This month's topic is bittersweet for me. I love to give, but after witnessing my father donate away his life savings, I have learned to keep it small and only donate to the things I am most passionate about.
Having lost my mom to cancer, I always donate when the grocery store is doing a fundraiser for the Cancer Society. I also donate if they are running any charity event and collecting money. Memorial weekend, I donated and garnered a poppy from military personnel at the Fred Meyer store.
I drop coins in the slots of donation cans on counters. I buy children's coats, pj's, and shoes that are on clearance and take them to the area stores who collect for foster kids. And I give money to the local 4-H program that I volunteered at for over 20 years and was part of the staff for eight years. During my time as a leader, my sewing club made lap quilts for the residents of a local nursing home.
Donating in these ways that are harder to track keeps me from being hounded by organizations, I don't have as strong a desire to support. I detest being pestered. If I am pestered it's a sure bet the organization won't get anything. But by dropping my donations a little at time for the charities I want to help, I feel I'm doing my small part and not sacrificing money my husband and I need.
Giving is one of my greatest joys and knowing that I have kept a child warm or perhaps helped with finding a cure, then I'll gladly give a little when the mood strikes me and not when someone calls to fancy talk me into something I don't want to do.
Do you have a favorite charity?
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7 comments:
My favorite charities are:
Oldies but Goodies which is a cocker spaniel rescue group in Norfolk, Virginia.
http://www.cockerspanielrescue.com/
And the Hilltop Glass Artists which is a great non-profit that provides hot glass shop and glass art classes to middle school kids. The kids sell their glass art at sales for the community.
http://hilltopartists.org/
Mindy, those both sound like great charities.
My post on Friday is about the charities I support - check in then for the details . A client of mine did her charitable giving once a year. She saved the acknowledgement letter (which always included an envelop and a request for a bit more) and the rest of the year she threw the requests away.
This year as I Finally got rid of the last of my professional clothes and briefcases, I gave it all to Dress For Success. I may add them to my December charities since I no longer have clothing, etc. to donate to them.
There are times there is something about someone panhandling, and I'll stop and talk about resources to help them get off the street and maybe give them a couple of dollars.
I seldom donate to people who knock on my door. I Never donate to phone or email solicitations. When I feel like I'm being hounded, I definitely do Not give. So I think I'm like you, when the mood strikes me is when I do donate.
Hi Judith, Will do! I agree the more aggressive someone is the less likely I am to help them out. I've been told not to give people panhandling money. Give them clothes or food.
I donate clothes and items I don't use any more to the Humane Society thrift store and the Opportunity Center thrift store. It's an organization for handicapped adults.
I like to donate a little at a time like you, Paty. And my husband and I support several medical-related charities that touch us personally.
I hate it when an organization sends me address labels or note cards I didn't order and asks for money. I don't ever send any because then a flood of those requests comes in. And I don't feel the least bit guilty using the labels or cards rather than sending them to the landfill.
Sarah, My husband and dad do the same thing with those labels. Use them and don't feel guilty.
I feel guilty and don't use them. I give them to the grandkids to play with.
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