Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Thanksgiving continued...

On the related note…of charity and end-of-year gift giving:

Despite the hard times, many have a desire to continue their charitable efforts. In addition to the Neglected Tropical Diseases initiative, there are some other ways of stretching your charitable dollars.

The NYTimes Giving section and the related Ensuring That Gifts Go Where They’re Needed have tips in an article with a global perspective, as well as local needs. While not the most highly ranked, I still like Heifer's animal kits and Grameen because they are programs intended to be self-sustaining for the beneficiary. Another favorite is Kiva, which provides microcredit loans worldwide. For immediate direct help to others, my top picks include Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest), Mazon, and the longstanding International Rescue Committee, which focuses on refugees.

For further information, check out Charity Navigator, which has extensive listings and ratings of charities. Another terrific source of info is Daniel Borochoff’s
American Institute of Philanthropy, with recommendations for a myriad of diverse interests.

With that, I’ll close with a reminder from one of my favorite books—remember,
"It Could Always be Worse."

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a better New Year.


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