needful things that I give away.

The company has a program where they award an extra day off if you give .5% of your base pay that is then gifted to which ever local charities you designate.. I do that, then sell the day back. Its almost a wash.

 

[domroger]

I refuse to use a commercial firm for any dealings with charities ,preferring to deal with them directly .

 

[Riles]

Aside from the numerous toy drives and donation wells around town, for the past 5 years I have donated monthly to Sick Kids Hospital. They saved my sons' life when he was 3. His annual checkup with them happened last week and we took the Nephrology Dept a gift basket of treats as we do each year.

Also, my boys and I have continued to support a brother and sister through Child Fund. We sent them clothing and school supplies for Christmas as well as letters and pictures. They sent us drawings and letters and she made the boys carved bead bracelets.

The boys are getting the idea and want the extended family to do the "buy a goat" thing. I haven't looked into it enough yet.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Money, presents and time.

 

[unregistered]

 

[oggbashan]

As a retired secondhand bookdealer, I advise several charity bookshops on the value of rarer books, visiting one of them at least once a week to price the books they have put aside for me to look at. I'm on call for any queries.

I give talks to charity shop volunteers and managers on how to spot a valuable book, and what to do if they find one. I provide printed guides on how to price older books.

I help and advise charities on applications for funding particularly how to word requests to particular bodies such as City Hall.

 

[Que]

As a retired secondhand bookdealer, I advise several charity bookshops on the value of rarer books, visiting one of them at least once a week to price the books they have put aside for me to look at. I'm on call for any queries.

I give talks to charity shop volunteers and managers on how to spot a valuable book, and what to do if they find one. I provide printed guides on how to price older books.

I help and advise charities on applications for funding particularly how to word requests to particular bodies such as City Hall.

Grand! I shall call on you sometime.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Around Tampa the charities are scandals. 100s of 1000s go to the directors and the clients can fuck themselves. Its the same scam all the time.

So I give to real people with real needs. No United Way, No Salvation Army, No Goodwill, none of them.

 

[RobDownSouth]

I just donated some money to Kamala The Ugandan Giant. He recently had both legs amputated and fell on some hard times.

I also donate regularly to Planned Parenthood.

 

[oggbashan]

Grand! I shall call on you sometime.

PMs about possible book values will be answered, but my expertise is UK based.

Simple answer: A secondhand book has NO value unless someone else wants it.

 

[Killswitch]

I don't. I have paid for needed items for people I know that have no money. Last year I bought a new furnace for a guy I knows daughter and three kids in the middle of winter.

Stuff like that but I don't give money willy nilly to these bogart organizations.

 

[missgreekgeek]

I support the Canadian Juvenile Diabetes Fund and The Canadian Breast Cancer Association annually, monetarily. However, in 2015 I plan to do both group's walkathons/marathons.

This past summer I did The Colour Run's marathon.
Was a lot of fun. And got sprayed with paint.

 

[missgreekgeek]

Also toy drives, big on that. I like the feeling of knowing some kids may never get "cool toys" to play with...so it's really nice giving back.
Sometimes new, or used...but kids will be more than appreciative regardless.

 

[Adre]

Mostly money, most going to Make A Wish and Wounded Warrior Project.

 

[MNGuy]

I help underdressed women buy clothes, sometimes a dollar at a time, other times a little more if I I want to really see up close and personal how badly they need clothes.

 

[Que]

I help underdressed women buy clothes, sometimes a dollar at a time, other times a little more if I I want to really see up close and personal how badly they need clothes.

I call that my "single mothers and college student charitable endowment trust."

 

[MNGuy]

I call that my "single mothers and college student charitable endowment trust."

SMACSCET.

 

[Que]

SMACSCET.

Yeah buddy, SMACSCET ASS!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Mostly money, most going to Make A Wish and Wounded Warrior Project.

WOUNDED WARRIOR? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

A fool and his money.

 

[missgreekgeek]

WOUNDED WARRIOR? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

A fool and his money.

I'm not American, so my guess is that this goes to those in the military who have by definition risked their own life, for that outcome, right?

 

[Killswitch]

WOUNDED WARRIOR? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

A fool and his money.

I have to agree. Looks like a classic case of someone running a business and maybe some money goes to wounded veterans but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[Killswitch]

I'm not American, so my guess is that this goes to those in the military who have by definition risked their own life, for that outcome, right?

Chances are it goes to some people who live in very nice homes in very nice neighborhoods and drive very nice cars.

 

[Wat_Tyler]

Karma is a funny thing.


It doesn't work if you talk about it very far outside the circle in which the charity is done. Best to do something for someone and say nothing.


Some guy wrote once that charity is the greatest form of love.

 

[Bidin~Time]

I stay local with my giving.