- Joined
- Sep 19, 2004
- Messages
- 2,547
This the season where many people focus thoughts on helping other people. Often supporting charities is part of that.
There are of course hundreds of thousands of charities: Local, regional, national, worldwide; specific issue, to very general.
You can support them by volunteering, giving items, or giving cash.
I would hope that all of you are supporting some charity or cause (if not multiple ones).
I thought it would be appropriate to ask people to mention their favorite charity - the one that they wished other people became involved in supporting as it does the most good based on your personal interest.
I ask that you not try to list all the charities you support - as I don''t want this thread to become a "I''m doing more that you" thread.
What is your best one - and why (and I know there is no perfect charity).
Here is mine: Worldvision http://www.worldvision.org/
Here is why I believe so: Worldvision is what I believe to be the purest vision of a relegious help society out there. They operate arround the world - and even in areas where Christianity as a religion is banned (believing that the best demonstration of Christianity is to help your fellow man - regardless of the others religion). They are very open and above board on their finances. They have a very low overhead compared to many.
You have many ways to support: You can sponsor a child (more discussion on this later - and why World Vision is my preferred organization for this); you can fund community development; you can target specific interest (womans interest as well), provide chickens, rabbits, goats, cows, or a whole farmyard of animals, you can even support activities here in the US (check out the "Ways To Give" tab for a good introduction).
Concerning sponsoring a child in another country: I wish all could do this - but I understand it is not for all. Here are my personal views on it: First off - if you are going to do it - you should view it up front as a long term committment. Most children you sponsor will be in the 5-7 age range; and you can be a great influence over the next 10-15 years. They can also be a great influence on you and your children (and many families who sponsor children have their kids become pen palls and grow up together).
World vision gets my overwhelming recomendation as the child sponsoring organizaton for the following reasons: We have all probably seen the TV adds that run in the US from another organization - and they have a lower monthy rate to sponsor a child. TV advertising is not cheap - and that reduces the amount of $ available to actually feed and support the child; but that is not all. A fact is that a lot of people start out sponsoring a child - and then stop. What happens to the kids when their actual sponsorship ends. With World Vision - once a child is sponsored they are covered for basic needs until a local adult age. Your dollars you pay to sponsor a World Vision child are actually not only sponsoring that child - but also covering the children who''s sponsors have vanished. That is something I can support.
Something else to know: It is quite possible to sponsor a child with World Vision and be informed that you cannot discuss Christianity, Judisim, or another specific religion in your letters. That is because World Vision does operate in countries doing community development where certain religions are banned. I have no idea what religion the child I have sponsored is - or is being taught. Over the years I just discuss basic common moral values and expectations when appropriate - and it works. If a specific religon is important to you - call the 800# and discuss.
So what is your favorite charity - and why.
Perry
There are of course hundreds of thousands of charities: Local, regional, national, worldwide; specific issue, to very general.
You can support them by volunteering, giving items, or giving cash.
I would hope that all of you are supporting some charity or cause (if not multiple ones).
I thought it would be appropriate to ask people to mention their favorite charity - the one that they wished other people became involved in supporting as it does the most good based on your personal interest.
I ask that you not try to list all the charities you support - as I don''t want this thread to become a "I''m doing more that you" thread.
What is your best one - and why (and I know there is no perfect charity).
Here is mine: Worldvision http://www.worldvision.org/
Here is why I believe so: Worldvision is what I believe to be the purest vision of a relegious help society out there. They operate arround the world - and even in areas where Christianity as a religion is banned (believing that the best demonstration of Christianity is to help your fellow man - regardless of the others religion). They are very open and above board on their finances. They have a very low overhead compared to many.
You have many ways to support: You can sponsor a child (more discussion on this later - and why World Vision is my preferred organization for this); you can fund community development; you can target specific interest (womans interest as well), provide chickens, rabbits, goats, cows, or a whole farmyard of animals, you can even support activities here in the US (check out the "Ways To Give" tab for a good introduction).
Concerning sponsoring a child in another country: I wish all could do this - but I understand it is not for all. Here are my personal views on it: First off - if you are going to do it - you should view it up front as a long term committment. Most children you sponsor will be in the 5-7 age range; and you can be a great influence over the next 10-15 years. They can also be a great influence on you and your children (and many families who sponsor children have their kids become pen palls and grow up together).
World vision gets my overwhelming recomendation as the child sponsoring organizaton for the following reasons: We have all probably seen the TV adds that run in the US from another organization - and they have a lower monthy rate to sponsor a child. TV advertising is not cheap - and that reduces the amount of $ available to actually feed and support the child; but that is not all. A fact is that a lot of people start out sponsoring a child - and then stop. What happens to the kids when their actual sponsorship ends. With World Vision - once a child is sponsored they are covered for basic needs until a local adult age. Your dollars you pay to sponsor a World Vision child are actually not only sponsoring that child - but also covering the children who''s sponsors have vanished. That is something I can support.
Something else to know: It is quite possible to sponsor a child with World Vision and be informed that you cannot discuss Christianity, Judisim, or another specific religion in your letters. That is because World Vision does operate in countries doing community development where certain religions are banned. I have no idea what religion the child I have sponsored is - or is being taught. Over the years I just discuss basic common moral values and expectations when appropriate - and it works. If a specific religon is important to you - call the 800# and discuss.
So what is your favorite charity - and why.
Perry
300x240.png)