Which are your favorite charities?

[Joe Link]

I've always held a strong belief that charity is important. Knowing that there are literally billions of people on this planet that would trade places with me (and you) in an instant has really helped me keep things in perspective, especially when days aren't going my way. I liken the fact that I was born in this country to winning some sort of cosmic lottery.

Though my volunteer time has been limited, I try to give once during the summer months, then again around this time of year. It got me thinking about the charities I've supported over the years, both good and bad, and made me curious to hear about some of your favorites.

Lets hear em!

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[IronMonster]

Not a charity per say but most of my volunteer effort goes to the Northwest Blacksmith Association. They are a 503C non profit educational organization with outreach programs that help the Boy Scouts and other youth organizations. We also have a mentoring center located in Longview WA that hosts educational demonstrations once a month.

I am a past board member and feel pretty passionate about teaching folks to enjoy using there hands. If you have any interest you can see some of what they do at http://blacksmith.org/

I also support SeaDruNar which is the Northwests oldest substance abuse treatment program. They are a behavior modification program with an client work program to try and get people functioning as productive members of society. They are also the only program around where Mothers can attend and bring there children.

Every year around Christmas they seek donations from business and corporations either in the form of goods or money which are used to provide Christmas gifts to the clients and there children. Most of the gifts are things such as shoes, coats and small personal items. It helps to instill a sense of community and giving.

I know the founders of the program and was a volunteer facilitator for close to three years committing roughly 10 hours a week. A great opportunity to give back.

http://www.seadrunar.org/

 

[Kruel J]

Habitat for Humanity.

 

[Quacky88]

Make A Wish Foundation
Wounded Warriors
Project Healing Waters

 

[Red Dog]

World Vision, mostly for water wells in Africa. Bothers me that so many people in the world don't have clean water to drink, and we literally swim in it...

My Father's House in Gresham, helps families that need it and doesn't remove the father from the picture as many shelters do.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Wounded Warriors & November ( if you like facial hair as I do wwholeheartedly) it promotes mens health, check em out!!!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Wounded Warriors, self explanatory!
Sunshine Division, food donations.
Oregon Food Bank, " "
Goodwill
Salvation army, etc.

Oops, forgot one! Oregon Humane Society!

 

[jbett98]

My Daughter.

 

[gunfreak]

DAV
Wounded Warrior
Gary Sinise Foundation
As a Vet I like to support my fellow countrymen and I may need it someday too.
http://www.garysinisefoundation.org/
Watch the 9 min video it's powerful.

 

[teflon6string]

I know people who've suffered or died from complications of diabetes, cancer, lupus, Alzheimers disease, etc. And we've all heard tales of certain charity CEOs taking million-dollar salaries.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe charities are required to disclose the percentage of funds they divert to operating costs. Those numbers do appear in the CFC catalog every year allowing me to compare similar charities for overhead vs. financial "put-though."

 

[NoFlinch]

I like;

"The Human Fund"
"Money for People".

But then again, I'm putting up my Festivus pole today....

 

[The Heretic]

Any of the children oriented charities.

Dornbecher, Shriners, etc.

IMO, children are the most innocent, so any bad situation they are in is generally not their fault. Also, they have the least ability to do anything about their situation, being almost totally at the mercy of adults to help them. Finally, they have the most potential to recover from a situation and become a valuable member of society.

 

[NoFlinch]

I rec'd some great feedback when I asked a similar question;

https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/donations.184620/

 

[308]

Sponsor two kiddos thru Compassion International
Forward Edge - Portland, Oregon
Portland Rescue Mission
Our local Church

 

[frauhunter]

With preemptive acknowledgement that my position is cynical and jaded, and with apologies for being a buzz-kill, allow me to offer this view from The Other Side...

As a rule I don't support charities. They strike me for the most part as being first and foremost a business. I have no idea, and no way of discovering, what is really done with the donations they collect. Do food banks provide support for Foreign Nationals Trespassing on American Soil? Does Habitat for Humanity do the same? How much is siphoned off by "Administrative Overhead" and less legal forms of embezzlement? To understand why precious little is cured while a great many cures are researched, one need only understand that there is more money to be made in looking for the cure then in actually finding it. In short, I have a huge trust issue with organized charity - especially where any given charity spokesperson has a wardrobe exceeding the dollar value of my entire life.

I will spare the reader specific enumeration of the contempt I have for telescopic philanthropy.

My preference is to help those around me by direct action. When I see someone stranded, I stop and offer assistance. When I see someone is hungry, I feed them. If my neighbor locks themselves out of their house, they sit by my fireplace until the locksmith shows up. I simply do what I can, when I can, where I am.

Ex Gladio Libertas

 

[Member 5605]

http://ssyocorvallis.org

Instilling hope in children who's parents haven't given them any. I've seen first hand the results of their years of hard work. (Before it was a listed charity)

 

[teflon6string]

Any of the children oriented charities.

Dornbecher, Shriners, etc.

IMO, children are the most innocent, so any bad situation they are in is generally not their fault. Also, they have the least ability to do anything about their situation, being almost totally at the mercy of adults to help them. Finally, they have the most potential to recover from a situation and become a valuable member of society.

Dornbecher and Shriners are excellent - and local.

 

[Red Dog]

Regarding administrative overhead, % that makes it to those in need, etc...

I understand where you're coming from, and completely agree that you must be very careful who you give money to so it is not wasted. Do everything you can to vet orgs before giving to them. You also have to be careful that money given with good intent does not end up harming those it is going to, such as making them dependent on future handouts and/or creating a 'begging culture'.

However, I believe it is VERY important for those of us who have so much to give, then give some more. A great book on giving wisely is called (surprise!) "Giving Wisely: Killing with Kindness or Empowering Lasting Transformation?" by Jonathan Martin.

I would humbly suggest that 95% of us on here, talking about our 'toys', are able to give to help those in need. Consider that a not-so-subtle nudge...

 

[308]

...an additional benefit is the giving reduces our gross taxable income.

 

[Bazooka Joe]

SAF
Team Rubicon
Heifer International