If you had 5k to give away where would you give it?

[hillview]

This is just hypothetical as I don't have 5k to give away.

I am thinking a local place that counsels family and helps foster children (also where I was adopted from) is a high contender.
/hillary

[OKKiddo]

This is just hypothetical as I don't have 5k to give away.

I am thinking a local place that counsels family and helps foster children (also where I was adopted from) is a high contender.
/hillary

Habitat for Humanity

Harvester's Food Charity

CASA Volunteers type charity

And a big YOU ROCK for giving!!!

[BabyMine]

$1000

The private school that my son goes to. The school is for children with AD/HD, dyslexia, anxiety, and/or other learning disabilities.

$4000

To my mom who is having financial and medical problems.

[katydid1971]

Shriner's Hospitals. They use to be well funded by the SHriners but now that the Shrine organization is pretty much died (I mean literally--it was the World War 2 generation that was really into it) they are closing some hospitals and not helping as many children as it once did. I haven't needed it for myself or family but have had several friends who had orthopedic surgeries there and a family friend who's child was treated at one of their burn hospitals. My grandfather was a Shriner and both he and my grandmother did a lot of volunteering and fundraising for the hospital. I have a special place in my heart for the Shriner's Hospital because of them.

[vludmilla]

My local food pantry.

[hellokitty]

My local food pantry.

:yeahthat: Our area has been hit particularly hard with the bad economy. Food pantries cannot keep enough food on their shelves.

[crayonblue]

I think I might divide it three ways:

1) Mi Refugio- the school in Guatemala that buses the kids who live in the city dump to school every day. They get an education and meals and health services.

2) NTSAD- Tay Sachs foundation. I would donate specifically for families to attend the annual Tay Sachs conference. I will always treasure meeting other kids with Tay Sachs.

3) My church- it is in desperate need of some general maintenance. Like water pours in when it rains. Thank goodness it doesn't rain much in sunny Southern California! They are working on getting it fixed.

[MommyofAmaya]

Our local Children's Assessment Center which houses all services involved in child sexual abuse cases (medical services, law enforcement, therapists, CPS, trial preparation advocates, county attorneys, etc.)

[wellyes]

This year I have given to UNICEF's fund for the African famine, but sadly, that agency has been banned recently by revolutionary forces. Fervently hoping for any good news from that part of the world. http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2011/11/29/banned_aid_agencies_warn_of_disaster_in_somalia/

[ellies mom]

I'd donate it to the free health care clinic where I volunteer. They operate entirely on donations so it would really come in handy.

[tribe pride]

Oh man, this is hard. I think I would divide it between a few different organizations:

1. The Seminary I attended. I grew so much in my faith and as a person, and will be forever grateful for my time there. I am passionate about its mission to train Christian leaders in understanding the bible, in thoughtfully engaging culture, and in spreading the Gospel.

2. World Relief, Heifer International, or Compassion International. We already support a little boy through Compassion, and would love to support more if we could afford it. All of these organizations work to empower, educate, and improve the lives of people in poverty, in the name of Christ.

3. The Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity School. This center, and its leadership, are absolutely amazing. IMO, they are a prophetic voice in an evangelical culture that, sadly, is too often self-absorbed, self-righteous, and lacking in compassion. The Center calls the church (and people in general) to work toward mutual understanding, compassion, forgiveness, and love.

4. We have multiple friends who are missionaries, both in the US and in other countries, and who have to raise financial support. I'd love to be able to give them more $ and partner with them in their ministries.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Food bank.

Beth

[kijip]

We do donate and do a number of different places. However, if $5000 dropped into my lap for donation, I would give it to GIFT- The Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training. Why? Because they train and support thousands of organizations that raise money for all sorts of social change, social services and advocacy organizations. All for free or very low cost (magazine subscriptions, workshops etc). If your local food bank, shelter, church, small nonprofit is raising money well, they are doing it out of the lessons from this place even if they are unaware of the original source. They are much of the difference between places like where I work closing or growing by double digit percentages each year in a recession. That is so many more people served and so much more impact made.

http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org/

[DietCokeLover]

I would divide it up.

1. To friends of ours who are missionaries in places around the globe.

2. To the Honor Flight program that is working hard to give all living WWII veterans an opportunity to visit the memorials in DC.

3. To our church.

[mackmama]

I would give it to a family member who is having a tough time financially.

[Giantbear]

I would find a charity that helps abused children. I have been very disturbed by the rash of stories about abused children and children who have been killed by their parents.

[crl]

I am honestly not sure.

I would consider Heifer International, some organization that provides micro business loans to women in the developing world, Habitat for Humanity, some recently established scholarship funds at my law school (I generally would not give to my law school, but the dean who recently died was a truly wonderful teacher when I had him and he dedicated his life to what I consider the most important parts of practicing law--the scholarships are very tailored to his beliefs), scholarship funds at my undergraduate and the Red Cross. Choosing would be difficult.

Catherine

ETA. I forgot to mention a legal aid society where I volunteered long ago. The attorneys there worked hard for little pay and little glory. And they made a real difference in the day to day life of many individuals.

[Kindra178]

Cease Fire (It's an organization who consists of former gangbangers/ex-cons/people who are personally familiar with thuglife. They literally walk the streets to diffuse tensions between gangs at war). Their success rate is amazing in terms of lives saved.

Local food pantry. Federal government cut off significant funding to food pantries around the country and food pantries are busier than they ever have been in their history. From what I understand, donated food to food pantries is good but giving money is better because their ability to buy food is different than a regular consumer's ability to buy food.

[kijip]

From what I understand, donated food to food pantries is good but giving money is better because their ability to buy food is different than a regular consumer's ability to buy food.

Yes. $10 in their hands to buy food buys way more than what you can get with $10 at the grocery store. Diaper donations are also especially helpful, so when peope do run a drive I suggest diaper drive vs. a food drive because the diapers will be something they really need but otherwise would not have to put on the shelves.

[cvanbrunt]

Bat Conservation International
Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (formerly the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression)

[sste]

OK, a little frivolous.

I have a secret dream of a fund or charity (does this exist?) that recognizes preschool teachers for their contributions with an award and 5k toward a trip that will mostly be fun for them but also enable them to bring something they learned or were exposed to on their trip back into the classroom.

I cannot think of many people that do more work for less pay and more grief than preschool teachers.