Well, blog peeps, the days until Christmas are dwindling, so I thought it would be a good time to talk about some causes that the hubs and I have been fortunate to donate to during this season of giving.
We are by no means big spenders when it comes to donating money, so please don’t count this post as us patting ourselves on the back. All we like to do is send over a few dollars here and there to some organizations we believe in.
I have to give props to the hubs for starting this little tradition. We got married on January 2, 2010, which was still very close to the holiday season. When we were on the plane heading towards our honeymoon destination, a flight attendant made an announcement that she would be accepting UNICEF donations. Being a very, very new newlywed (and suddenly struck by the fact that I all of a sudden shared money with someone), I looked at the hubs questioningly and asked if it was okay if I gave a few dollars to the flight attendant. He smiled and said, “Absolutely. Give her as much as you want.”
Since then, we’ve tried to reflect on various causes and organizations that we believe in each year. We don’t give to the same places every year, but here are ours for 2012 below.
11th Hour Rescue/Pilots N Paws
It’s no secret that the hubs and I are major, major dog people. We rescued our sweet little dog, Julep, which is why we’re happy to support 11th Hour Rescue. This is an organization that saves dogs that have just a few hours left to live before being gassed at a shelter. They partner with the other organization we’re fond of, Pilots N Paws, which is a group of pilots that donate their small planes and their time to transport these rescued pets from the shelters to their new foster homes.
The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts
The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts is a public boarding school for academically gifted sophomores, juniors, and seniors. It is a state run school that is often affected by budget cuts. This is not your typical “boarding school.” Many might hear that phrase and think it’s only for wealthy families. However, tuition at this school is completely free to those who are accepted after a rigorous admissions process. It’s pretty awesome, which is why I’m very devoted to supporting it. (I also happen to be an alumni. ;))
DonorsChoose.org
DonorsChoose.org is a great website that I learned about from a fellow blogger. It’s a place where teachers can go and list materials that they need for their classrooms. You can search by discipline so if you are a science person, you can give money to help a teacher buy lab coats, etc. I searched their database by looking for projects that were almost completely funded but not quite there yet. I thought it would be fun to give a teacher that final little amount to make something nice happen in their classroom. I found a teacher who was looking to buy ink cartridges to print out her 2nd graders’ writing assignments and hang them around the classroom. She said that her school used to supply ink cartridges but that they recently got cut due to budget restraints. Being an avid writer, I wanted those kiddos to see their writing projects on paper. $21 dollars later, her goal was completely funded, and I was feeling good about helping little writers all the way in Wisconsin.
What are some causes that you like to donate to around the holidays?
At the holidays, we sponsor families through both of our workplaces and through one of the gyms we belong to. Sometimes it’s just donating money for a Christmas dinner, other times it’s going out and buying gifts for the kids. But it’s a nice thing that we take part in every Christmas.
I would really like to volunteer at a food kitchen. I need to get on that!
I like donors choose. I’ve used that before. This time of year I give to organizations involving children, Overall since I’ve had two close people in my life battle colon cancer (one died), I always try to give there, and would love to start my own organization one day-or have a fundraiser type thing.
What a great tradition! I love Heifer; we’ve been using them in our family for years and years.
A very nice use of your money! We actually give a pretty nice sum of money to my very elderly Grandma who is on a pretty tight income.