[serious] Charity thread

[Heraclitus]

I believe in the Neo-Exodus (tm), the movement of educated 1st worlders to the 3rd, to end world poverty. Only when we move there and make those problems our own will things change; we must reverse the brain drain. Sending good money after bad is not getting us anywhere.

By this logic you should be against skilled immigration since it hurts third world countries more than it helps first world countries. Are you?

[KrazyHorse]

I'm trying to say that money doesn't solve anything. Giving time is way more effective.


Ultimately, I think educated 1st worlders should move, en masse, to the 3rd world because poverty does not get solved from afar and we need to reverse the brain drain. When 1st world educated people must live under governments like that, and laws like that, then things will change. Until then, I hope everyone feels great giving money-bandaids to real problems.

This is a retarded sentiment. Educated first worlders can be hired. An agricultural expert, bought with a donation of X hours of my salary will accomplish far more than I would with X hours of direct effort.

Learn to think before speaking, please.

[DanS]

So Others Might Eat (local street aid)

http://www.some.org/

Catholic Charities (local street and other aid)

http://www.catholiccharitiesdc.org/

Catholic Relief Services (global relief in dire or disaster situations)

http://crs.org/

Currently, I'm researching charities with which I can provide money for scholarships in the third world.

[Ecofarm]

This is a retarded sentiment. Educated first worlders can be hired. An agricultural expert, bought with a donation of X hours of my salary will accomplish far more than I would with X hours of direct effort.

Learn to think before speaking, please.

Learn to read. And learn what really owning the problem means.

By this logic you should be against skilled immigration since it hurts third world countries more than it helps first world countries. Are you?

I'm against the brain drain.

I'm also against most "food aid", as it mostly stabilizes domestic markets while wreaking havoc on foreign ones.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,363663,00.html

But I believe, and act, in the neo-exodus.

[Nostromo]

Some organizations rate charities. Like GiveWell, for example. Peter Singer recommends it in his book on world poverty. Didn't check them out myself, though.

[KrazyHorse]

Learn to read.

I read exactly what you wrote and responded directly to it. I am not an expert in agriculture, governance, or any of the other specialties which are of value in the third world. Neither are 99+% of people in the first world. Giving time instead of money is a selfish act.

[Japher]

I tithe to my church. Other than that I make and do what I can with what I have so that I and my family don't become recipients of charity in the future.

[onodera]

I donate to Tarn Adams, because he's a mad genius.

http://www.bay12games.com/support.html

[Ecofarm]

I read exactly what you wrote and responded directly to it. I am not an expert in agriculture, governance, or any of the other specialties which are of value in the third world. Neither are 99+% of people in the first world. Giving time instead of money is a selfish act.

Living there would force you to really address the source and not the symptoms, whatever those may be. Until then, you are an outsider with pleasant advice.

[KrazyHorse]

I have no advice. Unlike you, I don't think that growing up in a developed country qualifies me to tell others how they should become developed.

[OzzyKP]

To which charity do you donate? Post links to charities you have personally donated to and think are worthwhile. A short message explaining why you feel so is welcomed too.


Let's hope as many of us as possible find a charity they feel like donating to here.



Edit:
I've untill now donated around 500EUR to various charities that help or try to help drug addicts or help fighting the spread of drug addiction. I felt like doing something to fight this after hearing around a year ago from a mutual accuaintance that an old childhood friend (& crush) died of an overdose.

http://www.youthrights.org

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Is NYRA actually a charity?

[C0ckney]

i prefer to give time rather than money. it's far more personal and more rewarding for me and i can see the fruits of my labours. i strongly believe that people should get involved in their local communities and try to make things better, instead of just complaining or hoping someone else will step in.

with time versus money, it really depends on what it is for, if you're giving to something like cancer research, then it's obviously better to give money. however, for stuff that involves working with people, it's far better to give your time and actually build relationships with the people you're helping and see firsthand what's going on.

1) circus eruption - teaching local kids circus skills. a lot of the kids are disabled or have behavioural problems, autism and the like. we play games, teach the kids a range of skills (and then watch as they become better at them than us very quickly! ), basically get the kids to have fun and interact with each other in a positive environment.

2) cats protection - i do 3 hours a week volunteering a charity shop. no particular reason for choosing cats protection, just that it's fairly close to my house and they needed volunteers.

3) english teaching - i do a couple of hours per week teaching english to refugees, asylum seekers and other immigrants at a local church. it's good fun and the people are nice and have some interesting stories (interesting here, sadly, can sometimes be translated as '****ing horrifying'). i do have a slightly selfish reason for doing this one though, i'm off to teach english in brasil in a month's time and need some actual experience of teaching before i go out.

i try to get involved in other things when the opportunity arises, like the knoll park challenge (working with kids in a muddy wood in neath, building rides and activities). a couple of years ago i led a project to renovate a part of morriston primary school, it covered everything from recruiting volunteers designing the new area, getting input from the kids and staff, raising the money, getting materials (mostly via donations from local businesses), publicising the whole thing, doing the actual work and hiring tradesmen to do the bits we couldn't do. it was good fun and it was really cool to see it all take shape.

[DirtyMartini]

circus eruption? isn't that what the bearded lady takes the antibiotic for after she gets a little too friendly with the strong man?

[OzzyKP]

Is NYRA actually a charity?

Yup.

All donations are tax-deductible.