50 Ways in 50 Days: Puppies!

You know what today is a good day for? Giving to Smile Train.

But it’s also a good day to….adopt a puppy! (Idea #15) If you’re considering getting a dog, visit your local animal shelter, or use the Humane Society to find a shelter in your area. (If you’re not considering getting a dog, you should really consider it.)

If you do want to adopt a certain breed, contact a local animal shelter to get references for responsible breeders or rescue organizations in your area that specialize in your breed of choice. Responsible breeders take good care of their dogs and work to ensure that their puppies are healthy and well-nourished. Puppy mills, though, are large-scale, commercial breeding operations that often provide poor nutrition and veterinary care to their dogs. They may house too many dogs in a small space and not allow mothers sufficient recovery time before breeding again. Support local shelters and responsible breeders that don’t put profit over dog’s well-being.

(Still not sure you want to adopt a dog? Think again!)

50 Ways in 50 Days: What else ya got?

Before we get to it, I just want to say thanks: we’ve collected $475 already for Smile Train. That’s almost two life-changing surgeries for children withs clefts! We still have a little over $2000 to go to meet the goal of reaching 10 children, so if you haven’t given yet, please do.

Okay, now for a few more ideas about donating:

Idea #12: Make a…really long-term plan. Have you ever considered including a charitable organization in your estate planning? Many organizations will take almost whatever gifts they can get — life insurance, stocks, real estate. You can set up a charitable gift annuity. You can include a bequest provision in your will. There are tons of different giving mechanisms, and some of them can save you big on your taxes. To get the ball rolling, you will need the organization’s federal tax identification number. Check with the organization to make sure they can accept whatever kind of gift you plan to give — some charities may not have the resources to manage them, so ask to talk to a planned giving officer. Then go talk to your financial advisor and, if applicable, your estate attorney. (I know a great one. She’s one of my favorite people ever.)

Idea #13: You can also donate your car and write it off as a tax deducation as well. The good people over at Charity Navigator have a handy guide, if you are so inclined. Just make sure you give it to a (financially healthy, effective) charity directly, rather than through a for-profit car-donation agency that may pocket a big chunk of the value of your donation.

Idea #14: As long as you’re clearing out your car, you may as well clean out your closet, too (you’re probably going to be getting new sweaters for Christmas anyway, right?). Be sure to do some research before you drop off your clothes, books, or furniture to a charity, though. First of all, if it’s broken, unsafe, or unusable, just throw it away. Also, it may be more helpful to the charity if you just sell the items yourself, and donate the proceeds. You can sell online through Ebay, Amazon, and Craigslist, or you could host a yardsale and have your buyers come to you (Craigslist is good for advertising yardsales, too).

If you’re trying to get rid of stuff quick, though, and want to donate directly to an organization, make sure that they accept the sort of in-kind donations you have. Some may only accept men’s clothing and not women’s, for example. Some may have limited space and only accept items that are in-season. Finding out who needs what you’ve got will ensure that your donation is best utilized.

50 Ways in 50 Days: Put your money where your mouth is

Now that you’ve had a nice long time to write some letters to folks in nursing homes, we’re going to catch up a bit on these fifty ideas. And today we’re talking about $$.

Idea #9: Remember on day #5 when you thought about that organization you really support? Well, if you’re volunteering there regularly, maybe you should consider supporting them with your money, in addition to your time. 

Before you give, make sure your money goes where it will do the most good. Websites like Charity Navigator analyze non-profits’ informational tax returns and score them based on financial health, accountability and transparency, so you can ensure that most of your donation is going to program expenses, rather than fundraising or administrative costs. The Better Business Bureau also rates charities based on its 20 Standards of Charity Accountability. Or you can contact an organization directly to request a copy of their returns, financial statements, proof of 501(c)(3) statues, and executives’ salaries — many charities post them directly on their websites. You should also look into how the charity measures the results of its work — sometimes this is not easily quantifiable, but you want to donate to healthy charities that are making progress toward their mission and are doing effective work. If a certain charity is in financial trouble, is reluctant to provide financial information, or can’t prove that its work is having an impact, that’s a red flag. Take your donation somewhere else.

(In case you were wondering, Smile Train hasn’t been evaluated by Charity Navigator, but it is BBB accredited, meeting all 20 Standards of Charity Accountability.)

This is a reason that I don’t give to charities I’m unfamiliar with, even if it’s just adding a dollar to my grocery bill to donate. And don’t feel pressured into giving, especially during an emergency or if a fundraiser calls asking for donations, if you don’t know anything about the organization. Stick with the charities you trust. Doing some research takes a little extra time, but you’ll know that your money is having the biggest impact.

Also, as part of planning your giving, check with your employer to see if they have any kind of matching funds available. Some companies will match employees’ gifts to certain charities, so it’s definitely worth checking into. Your money could go twice as far!

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Idea #10: Now that you’ve done your research, it’s time to cough up the dough. But it’s going to a certifiably good cause, so you should feel good about it! Just like you build volunteering into your schedule, build your donations into your budget. Lots of charities get extra donations around the holidays or after disasters, but these organizations need funding year round. So if you’ve committed to supporting a charity, consider making a monthly donation — lots of charities accept donations directly through their websites, and you can usually set up a recurring monthly withdrawl. That way, you won’t have to think about donating all the time, and your charity of choice will have a more steady income stream. 

But it also means you’re making a commitment. By plugging your giving into your regular family budget, you are making taking care of those in need a priority. 

Bonus: every time your donation is deducted from your bank account, an angel does a little somersault of joy!*

*Somersault unconfirmed.

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Idea #11: Okay, now give a little more. If you’ve budgeted your giving at a comfortable level for your family…now try making it a little uncomfortable. Maybe it means cutting out a meal at a restaurant on the weekends and digging in to leftovers. Maybe it means putting off making a big purchase for a few more months. Maybe, at Christmas, it means not buying a few gifts on your list — and if you have kiddos, this is another good time to sit down and have a family conversation about your priorities for the holiday budget, needs and wants, and what it means to give to those who are struggling. I’m not saying you should deny yourself all comfort — but you should deny yourself some comforts. C.S. Lewis says it best:

 

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give [to others and to charity]. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditures on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them.” – C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

 

50 Ways in 50 Days: Show a senior some love

Idea #8: Reach out to those living in nursing homes. The holidays can be an especially lonely time for residents who don’t have family nearby or who don’t get many visitors. Consider contacting local nursing homes to see if there are opportunities for you to visit residents. Your faith community or local senior center may also have more information about visiting.

You can also become a year-round pen pal for an elderly or disabled nursing home resident through this Bridge of Hope Foundation program. Pen pals commit to writing at least two letters a month to a resident. Or you might want to volunteer with Meals on Wheels, delivering meals to elderly individuals at risk for going hungry. The Salvation Army’s Angel Giving Tree often features seniors, as well as children, that you can “adopt” for the holidays by buying presents from their wish lists.

And, of course, if you have a loved one living in nursing home, make a point to go visit, give them a call, and send a card!

50 Ways in 50 Days: Blood and Guts

Today you get a two-fer, since I missed yesterday’s post:

Idea #6: Give blood. One blood donation can save up to three lives.

If you are at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 lbs., and are in good health, you may be eligible to donate blood. You can donate whole blood, platelets, plasma, or double red cells, so do some research to decide which option works best for you. Visit http://www.redcrossblood.org to find out more about donor eligibility and locate a blood drive or donation center near you. You can also find information about hosting a blood drive at your school, office, or place of worship.

Idea #7: As long as you’re donating blood, check the back of your driver’s license to make sure you are an organ and tissue donor. If not, visit http://www.organdonor.gov for more information about organ and tissue donation and to find out how to sign up in your state’s donor registry. You may also need to contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to find out about how to designate your decision to be a donor on your driver’s license and request a new license, if necessary. Also, be sure to discuss your wishes with your family, friends, doctors, and faith leaders so they understand your decision. More than 116,000 people are waiting for organ donations, and one donor can save up to eight different people’s lives.

50 Ways in 50 Days: Make a Plan

Woot! Y’all have raised $375 already — enough to cover one and a half surgeries for kiddos with clefts. Keep it coming!

Idea #5: Build volunteering into your schedule. A lot of people wish they spent more time volunteering for causes they believe in, but without planning ahead, many people (myself included) put it off.

First of all, think about what you care most about and research organizations near you that are active in that area. Instead of signing up for occassional, one-off service opportunities, commit to volunteering regularly at one organization that you support. Contact a volunteer coordinator or attend an orientation so you know exactly what is expected of volunteers. Committing to one organization gets you more involved, reduces the time that staffers need to train new people, and provides a reliable stream of volunteers that the organization can depend on. You can find thousands of local volunteer opportunities at www.idealist.com.

Think about your skills, too. Anyone can help sort cans at a food pantry, but the organization might need other help — bookkeeping, grant writing, legal advice, etc. — that a professional accountant, editor, or lawyer could provide pro bono. Volunteering regularly at an organization and getting to know the staff will make these needs and opportunities more apparent. 

50 Ways in 50 Days: Super Cuts

Status update: Y’all are equally as awesome today as you were yesterday. We continue to be nearly 15% of the way to achieving the goal of raising $2,500 for Smile Train! Keep those donations coming. (By which I mean, if you haven’t donated, now is a good time. Just click the little button on the side of this page. So easy!)

Idea #4: Chop off all your hair. Or at least 10 inches of it. And then donate it to Locks of Love!

This organization makes wigs for low-income children and teenagers who have lost their hair due to a medical condition. Many of the children that receive wigs from Locks of Love suffer from alopecia areata, which results in total or partial hair loss and has no known cause or cure. But a hairpiece from Locks of Love can help kids regain their self-esteem.

Bonus: then you can totally rock this look.

50 Ways in 50 Days: Party

Status update: Y’all are awesome. We’re already nearly 15% of the way to achieving the goal of raising $2,500 for Smile Train! Keep those donations coming.

Idea #3: Host a holiday party and ask your guests to bring a gift for a child in need to donate to Toys for Tots. Or, you can collect canned and boxed goods to donate to a local food pantry.

Bonus: great excuse to drink these.

50 Ways in 50 Days: Make a Child Smile

It’s day two of this Christmas countdown extravaganza, and today is the kick-off an initiative that will last through December 25. We are going to make 10 kids smile.

And I’m not talking about buying more presents for your little ones. Every year, thousands of children are born with cleft lips or palates. A simple surgery can repair the cleft, but many families are still unable to afford it. Children with unrepaired clefts are often unable to eat or speak properly and suffer shame and isolation. That’s where Smile Train comes in. Since 1999, this organization has provided free cleft lip and palate surgery to children from poor families in the developing world. Smile Train has provided more than 750,000 cleft surgeries to children in 87 countries, giving these children a new smile and a new chance to live a full, happy, and productive life.

The surgeries take as little as 45 minutes and cost as little as $250. To reach the goal of giving 10 children a new smile, we need to raise $2,500. Your donation can change a child’s life forever — please give generously!

Ask your friends to pitch in. Ask your family. Consider dedicating a donation to a loved one in lieu of buying them a present (do you even remember all the presents you got last year?). If you do have little ones, teach them about giving by involving them in the decision to donate. Post it on Facebook, Tweet it, and help spread the word. And of course, check out the fancy donation tracker widget on the sidebar that has tested the limits of my tech-savviness.

50 Ways in 50 Days: Vote!

Did you know there are only 50 more days until Christmas?! I did. That is how much I love Christmas.

I love Christmas so much I started putting lights up last weekend. I started listening to Christmas music before Halloween. My kitchen has been home to multiple boxes of candy canes for months. (Actually, those are all my roommate’s candy canes. My roommate loves Christmas about as much as I do. We have already had a conversation about how we are going to manage to hang lights around the front door without a plug nearby.)

But I don’t think Christmas is just an excuse to put up pretty lights and eat candy canes. I believe it’s a celebration of a love that changes the world.

So this year, I’m going to share one thing you can do, each day for the 50 days until Christmas, to make the world a little better. Fifty ways in fifty days.

And, of course, the first thing is: Vote! 

As (I really, really hope) you knew before now, today is election day. So go vote. Quick, before the polls close! If you don’t know where your polling place is, just click the Google doodle for today. (Also, if you still don’t know where your polling place is on Election Day….you should really take your civic duty more seriously.)

And be sure to pay attention down-ticket. There are millions fewer people voting for your local city council members than there are voting for President. Local elections may not be the top story on CNN, but they have a big impact on your community, so make your vote count.