Two years ago at this time, I identified three of the charities I support every year and do so again at the end of this post. In that post and this, I lamented how I am inundated with solicitations from various worthy organizations, often receiving ten solicitations a day in my “snail mail,” many from organizations to which I have never donated, some advocating for causes about which I’d never heard.
Today, as I began the process of making my end of the year contributions, I started sorting through the solicitations I had saved in a pile behind my desk. What struck me was how certain groups sent out numerous missives (some nearly identical) over a very short period of time. Many offered free gifts, others defined every letter as “urgent,” a handful told me to renew my annual membership to organizations I had never joined.
Some offered free gifts. Now, I understand that in this world, a group often needs a gimmick to call attention to itself. And groups that are excessively aggressive in their fundraising do do good work with the funds they receive. Once again, I wish to highlight three of the groups I support largely because they, unlike so many organizations aren’t that aggressive.
Each does good work in its own way, so, as your finances allow, please join me in supporting these organizations:
- “The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund provides immediate financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. We direct urgently needed resources to post 9-11 Marines and Sailors, as well as members of the Army, Air Force or Coast Guard who serve in support of Marine forces. .” Click here to donate.
- The Lamp Community helps “people living with severe mental illness move from streets to homes. Lamp offers immediate access to affordable, safe and permanent housing without requiring sobriety or participation in treatment.” Click here to donate.
- “The mission of the Cato Institute is to increase the understanding of public policies based on the principles of limited government, free markets, individual liberty, and peace.” They’ve done yeoman’s work on healthcare reform, promoting free market alternatives and challenging what was once the conventional wisdom on global warming. Click here to donate.
Two years ago, I wrote, “strive to be generous throughout the year. Even if you don’t support these groups, please find a worthy cause to support. Or a lonely friend to visit. It’s not just through our donations that we can show our generosity.” I repeat that plea today.
One thing I’ll never forgive LGBT activists for is the demonization of the Salvation Army.
I donate to the Cato Institute annually. I personally know of one guy up the food chain there that was head of Log Cabin GOP for a number of years. Wounded Warrior Project is another great group. I also give money to charities that are off the radar. ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) is desperately in need of a cure, and they are overshadowed by the biggies like cancer, diabetes, heart disease.
I believe donating to disease charities that are not well funded is preferable to those that are well known. Just my opinion.
To Richard Bell:
I won’t donate to the Salvation Army due to their excessive Christianity and anti gay attitudes. As a private charity, they have the absolute right to discriminate against homosexuals and non Christians. But guess what: they won’t get a frigging penny from yours truly.
The Salvation Army does not discriminate against anyone. At the soup kitchen where I volunteer we feed anyone that walks through the door.
Richard Bell, one of my main charities is the Boy Scouts. You can imagine how davinci feels about them.
“You can imagine how davinci feels about them.”
Don’t get me wrong, V the K, people are free to have preference on how they want to choose to be charitable. The smear job LGBT activists did on the SA and others like the Catholic church who quietly and discreetly go about saving lives around the world on a daily basis is where I have a problem.
In the aftermath of Katrina, we decided all our giving would be local and in many cases direct. There were so many who lost everything. In the years since, we have maintained that practice, and will probably continue to do so in the future.
The Semper Fi Fund is one of my favorite charities of all time. We give to them every year. Over 90% of the donations actually fund the people they are helping: very low overhead and administrative costs. I cannot say enough good about this organization. So glad this was one of the three you chose to highlight!
davinci: what the hell does “excessive Christianity” mean?
To V the K:
The 1999 Hale Supreme Court was the correct one. The Boy Scouts should not be forced to accept gay scout leaders or gay scouts for that matter. As a libertarian, they have a right to associate with whomever they please. On the other hand, my charitable dollars to the Scouts or Salvation Army are also voluntary, not forced by the government. Since they rightfully dislike gays, that’s their absolute right, but I don’t have to give them a penny.
Hopefully this clarifies my position.
Glad to read the philanthropic themes that motivated Dan to post this has carried over in the comment thread.
I played at the Valley Children’s Hospital benefit last night. A bunch of local musicians get together, sing Christmas carols to the kids, and afterwards, hand out presents. Seeing the unfortunate condition of some of the kids and their families…. Now THAT will make you appreciate how well you have things this Christmas season! Of all the things I’ve done in regard with not only music, but in my life, this is one of the most gratifying.
PS. This is my fourth years doing this.
davinci #10: Good position… I feel the same.
I’m personally big on Injured Marine Semper Fi, and semi-local homeless charities whose quality I check out first on http://www.charitynavigator.org – another reason I don’t give to SA is that I simply don’t know how efficient they are (as charitynavigator does not rate them).
Richard Bell, one thing I’ve noticed about progressive leftists is they care more about what you say then what you do. No matter how much good the Salvation Army, the Boy Scouts, or the LDS Church (which by far gets the biggest share of my charitable donations in time, effort, and money) does in the world… if they don’t mouth the politically correct platitudes, they will be smeared.
Conversely, a human stinkbug like Bill Maher, Barney Frank or Jon Corzine can get away with anything as long as they keep mouthing the correct platitudes and obeisance to progressiver ideology.
#15 – “if they don’t mouth the politically correct platitudes, they will be smeared.”
Welp, don’t tell them but we have a gay guy that has been a volunteer with my local SA soup kitchen for longer than I have. In the end those slings and arrows the LGBT activist class launch at these ngo’s hurts the unfortunates we serve most.