Products |
Holidays 2006: The Charity Piece
By
Published: Jan 01, 2006
Category:
Beyond Classification
Holidays 2006: The Charity Piece
It is a holiday tradition on this young site to remember what we are really celebrating this season — and to honor our faith by reaching out to those who could use some help.
Last year, in addition to our personal giving, the HeadButler.com community adopted a hurting family in St. Louis. As some of you will recall, a 67-year-old woman was supporting her five grandchildren — the kids’ mother, presumably on drugs, was unable to take care of them herself — on her $750 Social Security check. And then, just before Christmas, the grandmother had a stroke and was hospitalized.
Through your generosity and trust — this was direct, person-to-person charity, and none of you knew the people involved — each kid got clothes and toys. The grandmother got a coat and gloves. For the family: a Dell computer with software loaded for productivity, plus some interactive games for the kids. And a printer. And a vacuum cleaner, a set of cookware and bakeware. And, so the family could have a holiday dinner, canned hams, vegetables and fixings — plus a $100 gift certificate to a grocery store for future purchases.
This year, I thought I’d ask you to suggest your favorite causes. And, because I own the printing press here, I thought I’d propose a charity. Heck, because it’s my site, I’ll go first.
Here goes.
The other day, I read about Mohammed Halim, a 46-year-old teacher in Afghanistan. With the Taliban in control, teaching is not a good job. For Halim, it was much worse — he taught girls.
To show everyone that girls are not to be educated, gunmen dragged Halim out of his home and, in front of his wife and children, partially disemboweled him. Then they tied his arms and legs to two motorcycles and drove off, shredding his body.
I am the father of a little girl who is being interviewed at a number of the best private schools in New York City. She’ll get into one of them; soon, she’ll be preparing to have a meaningful, satisfying life. And if anyone tells her that girls aren’t to be educated, she’ll laugh.
Reading about Mohammed Halim, I thought about the family he left behind. And about other families in Iraq. How different their lives are from ours! My daughter wakes up every day in an apartment with running water and electricity. Her mother can go to the market without being blown up. No one’s bombing her school, or killing her teachers in front of her.
Whether we believe it or not, the magnitude of what is going wrong and Iraq casts a long shadow over our lives. Yes, I know a lot of it is nothing you and I did. But I’m not talking politics. I’m talking about murder, rape and torture. I’m talking about the survivors of male violence, and what they do next.
For some years, my wife has been sending $27 a month to Women for Women International. This money goes to a woman in a post-conflict zone, who uses it to take care of her family and build some small enterprise. And then, as she becomes self-sustaining, she repays the money.
This remarkable program is the creation of Zainab Salbi. I have written about her book, Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam. It’s a chilling story: Her father was Saddam’s pilot, she was clever and beautiful, the Husseins took an “interest” in her. Her mother arranged a marriage with an Iraqi living in America; this protector turned out to be her abuser. And then she became an activist.
I am a veteran of the ’60s. I saw civil rights demonstrations. I participated in anti-war protests. I have seen people on fire for justice and decency — I have never met anyone as convincing, sensible and effective as Zainab Salbi.
So, this Christmas, our kid is getting “just enough.” Friends and family will get tokens. The money we save is going to Women for Women International. Not just because this program turns blind hope into empowered reality for women who have nothing. It’s also for us. We can’t go on, day after day, feeling ashamed of what we have. We need to be part of the solution. Well, here’s one way.
Others had different ideas.
Nina writes: DonorsChoose.org is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this web site,
teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when
concerned individuals, whom we call Citizen Philanthropists, choose projects to fund. Proposals range from "Magical Math Centers" ($200) to "Big Book Bonanza" ($320), to "Cooking Across the Curriculum" ($1,100). In completing a project, donors receive a feedback package of student photos and thank-you notes, a teacher impact letter, and an expenditure report showing that their tax-deductible gift was spent as directed.
Bron was one of several readers who suggested The Heifer Project.
She writes: An absolutely outstanding organization, they put into practice the dictum "Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life." I teach kindergarten in an upscale private school, and 3 other teachers and I agreed to stop giving silly little gifts about 10 years ago. Instead, we club together and give a goat or a sheep every year. Makes SO much more sense
Alex spoke up for Planned Parenthood.
He writes: There is a local Planned Parenthood in every town, county or state. They provide the services and education. The national PP is the Planned Parenthood Federation of America; they do the lobbying in DC, argue cases in the Supreme Court (a full time job) and provide services to the local affiliates.
Marjorie commends Results.org and GrameenFoundation.org.
She writes: RESULTS has a fabulous, extensive website. Just named by Fast Magazine as one of the true trailblazing organizations. Founded in 1980 by then percussionist with the Miami Symphony-songwriter-substitute teacher Sam Daley-Harris, RESULTS was created to empower citizens to speak truth to power so as to generate the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty globally. In the 90’s RESULTS reorganized into Global and Domestic groups.
Kathleen alerts you to Second Harvest.
She writes: What has impressed me most is Second Harvest’s ability to create programs that recover and distribute food that would otherwise go to waste. I like to think of Second Harvest as an "occasion of grace" for food producers and marketers, making it possible — and even easy — for these companies to donate leftover and excess product that was once thrown away. And then there’s Kids Cafe, started by Second Harvest in ’93. And Community Kitchen, which provides culinary job training to low-income individuals while feeding the hungry.
And Linda Sue proposes that animal lovers give to Best Friends.
All worthy causes will tell you the same thing: Whatever you give will be appreciated. What they won’t tell you is just as important: No one benefits more from charity than the donor. Try it. If I’m wrong, all you did is help someone in need.
