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I work with a seniors group that knits hat, scarves and mitts for the homeless. My job is to run around picking up donated yarn and blankets. Some of the men then distribute the items to the homeless on the street at night during the winter. I used to be a baby cuddler in the icu on the premie ward but it was really hard as it was mostly crack babies. Used to break my heart. We also donate school supplies, food and books through programs at my daughter's school.

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If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished.

<-- is glad everyone doesn't think the same as Dave.

My family has a sponsor child, a little girl. We send her things and letters monthly.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

well presumably someone gets your exhaled oxygen once you're done with it

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I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions

No one gets anything from me.

Gold coin muftis at school..

Im not a very good person

I give all my change to the salvo guys when they walk through the pub.

-- Gomer

i would volunteer my time at local centers doing various things.

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

Each christmas ever since my first job in the early 90's I have given a few charity gifts (you know pick a card off the tree and buy/wrap the gift)

I buy my christmas cards so that the money goes to charity. I make an additional donation at the same time.

I donate to certain charities through out the year. Ones I have chosen that have affiliations with vision or sight or training guide dogs. Due to the circumstances of my birth I am very lucky have my vision. I am aware others are not so fortunate and need ongoing assistance so they can remain independent.

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Lately though, the most important thing I've been doing is taking care of a girl my daughter Emma is friends with who never has enough to eat and a decent pair of shoes on her feet.

That's sad LCJ Good on you and good luck to you for helping her

I produce press materials for charity campaigns. I don't donate or volunteer - I'm not allowed to as I am currently a benefit claimant.

I also organise online campaigns for charity, last year I assisted with the Tsunami campaigns, this year it's been the SEAsia earthquake appeal. In the new year, we're going to be raising money for the air ambulance, as a few friends have been picked up in it now.

I also work to raise awareness of Equal Opportunities throughout my everyday life, especially Equal Opportunities for people with disabilities.

Last edited by tiny_clanger at 07-Dec-2005 18:46

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I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions

I used to be a baby cuddler in the icu on the premie ward but it was really hard as it was mostly crack babies.

That was always the hardest part. I had two premature children and both times I visited a NICU daily my children seemed to be the only normal ones in there. Most others were fetal alcohol syndrome or drug babies. Just sad

Empty chairs at empty tables, the room silent, forlorn.

Well, its getting closer to the silly season and I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by all the, er, stuff. There is so much stuff! Everywhere!

In a way its scary to see people scurrying around shopping and not really thinking of anything other than if those beachtowels will still be available and if the new mp3 player comes with batteries.
Don't get me wrong, i'm a good little consumer and I'm planning on getting myself a few things this season too I just get a bit overwhelmed by how massive the consumer drive is.


Anyway, I was wondering what everyone here does that IS NOT for themselves. Does anyone sponsor a child? or an animal? Anyone donate to charities? Anyone help out the disabled or work shifts in the local soup kitchen?
This is not limited to the silly season, this is all year round. C'mon, fess up you do-gooders, you!


Yesterday I volunteered to laminate 800 wallet cards for a charity I'm involved with. I'm not really looking forward to it in this heat, but it has got to be done. Small things, but altogether big results


For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I'm a volunteer EMT. I also donate when I can to the closest animal shelter.

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

I help out at my daughter Emma's school one day a week for their reading program. I give to the cancer foundation every year in memory of my dad and have been known to buy chocolate bars for school sport teams every time I see one I buy Girl Guide Cookies from my neighbour's kids even though they are way too expensive and don't even taste good anymore. I buy the balloons and angels at the grocery store like Koi said she does, and frequently "round up" my grocery total for whatever charity the store is giving to at the time. I try to drop food items in the food bank boxes every time I go shopping. Lately though, the most important thing I've been doing is taking care of a girl my daughter Emma is friends with who never has enough to eat and a decent pair of shoes on her feet.

I believe charity works and you honestly don't have to have gobs of money to give something back. I know I don't do a lot, but it makes me feel good about at least doing 'something', especially during holiday seasons.

L.

This is where I get in trouble. How do you say no? Now if any of you have figured it out please let me know. I'm a room mother, a school volunteer (this is the huge time sinker a lot going on there 200+ volunteer hours logged since September), a member of action, I am on three comittees and head one at the children's school, I am a radical reader, a super scientist, and an art angel, I am responsible for the 5th grade garden, I go monthly with the local boy scout troop to help chaperone the campout, I often take kids to and from practices and games for school sports when their parents can't because of work, I buy tickets to fundraisers like the one for a little girl here locally dying of an agressive cancer: http://www.prayforjoanna.org/, The few pay for clubs I am a member of I do to support their cause like the American Livebearer Association, Fish Profiles here, etc/. If I see the balloon at the grocery store for make a wish I pay the dollar, when I see the firefighter's boots out I put money in. I was at Sam's club the other day and yep there was the Salvation Army kettle. I help out with a few websites, and basically just do what I can where I can.

Empty chairs at empty tables, the room silent, forlorn.

I pretty much gave up contributing to the wwf in the early 90's after reading just how much money had been spent on sending charity to india, (tens of millions) to save tigers. It turned out that the government had leeched off most of the money and that the save the tiger campaign in one park several hundred miles across equated to 4 blokes, a van ,and a rifle. Given local indian monetary depreciation, that must have cost the government all of about 10 bucks.

I tend to donate money to my local animal charities now -where I can see the money being spent wisely.I donate my time to animal rescue as and when needed throughout the year. Spent several days getting birds clear of oil from spills , even helped a stranded minky whale once.

Sometimes giving up your time and helping on a personal level is much better than just throwing cash at a problem. In single a day you can do something worth so much more than just a 10 dollar donation. You get something out of it too, not everyone is suited to witnessing the problems of poverty, injury and disease, and some find it difficult to deal with, but when you ask people if theyd take the experience back, most wouldnt.

There can be something very enlightening about helping in person at a real level rather than dealing with the problem in absentia or in abstract.

But by all means make a contribution , in whatever form you choose. A monetary contribution is no less valid in intent, and charities certainly do need money.

(Ps this is a time of year when con men, fake charities, and internet scams take millions of dollars from unsuspecting people. Go out and actively make your donation to an intended charity, rather than waiting to be approached if you want to be sure. Most charities are legally registered , so always make sure of this before contributing.)

Last edited by longhairedgit at 07-Dec-2005 04:40

My fun thing is to help run a drop-in centre for inner city (aka low SES) kids with other medical students.

Basically means, I give piggybacks (and shoulderbacks?) and fling kids down a hill in sleds every tuesday (and sometimes thursday).

I contribute to the various charitable things that medical students seem to do (it seems we have a reputation to uphold?).
As a class we sponsor a child, create a christmas hamper for a family, run a "coats for kids" kind of deal... and more things I can't think of.

I give money and volunteer at the local Salvos store, I also have been volunteering at a school library for over a year now. I also am on the WWF action network and give what I can there as well

The company I work for has a foundation that this time of year we're quite pressured to give to. I don't sign up for a weekend donation from my paycheck, just a one time amount.

We also are involved in breast cancer and prostate cancer month, I give at those times.

And being a grocery store, during the cold months baskets are set near both entrances for people to donate non-perishable. I try to remember to pick up a little something to drop in when I shop.

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean