I loved this prompt when Manda suggested it. I have four charity(ish) organizations I give to regularly. It's time to pimp them here.
Mocha Club--I have Dave Barnes (by way of Amy) to thank for this one. At one of his live concerts we went to, he talked about his work in Africa. And what he saw and how he felt about it all. And most importantly, how we could help. I can't do justice to the story he told. So go check out the updated version here. For just $7 a month, the price of 2 fancy coffee drinks, you can help bring a well to a village, shelter and an education for vulnerable children, or counselling for women at risk. I really like their message "I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me." So much of what the media tells us about Africa is this idea of a place without hope, desperate for help. But a Mocha Club member who traveled there talks how Africa "has taught me that possessions in my hands will never be as valuable as peace in my heart. I've learned that I don't need what I have and that I have what I need. These are just a few of this continent's many lessons. I came here to serve and yet I've found that I have so much to learn, and Africa, with all its need, has much to teach me." You can see the rest of the story at their site. It's a refreshing and realistic way to look at the world.
ShelterBox--This one is Maureen's fault. That's right, the godmother Blog Every Day in April also turned me on to one of my favorite charities. What doesn't that woman do, right? ShelterBox unlike the previous two charities deals with a more traditional disaster model of need. They provide a ShelterBox to those who are literally without shelter. The contents of each box differ with the needs for the location, but each typically include a 10-person tent (shelter), blankets/mosquito nets (warmth/protection), tools (self-sufficiency), stove and cooking/eating utensils (food), coloring books/crayons (fun/smile). Plus when I say box, I don't mean a box. I mean a giant plastic tub like you'd pack college gear into. The boxes themselves have been used for all sorts of purposes as well. One of the reasons I really like this charity is your ability to track your box. They each cost $1000 so chances are you're not the only person contributing to that box. You receive a number in the mail, and you can then track where your box ends up. Due to the distaster-based nature of the need, ShelterBox attempts to have boxes at the ready before a disaster so they can deploy them quickly. This means when you donate post-disaster, your box might not end up in that area, but in the next area of aid.
Mocha Club--I have Dave Barnes (by way of Amy) to thank for this one. At one of his live concerts we went to, he talked about his work in Africa. And what he saw and how he felt about it all. And most importantly, how we could help. I can't do justice to the story he told. So go check out the updated version here. For just $7 a month, the price of 2 fancy coffee drinks, you can help bring a well to a village, shelter and an education for vulnerable children, or counselling for women at risk. I really like their message "I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me." So much of what the media tells us about Africa is this idea of a place without hope, desperate for help. But a Mocha Club member who traveled there talks how Africa "has taught me that possessions in my hands will never be as valuable as peace in my heart. I've learned that I don't need what I have and that I have what I need. These are just a few of this continent's many lessons. I came here to serve and yet I've found that I have so much to learn, and Africa, with all its need, has much to teach me." You can see the rest of the story at their site. It's a refreshing and realistic way to look at the world.
fashionABLE-- This project grew out of Mocha Club. Another non-profit, fashionABLE offers scarves for purchase. These scarves are made in Ethiopia by women who have escaped prostitution and received counselling and vocational training. The money made on these scarves is funneled back into training more women so they too can step out of the shadow of societal oppression and become financially independent. Have I mentioned yet the scarves are gorgeous? Because they are. I have the black cherry dusty rose scarf. And just purchased the jade one this week. Each scarf has a note from the woman they are named after explaining how your purchase has changed their life. Or if you'd like, you can check out the women's stories on their website.
ShelterBox--This one is Maureen's fault. That's right, the godmother Blog Every Day in April also turned me on to one of my favorite charities. What doesn't that woman do, right? ShelterBox unlike the previous two charities deals with a more traditional disaster model of need. They provide a ShelterBox to those who are literally without shelter. The contents of each box differ with the needs for the location, but each typically include a 10-person tent (shelter), blankets/mosquito nets (warmth/protection), tools (self-sufficiency), stove and cooking/eating utensils (food), coloring books/crayons (fun/smile). Plus when I say box, I don't mean a box. I mean a giant plastic tub like you'd pack college gear into. The boxes themselves have been used for all sorts of purposes as well. One of the reasons I really like this charity is your ability to track your box. They each cost $1000 so chances are you're not the only person contributing to that box. You receive a number in the mail, and you can then track where your box ends up. Due to the distaster-based nature of the need, ShelterBox attempts to have boxes at the ready before a disaster so they can deploy them quickly. This means when you donate post-disaster, your box might not end up in that area, but in the next area of aid.
Kiva--And last, but not least, an organization that isn't exactly a charity. It's a micro-loan organization. You help finance microloans all over the world, but particularly in developing nations, through one easy interface. You pick which project to lend to. The minimum amount is $25. Once the loan is fully funded, the repayment period begins. The repayments tend to be in small chunks, but they add up quickly. I started with $100 in loans in October. I've already had $38 repaid. Another $10 is due Apr. 15. From there I can relend that money to another person who is opening a shop, or repairing a roof, or buying more seeds for their fields. In addition to knowing you've helped, you can also join a team. I'm part of Team Nerdfighters because it was John and Hank Green who introduced me to the idea years ago and finally convinced me to give it a try this fall. If you're new to the service, someone unwrote at least 10,000 loans so people could try it out for free. If you'd like to see what it's like, try joining the Nerdfighters group and give your first $25 loan for free.
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