Charities

[Azure]

Habitat for Humanity is one that comes to mind.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

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!

I sponsor a child in Malawi through Plan Canada.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by kermitology

I sponsor a child in Malawi through Plan Canada.

what is involved when you do that?

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

what is involved when you do that?

As little or as much as you want.

For about $30/month Plan Canada will give you the name of a "foster child". They will see that the funds that you give ensure that this child is clothed, fed and educated, but also that the funds go to projects in the community your child is from. Things like digging wells, skills training, build community centers or schools. In recent years they shifted focus more towards the latter than the former, which is why they are now called "Plan Canada" rather than "Foster Parents Plan of Canada". But they still ensure that the child has the basics needed to survive.

Now if you want to go all out, you can write letters to your foster child, send gifts and some people even go to visit their foster children. I on the other hand am an absentee parent.... I've not once written to my current foster child and only twice to my previous foster child.

Once a year they will send an update on how your foster child is doing, what progress has been made in their community, etc..

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

As little or as much as you want.

For about $30/month Plan Canada will give you the name of a "foster child". They will see that the funds that you give ensure that this child is clothed, fed and educated, but also that the funds go to projects in the community your child is from. Things like digging wells, skills training, build community centers or schools. In recent years they shifted focus more towards the latter than the former, which is why they are now called "Plan Canada" rather than "Foster Parents Plan of Canada". But they still ensure that the child has the basics needed to survive.

Now if you want to go all out, you can write letters to your foster child, send gifts and some people even go to visit their foster children. I on the other hand am an absentee parent.... I've not once written to my current foster child and only twice to my previous foster child.

Once a year they will send an update on how your foster child is doing, what progress has been made in their community, etc..

For only $30 a month? Wow. I think I have heard of this, but I've been living under a rock for the past decade. I'd just really like to see an entire community being built ground up into a self-sustaining society.

[Nage Waza]

Look at some of the staff doing the low paying jobs around your office (cleaning washrooms or something), if they have young children they may need a bike or something. Someone in my office did this, and I know for sure it really was well received. He said he won the bike so she would not feel badly about the gift. Imagine the look on the little guy's face when she gave him the bike.

Sometimes we overlook those immediately around us that could use a hand.

Of course this is completely different than donating to a charity, but might be worth considering.

[GGG]

Locally I like Habitat for Humanity. I think they do a good job at targeting deserving people and making large upgrades in peoples standards of living

Internationally I like Engineers without Boarders. www.EWB.ca I like their Teach a person to Fish concept when introducing technology to the third world. I also have a few friends who went oversees with them and they say they make a real difference.

[Devils'Advocate]

I've donated to EWB and DWB in the past. Absolutely wonderful organizations.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

My wife and I donate to the Heart & Stroke Foundation because my wife suffered a stroke at 22 and I'm pretty sure that with my lifestyle I'll have heart problems down the road so it's an investment in my future well-being.