Volunteering time and/or donating money

[screen_play]

What do you think are the best causes to support, and why are they important?

There are many good works to choose from. Do you help people far away, people who are close, future people, little people, suffering people...?

I have been dipping a toe into the sea of good works (by giving small amounts to organizations or friends' pledge drives) and now

Comments

[chipadeedoodah]

I budget, and tend to pick one cause per month, then try to evenly distribute giving among straight-up charity/aid programs, art programs, and education programs. Political donations do not come out of this budget, they're considered discretionary spending with some exceptions such as fighting Prop 8, which seems extra-worthy

[screen_play]

Wow, seems like you have thought about it quite a bit and are trying to keep it true to your principles. I can see how that would help you confine your giving to the things you think are really important.

Interesting that altruism in the extreme can become shameful. I hadn't considered where the line where humility ends and egotism begins.

I'm very excited to start giving to good causes, because I feel like I should have started helping others much earlier in my life. I didn't volunteer in high school and college...just didn't "get it" til recently. :)

Also interesting that political donations are outside of your charitable giving budget - worth thinking about. Thx.

[chipadeedoodah]

Glad this was well-received. The irony/hypocrisy in saying to people "the way you give of yourself is bad, the way I do it is good" is not lost on me. It's a pretty big moral high horse, but there's something really infuriating about ostentatious piety. Dander condition: raised.

Anyway, giving feels awesome. Glad you're doing it!

[djchai]

personally I haven't hit a phase in my life that budgeting my donations is a possibility yet. but the way i look at it is, i give to those causes that i feel really passionate about. like services that could get cut because of gov misspending and such.

for natural disasters i always try to give me fair share and support events that are raising funds for that cause. but for picking charities to give on a regular basis i try to pick something i feel like will really make a difference in my local community. sometimes its for the children, sometimes the homeless, and other times its for illnesses.

but any and all giving should be personal. just the fact that you are choosing to give is awesome.

[screen_play]

like services that could get cut because of gov misspending and such.

Great point...earlier this year I had the urge to personally fund a specific org that was being attacked by political groups in an attempt to remove its government funding.

Sounds like you also emphasize local...that's another thing to weigh.

Thank you.

[cheezaddict]

St. Jude's. Ronald McDonald House. Volunteer time at Oakland's Children's Hospital. Sick children need help and their parents need help.

[screen_play]

Interesting. That is a great reminder - I live a stone's throw from a Ronald McDonald house. Thank you.

[fugitivepeas]

I've given a lot of thought to this over the years. I have a budget for the year for charity donations. Taking out 'the usual' donations [programs I have supported over the years], I have a decent amount to play with. Most of the time I'll donate to causes that are directly linked to friends, like if someone were doing the AIDS walk, charity luncheon, etc. I also donate a lot to the arts in the form of museum memberships. These are great because they're tax deductible, support something I believe in, and provide me entertainment. When I'm feeling like going out to do something, but don't want to spend a bunch of money or think too hard about it I usually end up at the Science Museum -- I've prepaid [sort of] and I always love going there