Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Bobster]

I was recently somewhat amused and a little bit astounded by a recent thread where posters here at the Cafe were offering to send money to someone's private account and being told it would go towards helping to keep a dog shelter open. I'm sure it's all legitimate, and the people involved are sincere in their desire to help animals ... however, one of the dangers of the internet lies in trying to ascertain whether people who ask for money are really going to use it for the purposes they claim.

Send money to a private individual's account? Um, okay ...

Me, I can't help but think of the many very worthy groups that are doing good work to make the world better. Here are five I'd suggest giving to before sending hard-earned cabbage in the direction of a semi-anonymous website claimed to run run by teachers and former teachers.

What are YOUR favorite causes? Do you donate to charity? Which ones?

The Red Cross and Red Crescent. Upholds humanitarian values, provides support and aid for disaster response, disaster preparedness, and health activities. They are among the rare and useful types who, unlike the rest of us, run toward danger rather than away. As the psa ads say, when yolu're in trouble in some disaster or other, look around. The Red Cross is there.

Amnesty International. Working to protect Human rights worldwide. We've all heard of these folks. At the moment, monks are being offed in Myranmar and their bodies thrown into rivers. Amnesty speaks for them. 'Nuff said.

Diabetes. That one took a decade and a half to take my mom away, very painfully by the look of it ... my brother just recently got told he's in the early stages. There's a lot of science happening that could eventually make this as much of an historical artifact as TB and smallpox. Let's make it happen sooner.

Heart Disease. My dad was luckier than my mom, though she lived longer: two heart attacks and then The Big One. If we'd known more about it at the time ... part of the reason we do now is because of groups like this.

Leukemia. My good buddy Doug got knocked down real good by that one when we were in 8th grade ... I'm not such a bad guy, but I remember thinking he likely deserved a better dude than myself as a friend for his short time on the planet.

Well, there's 5 to start with. Got any more?

Won't be TOO surprised if this thread falls down to page two in a day or so, but I hope some people make a few more suggestions in the meantime. Thanks.

[Young FRANKenstein]

Planned Parenthood.

There's one place that I supportthat does a "Pledge-a-Picket" every year. You pledge per protester they get during that month. The more they get picketed, the more money they get. Pretty unique idea, and I hear the picketers get riled when they see the money thermometer rising as they keep showing up.

Alzheimer's Assoc.

I haven't donated to this yet, but since my grams just passed from it, I will next year during donation time. It's a horrible, ugly, lonely way to die.

Multiple Sclerosis.

A good friend at uni was taken down by it within 3 months of diagnosis, and another good high school friend was able to hang on for about 10 years, but again, not pretty.

[The Bobster]

Thanks, YF.

Donate here.

Planned Parenthood.

Alzheimer's Association

Multiple Sclerosis.

These web addresses are likely to connect to American branches, but if you're interested in UK, Canada or elsewhere they can be easily found, I think.

[quercus]

my two cents, kiva is a new one i like to donate too because you can keep redonating your money. if you are paid back. the others are smaller and i always like to support those supporting organic farmers.

www.kiva.org - a consortium of microfinance opportunities. actually you just lend your money, but if you never take it out, you can just keep giving. you choose who you want it to go to also. check it out.

www.earthfirst.org

www.earthisland.org

www.theborneoproject.org

www.bioneers.org


ORGANICS:

www.organicconsumers.org - promoting organic agriculture and watching the USDA

www.newfarm.org - rodale institute research organization

www.attra.org - appropriate technology transfer to rural areas

[The Bobster]

Forgot about this thread, and sorry about the bump, but it was on my mind because it's the time of year I generally make a contribution to something.

quercus, thanks for the links, and I agree with all of them except earthfirst, because I don't agree with monkeywrenching and I don't consider it to be a valid form of civil disobedience. It is violence in pursuit of political goals, and therefore just another form of terrorism.

Can't believe we forgot a couple of the biggies ...

HIV / AIDS. Here's a list of what looks like hundreds of groups involved in immunodefficiency mitigation and research. Close your eyes, spine the wheel, throw a dart and open your wallet/

Global Warming / Climate Change Until there's a worldwide carbon tax system in place, it's going to up to the rest of us to save the planet. It might not be for you, but maybe for the kids you teach, or the kids they will have some day ...

[Boodleheimer]

can we get some animal ones? (for us demophobes)

nothing too extreme, though... how about

SPCA / RSPCA / ASPCA
&
WWF

[Young FRANKenstein]

[The Bobster]

[Don Gately]

Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

National Parkinson Foundation

Americans, write your congressperson. Tell them that embryonic stem cell research should be federally funded.

Americans, don't support Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson, or any other presidential candidate that panders to religious fundamentalism at the expense of medical scientific advancement.

Someone else can have the soapbox now. Good idea, Bobster.

[kermo]

Kiva.org sounds like a great site. I love the idea of micro-loans but never realized I could get involved so easily.

I'm going to keep an eye out for the chance to support women in countries where their economic opportunities are limited.

Here are some links to more micro-loan opportunities:
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001484.php

[quercus]

www.kiva.org really is a great site. i loaned to about 8 places last week. its great. you get your account, filter through the people who are asking for loans and choose the ones you like. they are doing a great job and less than 1% have defaulted on loans, and those who have defaulted usually have decent excuses, just check the defaulted profiles. when you are repaid you can loan again or get your money back.

one note- if you are looking for a particular area of the world or type of person, like a chicken farmer in uganda for examply (who i just loaned to) but on the day you are looking they only have street corner shop vendors from nicaragua and azerbaijan, just wait a day or two and the people will change. kiva works with a bunch of different microloan foundations, so lately they have had people from one foundation up at a time.

loan away!

[The Bobster]

This thread's gone fallow too long, time to breathe some life into it ...

freerice.com

It's a vocabulary quiz game and every time you a right answer from choosing among three alternatives for the meaning of a word, 10 grains of rice go to the UN World Food Program. It gets harder as you go along, and you can sign in so it'll keep track of your running tally. I've recommended it to some of my more advanced students. Gotta figure, even if you really suck bigtime, you're gonna average 30 or 40% or so, and a coupla hundred or clicks'll add up to a bowl or so for somebody somewhere.

And it don't cost you a dime. Each page has a sponsor with a banner ad at the bottom who have pledged to donate according to how many right answers get clkicked. I think I average in high 90s - not bragging, I'm an English teacher, whaddaya expect - and it looks like I've hooked someone somewhere up with about 12,000 grains of rice in the last month or so of just stopping by occasionally.

What the hey, lotta people play solitaire or Tetris at the office when no one's looking - at least this way, someone gets to eat.