Self-Serving Donations

[livingdeb]

Every year I donate money to help those worse off than I am. This year I am donating an additional 1% of my income to organizations that help me personally (or have helped me personally in the past). I've been donating to public TV, public radio, the local wildflower center and, recently, my neighborhood association. I've also donated to the state park system in my state. This year I rounded out my 1% by contributing a bit to Backyard Monsters and a bit more to Wikipedia (aka Wikimedia when you're sending them money). Maybe next year I'll contribute to my alma maters or the public library system.

I've also thought about contributing an additional 1% to issues that are of interest to me personally. I already send money to Renewable Choice (not technically a charitable contribution), but have also thought about local organizations that promote cycling or walking or a planetarium or a local park or environmental group. Nothing grabbed me, but I like the idea and may use it next year.

Do any of you have a favorite cause that makes or has made your own life better?

Comments

donations

[fraeuleinchen.livejournal.com]

I, too, support wikipedia... I use it so often, and it does enhance my life. I also gave a very small donation to the Dance Gypsy website, after it helped me find info about a dance weekend earlier this year.

A local org that I like to support is Inside Books Project. They are a bare-bones, all-volunteer organization which sends books to inmates in Texas. I volunteered with them a few times this past year; very easy to help (fulfilling inmates' requests for materials), but it's sad that many of the requests are so outdated (6 months old in some cases). IBP simply lacks the funds to pay for the postage, even though they do send things at library rates. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I have heard that education during incarceration reduces recidivism, and well, that's good!

I never watch the public TV station, but I listen to public radio like a mild addict, I do make a donation every year (though that's generally not at the end of the year). Oh, and I also send a token amount to my alma mater. I think they have rich alumni as heavy hitters, and I'm certainly not going to give anyone a scholarship ever. But they did give me money when I needed it (still had to take lots of fed student loans), and I haven't forgotten that.

Re: donations

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

I like that idea of paying attention and making contributions as you go.

Texas does incarcerate a higher percentage of its population than any other state, so this is a big issue.

Re: donations

[fraeuleinchen.livejournal.com]

Re: TX's incarceration rate - so sad...