Do you volunteer/donate?

[rivan]

If anything, what do you do to help your community (local or otherwise), that you're not financially compensated for?

 

[rcpratt]

Nope. Nothing. I can pretty much guarantee that I'll never donate any of my money, although I wouldn't rule out volunteering.

 

[DesiPower]

A part of my salary goes to SS, medicare, Medicaid and Federal govt, does that count?
_____________________________________________________

Donate about $50 a year to United Way through work, coz I am, in a way, forced to. Really pisses me off, they come here whining how ppl in my city are poor and spend the Christmas without toys and clothes and crap like that... well... why cant they get the money from the ppl who imported them in the first place *outrage*.

But I do donate willingly to organizations that protect rain forests and endangered species.

 

[rivan]

A part of my salary goes to SS, does that count?

No, that's not voluntary, and - cross your fingers - you'll be compensated for it when you retire.

 

[Kadarin]

I generally don't.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I don't volunteer, but I donate to the Seattle Times Fund (a WA kind-of United Way without the graft) and Northwest Harvest which supplies food banks in WA.

... and I'll be nagging people here to give to children's hospitals once the 2010 Childs Play is under way in November

 

[highland145]

Bloooooooood. ~5 gallons so far.

Assume "not financially compensated" means no tax break.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Donate to several charities. I volunteer when I can with a group called BostonCares.org, several animal groups and outdoor advocacy groups.

 

[dfuze]

I donate bags of clothing to the collection bins around town a few times a year.

 

[KeithTalent]

I volunteer at the local rabbit shelter. I also donate to the SPCA.

KT

 

[highland145]

Been trying to donate some sperm but she wasn't having any of it.....

 

[Golgatha]

Donate clothes, etc. to Goodwill, donate cash to outreach programs through my church, and volunteer my time and talents at random throughout the year. I also donate to a chemistry scholarship memorial fund, which was set up for an old friend of mine who died unexpectedly years ago, on an annual basis.

Edit: I also donate blood every 2 months or so. O+ represent!

 

[datalink7]

I clean up the sidewalk on a regular basis between my house and the local pool/community center (about a block). Just pick up trash when I walk my dog and throw it in my garbage.

And I donate to charities with every paycheck.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Hmm some of the responses here are unsurprising - despite being the richest nation in the world USA is far from the most generous. Yes I donate to charities fairly regularly.

 

[911paramedic]

Blood.

Used to do quite a bit with Special Olympics and would like to do so again, it's a lot of fun.

 

[Squisher]

Yes I do.

 

[IGBT]

charity begins at home. I only contribute to needs in my local community where I can see the end result of my financial gifts. I won't support large institutional org.s with massive admin.over head.

 

[Scouzer]

I contribute to microfinancing on Kiva.org

 

[dullard]

My wife and I donate a good sum of money/items to charities. Generally we go with Goodwill and a place that gives food/shelter to the WORKING poor. I really feel bad when someone works 80 hours a week at minimum wage and can't really afford to feed quality food to their kids. Until we get a living wage in this country, I'll keep donating to the working poor (ie not those people who mooch off of society). But we generally get a tax deduction for that. I guess it doesn't count for this thread.

We did donate over 50 lbs of food from our garden so far this year. No tax deductions for us this year due to the alternative minimum tax. So, I guess that will have to do.

 

[highland145]

We did donate over 50 lbs of food from our garden so far this year. No tax deductions for us this year due to the alternative minimum tax. So, I guess that will have to do.

Better watch out.

Fig trees, broccoli and cabbages are among the many greens that line the soil on Steve Miller’s more than two acres in Clarkston, who said he has spent fifteen years growing crops to give away and sell at local farmers markets.

 

[kranky]

Yes, both time and resources.

 

[dullard]

Better watch out.

That is horrible regarding giving away food, but regarding having a commercial farm in the city (selling it at the farmer's market), I can see that being a problem.

My patch is only ~50' x 10'. I can't imagine that it is big enough to violate a city ordinance. Although, I do admit that I never checked either.

 

[BoomerD]

Not unless I'm forced to do so...

 

[highland145]

That is horrible regarding giving away food, but regarding having a commercial farm in the city (selling it at the farmer's market), I can see that being a problem.

My patch is only ~50' x 10'. I can't imagine that it is big enough to violate a city ordinance. Although, I do admit that I never checked either.

Easier to ask forgiveness, imo. Especially if you're doing a good deed.

 

[highland145]

Not unless I'm forced to do so...

So, we here OT, force you to donate your literary expertise?