Charitable Donations

Emerald27

Every year around Christmas DH and I donate a bit to a charity we choose. We've done St. Jude's, Heifer International, Food for the Poor, and a couple local charities.

Over dinner, we were discussing to whom we might want to donate this year. Do any of you have a favorite charity? What is it and what work do they do?

persephonerose

This year we are donating to the places that helped us the most with the twins.

Ronald McDonald house: They had a volunteered staffed family room next door to the NICU with snacks, toys, tv, and a place to rest. The volunteers were amazing and helped me wrangle my toddler right after my c-section so DH could go back and hold the twins.

Threads of Love: They make and donate blankets, gowns, little pillows, and other hand sewn items to NICUs and children's hospitals. I donated fabric to the local chapter since I can't dedicate any time to sewing items.

The NICU where our babies were: We donated clothing to them.

slsl509

our state's ovarian cancer alliance as I am a 4.5 year survivor, Autism Speaks (DH's cousin with autism committed suicide and my sister is an autism specialist), American Cancer society (in honor of my dad, memory of my grandpa).

pnwlover12

@SSFC2014‌

Yes. Seattle Childrens all the way.

BreandMikewedding

I donate to a local child crisis center. They care for abused and neglected children.

MrsSarahRenee

Be like Brit - an orphanage in Haiti that came out of a local family who list their daughter doing charity work in Haiti during the earthquake. They started this incredible orphanage.
Look it up! They have a wish list on Amazon so you can send the kids things that they need from vitamins to swim shoes.

DreadGamerWife

Mainly Heifer Project and the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund. DH also liked to buy toys for Toys for Tots.

angeltennis3

We donate to a variety of charities:

United Way (although this is admittedly because I feel pressured to through work)

Our college Greek organizations charity events, which benefit Riley and to support women/children who have been victims of domestic violence

My girlfriends and I adopt a family every year through a local domestic violence shelter for women and children

Susan g komen foundation in honor of my best friend who lost her mom to breast cancer and had a double mastectomy recently after finding out she had the BRCA2 gene

Organ donation charities in support of my uncle who had a heart transplant a little over a year ago

Finally, the local no kill shelter in honor of all pets I have ever had, since we always adopt shelter animals.

golfingdarwinfish

St. Jude's

JDRF

I'm on the board of a local non-profit so I have a set amount that I have to donate there, as well as unrestricted funds that must be donated to the parent non-profit.  In addition there are many things we sponsor/underwrite.

We also adopt a local family through the non-profit for Christmas - last year we ended up getting one with 5 kids, this year it's much more manageable.  Additionally, I adopt an "elder" person from one of the senior living homes sponsored by the non-profit and gift them necessities and some treats.

Memorial Sloan Kettering

UCP NYC

DH has his own sets of donations that I don't really follow... I think he does prostate cancer, a local food bank, and something else I can't put my finger on... ALS this year, but not sure that's an annual thing. He also donates to his alma mater and their golf team.

I should add that adopting a family is extremely eye opening and truly makes you appreciate your life.  The parents fill out the "wish list", and it often includes things like a kitchen garbage can and bags, cutlery, bath towels, plates, etc... And they hate asking for stuff that they need because they would rather the kids get toys and clothes - one guy wrote that he would love a black hooded sweatshirt, but understood if that was asking too much.  It was so depressing. 

ETA: I forgot CF!  We donate to a NJ CF charity in the name of my best friend who passed from it 5 years ago.

Raesofsunshine1

The Red Cross... After our house fire last year, they came just a few hours after the fire, gave us bags full of personal care items and a check for several hundred dollars. They also offered to put us up in a hotel for a few days if we didnt have a place to go (but we did) and offered the use of a counselor if we needed one.

I was blown away by all the help. And they told us it came from local people who donated. I really had no idea how it worked so I thought it was awesome.

Ive also thought about donating to our local fire dept but havent yet. You take for granted that those people are always there for you until you need their help.

Another I love is the Ronald McDonald house charity.

2goingon3

Free the Children is probably my favorite, they make a big impact locally and globally. They're all about youth empowerment and ending poverty through education.

Our local Children's Hospital is at the top if my list as well (we donate annually and I fundraise for them by coordinating events and campaigns through work)

Breast Cancer Foundation, in honor of my H's grandma, mom and aunt. His grandma passed away, but mom and aunt are survivors!

United Way, again through work, but I've learned a lot about the organization including the fact that 25% of people who benefitted from one of their funded programs or services had no idea that they were united way programs.

We have adopted a local family for Christmas 3 years in a row and it's a wonderful feeling. Really special! We always adopt a family with kids the same age as ours so putting the baskets together hits closer to home.

shannonshare

Leukemia and lymphoma society (I have a friend who passed away of leukemia)

Be the Match (national marrow donation program...same reason as above)

AmandaJean12

For Christmas we normally adopt a family through the court system, take part in a local toys for tots drive, and fill some christmas wishes for kids who are living in the local children's shelter. (We always figured we'd rather make sure kids have a good Christmas, than buy each other gifts we didn't need.)

This year we went down a little different path because a receptionist at a place we work with hit some hard times and we found out she couldn't buy coats for her kids, so we bought things for them instead of adopting a family through an organization.

During the rest of the year, we usually give money towards Cancer research and Alzheimers research because they have both touched our families. 

bumpuser10309732

American Cancer Society is a personal one. And we have this thing called angel tree, do you guys have that or is it a Midwest thing? Anyway we always pick several kids off of that to buy gifts for.

shannonshare

I love all the posts of adopting families for Christmas and toys for tots type donations!

When DH and I have our holiday parties, we ask that each guest bring a gift for a child in need. Unfortunately, we couldn't do it last year because we just moved and this year we have the baby. In the future, however, I plan to have LO choose gifts that she'd like to give to children in need at Christmas and instill that giving nature in her early.

ashleyvictoria

We adopt a child or children through a local nonprofit every year at Christmas time. It is a program in the poorest area of town that runs a community center for kids. It was started by a tennis pro who is from that part of town so the kids all learn to play tennis. One of the rules of adopting the kids for Christmas is that you have to buy them a pair of tennis shoes as one of your gifts.

We also like to give throughout the year to the local animal shelter and a local homeless shelter that has an excellent addiction rehabilitation program. DH spent a considerable amount of time volunteering and doing plumbing repairs in their housing area earlier this year. We often prefer to give to charities where we can give our time (when possible) or goods, instead of just cash.

We're also looking to start giving to the children's hospital and NICU where DS stayed for 5 days after seeing all of the amazing work they do and being so thankful for the excellent care he received.

toomanycats1

My favourite causes are mostly animal related. Every year my BFF and I exchange donations I dread of gifts. We do this for birthdays also, hers is just before Christmas so this year I donated to a local wildlife rescue that is rehabilitating a bunch of orphaned bear cubs. Pathetic other donation was to the Beagle Freedom Project, a group that rescues and finds homes for laboratory beagles. I'm a beagle owner, so this cause touches my heart in a very personal way. We also donate to Cancer research, The Red Cross and the local SPCA.
<>br>> DS's private school is very charitable, and we are always helping to support families in third wold countries as well

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lrobi13

Another United Way giver at work.

St. Jude.  My friend's daughter was dx with leukemia at 4 months old.  She was treated at St. Jude and has been in remission for 4 years.  Her whole family raises tons of money for the Give Thanks Walk.  Last year I was able to fund raise at work for them and it was so great. 

I also normally buy presents for a needy child through a program at work.  And typically  I am the one that handles the assigning of kids to the people in the office so I saw all the wish lists and it was so sad.  Missed it this year but I can't wait to do it next year.

I am also a sucker for impulse donations.  I always give money to the bell ringers outside of stores and if Toys R US as if I want to donate to Toys for Tots of course I say yes.

I also participate in a year round mentor program and I am finally going to hang out with my little buddy tomorrow morning.  Sadly, the later part of my pregnancy and early months of lo's life I didn't have the energy to participate.  Tomorrow we are going to do Christmas crafts.  I need to pick her up a little gift.

MrsTinMKE

DH and I love adopting a family for the holidays - you buy gifts for less fortunate families. We always have fun buying for the kids. We also like to contribute to a couple of the homeless shelters.  I have manged a few big charity drives right before the holidays.  This year was different of course but we will still make some small donations ourselves.