What is your favorite charity?

[GasX]

I am on the board of a charitable foundation and need to make some donation recommendations this weekend. If anyone has a charity they would like to recommend for their good works, I am all ears.

An example of a charity we like to fund is: The Smile Train which fixes cleft palates for free in 3rd world countries. An added bonus is the charity's administrative costs are paid for by a couple of high profile donors, so all additional donations go straight to the cause...

Any suggestions?

p.s. YOU are not a charity...

 

[GasX]

Noone here believes in charity?

 

[brunswickite]

I am only 21, so far the only times I personally have donated are when I am walking through the College student center and see other students asking me to donate to cancer, aids, and other terminal dieseases.

 

[rh71]

i've only donated to animal shelters.

 

[jocycliff]

http://www.sweetrelief.org/

Don't know how open ended this is but a good charity for musicians.

 

I like the United Way. I don't see the point in donating to third-world causes when there are plenty of American tragedies that can be helped with a little money. Call me selfish, but I think charity should be directed first where it will help Americans.

 

[3chordcharlie]

I always donate to the United Way since they have a pretty strong reputation for low overhead (i.e. the money effectively reaches the programs they support without too many administrative costs).

Maybe not the sort of 'direct' donation you're looking for.

 

[Czar]

red cross

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: jumpr
I like the United Way. I don't see the point in donating to third-world causes when there are plenty of American tragedies that can be helped with a little money. Call me selfish, but I think charity should be directed first where it will help Americans.

We give money to american causes too. Personally, I feel the United Way is a HORRIBLE way to go. They collect money and then give it out to local charities. This in itself is not a bad thing, but it is incredibly inefficient and huge amounts of money go wasted. Giving directly to a local charity (that doesn't waste a lot of money on fundraising and/or administration) is the best way to go to make YOUR money do the most good.

 

[GasX]

I think I might add the Make-A-Wish Foundation to our list...

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Originally posted by: jumpr
I like the United Way. I don't see the point in donating to third-world causes when there are plenty of American tragedies that can be helped with a little money. Call me selfish, but I think charity should be directed first where it will help Americans.

you have a point, but helping the rest of the world can only have positive effects for america in the future

 

[Bumrush99]

Community Blood Center
community partnership for the homeless

 

[jkenn19]

Not particularly fond of Make-a-wish. I think the concept is a good one, but when you send a 2 year old and their parents to Disneyworld - I hardly think that is what a 2 year old's dream is, and besides, this child did not die, she may have gone thru a rough period, but she will have other opportunities to go. That is not the only situation I have heard about. Really I think they need to re-evaluate what kind of things make sense.
We usually donate to Red Cross - not too many events worse than losing all your belongings to a fire, or flood

 

[BurnItDwn]

definatly Red Cross

 

[Lola]

I am very partial to the American Caner society.
As a matter of fact, for my wedding next year, istead of giving dumb favors, we are dontating that money to the American Cancer Society. I think its a great foundation jsut bceause almost everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, weather they have had it, a loved one or friend.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: jkenn19
Not particularly fond of Make-a-wish. I think the concept is a good one, but when you send a 2 year old and their parents to Disneyworld - I hardly think that is what a 2 year old's dream is, and besides, this child did not die, she may have gone thru a rough period, but she will have other opportunities to go. That is not the only situation I have heard about. Really I think they need to re-evaluate what kind of things make sense.
We usually donate to Red Cross - not too many events worse than losing all your belongings to a fire, or flood

As a donor, you can choose what wish you want to sponsor. So, you could be selective and only send kids of the appropriate age who are going to die soon...

 

[DaveSimmons]

I donate to a state supplier of food banks (Northwest Harvest) and to the Seattle Times Fund for the Needy, which collects for a bunch of local charities but doesn't charage anything for the fundraising (Seattle Times paper covers the cost).

Sweet Relief might be a good one, since most musicians are broke and without insurance, but I haven't looked into it myself. It was originally started to help Victoria Williams with her MS, and spawned a great cover CD of her songs.

 

[phreakah]

Originally posted by: Lola
I am very partial to the American Caner society.
As a matter of fact, for my wedding next year, istead of giving dumb favors, we are dontating that money to the American Cancer Society. I think its a great foundation jsut bceause almost everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, weather they have had it, a loved one or friend.

:thumbsup: I donate to them as well

 

[KarenMarie]

ASPCA

 

[Jumpem]

I will never give to the United Way since they support Planned Parenthood.

i'd give to the NRA, RNC, or SCOPE.

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: Lola
I am very partial to the American Caner society.
As a matter of fact, for my wedding next year, istead of giving dumb favors, we are dontating that money to the American Cancer Society. I think its a great foundation jsut bceause almost everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, weather they have had it, a loved one or friend.

that is a good one as well, have lost one family friend to cancer a few years ago, awful way to go

 

[Armitage]

Red Cross
American Cancer Society

 

[CPA]

I'm probably going to be looked at as an ass on this, but why would you donate to a charity that helps musicians? Those people chose their "career". They know what they will get out of it. Should we donate to daycare workers, every mom & pop employee or substitute teachers? All of those professions have just as much value, usually no insurance coverage and little pay. Just doesn't make sense to me.

Anyway, Red Cross and local volunteer Fire Departments are good ones.

 

[vi edit]

Local Childrens' Miracle Network or Make a Wish sponsor.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: CPA
I'm probably going to be looked at as an ass on this, but why would you donate to a charity that helps musicians? Those people chose their "career". They know what they will get out of it. Should we donate to daycare workers, every mom & pop employee or substitute teachers? All of those professions have just as much value, usually no insurance coverage and little pay. Just doesn't make sense to me.

Nope, it's a perfectly valid opinion.

If I had kids I'd be one of the parents donating for school supplies, or a PC for daycare edu-games, or otherwise helping out.

But I don't, I have a 1,200+ CD collection instead . Since I obviously like music, it makes sense that I'd be inclined to help out musicians even though no one forced them to follow their muse.