[public] Charities

[foreverdirt]

Happy new year, everyone! May your 2009 be filled with joy, love and robots.

One of my less silly new year's resolutions is to remember that it's better to light a candle than to curse not being Edison.

In that spirit, I would love it if people were to recommend their favourite charities.

Please note: This post is (currently) public.

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Comments

[vitriol_]

Health Unlimited is my charity of choice; it's like Medecins Sans Frontieres but UK-based and with more of an emphasis on long-term aid (building hospitals, training nurses, etc, rather than curing diseases directly).

Mencap is another I support, helping provide lifetime care and support for the mentally handicapped. Working with them is simultaneously one of the most depressing and uplifting experiences I've had.

Heifer International isn't really one I can vouch for personally; I've never volunteered for them, and only found out about them from watching the West Wing. On the other hand, it's again pump-primer aid for developing nations (mostly buying things like sheep and chickens from farmers in developing areas to give to other people in similarly developing areas, supporting both the seller and the person being donated to). On the downside, donating to them does result in them flooding you with spam, both via Email and post. On the plus side, it's somehow much more satisfying to look through a list of animals to donate and pick one than just to donate an equivalent amount of money. I think it's an approach more charities would do well to emulate.

[foreverdirt]

Wow -- these look wonderful; well worth exploring further. Thanks so much.

I agree there's something very captivating about Heifer International. It sounds a lot like the same thing that's appealing about Kiva and similar microfinancing charities -- you really get to feel like you're doing something.