Three years ago I was coming up on my first Christmas after getting a new job. For the first time in years I would have the money to get nice things for my friends and family. But what to give! As I talked through options with a friend he told me that his family had adopted the tradition of giving to charities in each others names years ago. This struck me as brilliant! My mother scarcely needs more earrings nor my father ties and my sisters musical taste are unpredictable so I'd given up on finding new music for her. Plus there was the little added benefit of helping to make the world a nicer place. As I looked for places to donate I realized just how many amazing groups there are out there. From the well known organizations with UN representation like Oxfam to local focused groups like the Bethlehem Women's Haven there are countless causes one can contribute to. How does one decide where to give?
I've decided not to decide! Each week I will be making a $10 donation to a different group and describing a bit of their work. Why only $10? My hope is to highlight how easy it is to contribute to causes you care about and maybe even draw attention to some not on everyone's radar. I will also discuss current events and humanitarian issues. I am an academic biologist, not a scholar or profesional in aid but how better to learn than to explain to others? Feel free to donate along with me, comment on my entries and suggest the next week's charity.
Best to you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment