Charities

[Phanuthier]

I'm looking for charity recommendations. Anyone have some recommendations, and why them?

I'm thinking about the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation, because I like their idea of 3rd world development. I like their thesis and approach.

There is always AIDS and cancer and all those popular diseases to cure, but I don't really understand how the money is distributed so I'm hesitant to donate my money there. I understand how money is distributed is somewhat political. I also see it as donating for something that I will have personal gain in the future, so I don't know if thats necessary what I imagine a donation should be.

(note: please don't turn this into another chivalry thread disaster like that other thread by refraining from saying how great of a person you are by donating x amount of dollars)

[wooohooo]

How I see charity and my small donations is what you see matters to you. I find donating to finding cure to Liver diseases as that's a pressing disease in my family. My friend donates to Haiti.

Maybe figure out what matters to you most and maybe we have suggestions of the organizations.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

How I see charity and my small donations is what you see matters to you. I find donating to finding cure to Liver diseases as that's a pressing disease in my family. My friend donates to Haiti.

Maybe figure out what matters to you most and maybe we have suggestions of the organizations.

Hmm I think 3rd world development is something important to me, but I don't believe in a lot of those charities like Red Cross.

[troutman]

http://www.canadian-charities.com/

[puckluck]

Good on you for donating, but the last person to get my money would be a Bill Gate's charity.

I also don't like donating to the big organizations since most of the money donated goes towards paying people instead of actually helping people out. I'd try and keep it local like a woman's shelter or something like that.

[CMPunk]

http://www.kidsportcanada.ca/

Ultimately it comes down to what you believe in. Are there diseases in your family that you want to see cured? Is there a natural disaster you'd like to help out with? Do you just want to help the less fortunate?

For me being a sports guy, I like Kids Sport as it donates money to kids for athletics, so even kids in low income family's have a shot at playing hockey

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by puckluck

Good on you for donating, but the last person to get my money would be a Bill Gate's charity.

I also don't like donating to the big organizations since most of the money donated goes towards paying people instead of actually helping people out. I'd try and keep it local like a woman's shelter or something like that.

True, I don't know what the overhead on the B&B Gates Foundation is. But the thing about big charities is they have the power to really make a difference if they are going the right direction. I find that while smaller ones really have the best of intentions, they don't really have enough power to make a big difference. IMO anyways.

[JiriHrdina]

Smaller charities have the ability to make a difference on individual lives in pretty powerful ways. Moreover often you can direct your donation a little more to something very specific.

If that's what you are looking for.

[kirant]

Maybe it's because who runs it, but I've always been a big support of Right to Play.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Smaller charities have the ability to make a difference on individual lives in pretty powerful ways. Moreover often you can direct your donation a little more to something very specific.

If that's what you are looking for.

Yeah that is true. I think I'm looking for something along the world equality rather than betterment of a individual's life I guess.

I'm certainly open to being swayed if there is something that really reaches out to me.

[albertGQ]

Calgary Hospice. They are really underfunded.

[Drury18]

I have to second the comments of those swaying away from big charitable companies. Places like United Way and Boys and Girls Club are no differently run then your large downtown corporations. It's alot of overhead and your money does not always go towards what you want. It also rarely makes an impact right away since there is an X amount they need to raise to put towards a project and if it is not met, the money is redirected to another place.

If you are looking to make a donation and have it impact your community and actually see what it is doing, I highly suggest looking into some of the smaller local charities then these larger ones that are looking to produce radical change results. The overhead is little and any money raised towards the project actually goes to it.

Right to Play and Kidsport have been mentioned and are excellent choices. They have little overhead and individual donations go towards the cause, not the salaries. Donations to your local Boy Scouts or Girl Guides group go a long way as well since it goes completely towards their projects and outings since all the leaders and background workers are Volunteer run and you are not paying for salaries.

[DropIt]

The make a wish foundation always seems like they are using money towards what it is intended for. You often see/hear of a Make a Wish kid actually being able to do most anything regardless of costs

Or there is that kid who got drafted today. His sister had cancer and there was a way to donate straight to them... Was it Conolley?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by CMPunk

http://www.kidsportcanada.ca/

Ultimately it comes down to what you believe in. Are there diseases in your family that you want to see cured? Is there a natural disaster you'd like to help out with? Do you just want to help the less fortunate?

For me being a sports guy, I like Kids Sport as it donates money to kids for athletics, so even kids in low income family's have a shot at playing hockey

I guess as far as what I believe in...

Diseases, et al - as I said, I find it a little political in some ways. I also see it as a bit as money going into a black hole. I also think "aren't we lucky when we worry about cancer at 50 or 60, when people in Africa are worrying about making it to 20"

Charities directed to an individual - I feel as though my moral obligation to society can be done directly and more personally, rather than financially.

3rd world development - I guess as far as things go for me, this is sort of what strikes me as "yes this is where I feel my money should be" ... I see my donations as somewhat of a personal thing, and thus I feel like its worth the time to be a little more selective and careful to choose something that I really fits what I'm looking for. B&B Gates Foundation interests me because I like their concept and where they're going, but what holds me back isn't the overhead (though I understand it, and would prefer to find one with less financial overhead) is I feel even a few grand is really no big deal in helping them. I'd like to have my own charity one day to choose the direction of where I would like help to be, but for now I do think its important to find something that puts my dollars to the best use for something I really believe in, and I'd really like to find that one charity that makes me go "yeah thats the one" rather than a "hm ya this seems pretty good, lets go with that."

[Devils'Advocate]

The ones I give to are Amnesty as they do a very good job of drawing the worlds attention to the worst human rights abuses and Plan Canada as they do direct work in third world development, small projects where you can see a difference being made.

Plan Canada have their annual reports, including financials, here:
http://plancanada.ca/Page.aspx?pid=2063

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

The ones I give to are Amnesty as they do a very good job of drawing the worlds attention to the worst human rights abuses and Plan Canada as they do direct work in third world development, small projects where you can see a difference being made.

Plan Canada have their annual reports, including financials, here:
http://plancanada.ca/Page.aspx?pid=2063

Thats perfect, Plan Canada is exactly what I'm looking for. My employer matches donations, now I gotta see if I can get my American employer to match this and that would be perfect!

I hope more CPers get on board with this as well too!

[MrMastodonFarm]

The Human Fund

[jydk]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

The Human Fund

As soon as I read the OP's post I knew it wouldn't even take the first page before the Human Fund was mentioned.

Man I miss Seinfeld. Thank god for Curb though.

[ah123]

For charities that have major impact in the developing world, check out AKDN (www.akdn.org), I saw a presentation a number of years ago about their work and have been supporting them ever since

Charities that I find have impact locally: FoodBank, Habitat for Humanity

[Reggie Dunlop]

Don't give any money to the Oilers Community Foundation.