Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with charity

How to get rid of furniture?

vincele — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:33:38 -0800

I want to get rid of my furniture and I'm trying to figure out the best way to dump the stuff that maybe helps someone else. What Philadelphia-area charity would be interested in these things? Alternatively, how does one sell or give away things like this as a unit and is doing so more trouble than it is worth? I want to get rid of my furniture. I have a bed, a sofa, a dining room table and chairs, a dresser, Ikea-nice bookcases, and things like that. I'm trying to figure out the best way to dump the stuff that maybe helps someone else.

What Philadelphia-area charity would be interested in these things? I'd like to give to a group that assists domestic violence victims, but any worthy organization would be great.

Alternatively, how does one sell or give away things like this as a unit and is doing so more trouble than it is worth?

It's important that whoever takes this stuff comes and gets it from me. I've never done anything like this before so I'm a little lost.

How do I donate to Edward Snowden?

o310362 — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:26:27 -0800

I would like to donate a few dollars to Edward Snowden, the guy who leaked the NSA scandal. I had the idea because the Gawker article about Deric Lostutter (helped break the Steubenville rape case) linked to a donation page for his legal defense fund. I did some googling but I am not sure which sites (if any) are legit. Help?

Best charity for LGBT rights

NoraReed — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 20:28:09 -0800

What is the best charity to give to in support of LGBT rights and activism? I'm in New Mexico but am open to donating to a national organization. My partner and I are planning on getting married within the next few years. We are in a man/woman relationship and would like to attempt to do something for the queer community as a part of our wedding, and we feel like the whole "give the gays the first dance" thing is kind of cliche. (Especially because our gay friends are a small enough group of people that it would force them all to be in the spotlight and a lot of them aren't the type who would enjoy that kind of thing.)

Because of this, we want to have a charity, or group of charities, to give to in lieu of wedding gifts. We want one that supports the LGBT community. We are not interested in donating to the HRC or any other organization that throws transgender people under the bus. Organizations that do more general activism, like the ACLU, are okay as long as they actually do something; we really don't want to throw money at one of those organizations that mostly exists to perpetuate itself. We're open to charities that help the LGBT community in other ways as well (like supporting LGBT kids).

Who are today's innovative, socially involved, networking Freemasons?

HopStopDon'tShop — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:40:04 -0800

Is there an international group of innovative, charitably-minded people that get together and share ideas (physically) in the way that the Freemasons, Rotary and Lions Clubs all do? But without the ceremony, pomp and irrelevance (of some of these associations). I'm looking to meet and learn with locals that are passionate about their society, successful, enthusiastic and all of that good stuff. However, the majority of the institutions that I am aware of are, frankly, a bit stodgy and very male (even if they are, at this point in time, open to everyone). I would love to join a group that is dedicated to all of the usual good stuff but is truly dynamic, not bogged down by their own history and habits and so on...

I want something really out there pushing it... Like an ongoing TED conference or something I suppose. Any suggestions?

Why are clothing donation boxes proliferating in my neighborhood?

Dr. Wu — Sat, 11 May 2013 08:26:13 -0800

I live in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and have noticed that, over the past several months, a sizable number of clothing donation boxes have appeared on sidewalks and in little disused nooks of urban space. There are three on my block alone that have sprung up, seemingly overnight, within the last couple months. What's going on? I'm referring to the big, steel boxes -- each about the size of a commercial refrigerator -- that have large levered drop-compartments to accept donations. Most of them are painted or stickered with the name(s) of the charitable organizations that are ostensibly collecting and donating the deposited items.

My question is: Why? Why so many, why at this particular moment, why in this neighborhood? Also: who is behind the placement of these boxes? There's a fair bit of infrastructure needed: the boxes themselves, trucks, cranes, workers, not to mention a system of collecting, sorting, and dealing with the donated materials. This is not just two guys and a van.

I am somewhat suspicious about the "charitable organizations" whose names are on the sides of the boxes, but I can't put my finger on why. Maybe I'm too skeptical, though...

Some data points:
- While I don't remember the names of those charitable organizations, they have struck me more than once as sounding "generic" -- along the lines of "NYC Clothing Charities," e.g.
- I noticed, just this morning, that one of the new boxes had been slapped with a sticker by some branch of the city government. The notice indicated that this particular box had to be removed within 30 days, because such boxes are not permitted on NYC sidewalks. Another small piece of evidence that these things are perhaps a little shady.
- Crown Heights is gentrifying at a pace heretofore unseen in human history. What was until very recently a predominantly middle-aged West Indian neighborhood is transforming unbelievably rapidly into a neighborhood favored by white 20- and 30-somethings. It occurs to me that perhaps this demographic shift has something to do with the proliferation of donation boxes -- the logic being that, since the young white kids turn over their wardrobes pretty often, there's an opportunity to collect and profit from their castoffs. But do donated clothes and shoes really represent a solid revenue stream?

All of this is speculative. I'd like to know more about the "system" behind these boxes, and would be grateful if you could point me to resources where I could learn more.

What are some of the fanciest charity galas out there?

perpetualstroll — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:53:12 -0800

I'm interested in learning more about high-end charity galas that are out there in the world, the kinds that cost more than $1000 USD a plate. What are the most well-known ones out there? And some of the not so well known ones?

Where can one donate to Iraqi and Afghan victims of violence?

Sleeper — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:48:36 -0800

Are there any organizations I can donate to or help with that are devoted to cleaning up the messes we made in Afghanistan and Iraq? I keep seeing news of American and allied bombings accidentally killing children and civilians, and it seems like all these require something more than just an "oopsie!" or indifferent silence. The guy in whose boat the surviving Boston bomber was found has gotten $10,000 over the past few days and keeps getting more even though he doesn't want it. There's been a massive outpouring of sympathy for the 3 dead and 100+ wounded in Boston.

I'm curious to find out how I can get involved in whatever similar efforts there are for the dozens of civilians killed and many more wounded in Afghanistan by American bullets and bombs. Yes, when American forces kill civilians it's almost always an accident, and the Taliban, Iraqi insurgents, and terrorists usually do it on purpose. But I think we're supposed to be the good guys.

An American photographer in Afghanistan talked to local Afghans about the Boston attack and they showed sympathy, sharing the pain. What can I do to send the same type of message back?

It seems like Americans have very little connection to Afghans and Iraqis. Is there some way to get an Afghan pen pal?

How can one ensure that money donated for a good cause in Iraq or Afghanistan doesn't go to the wrong place? For example, a recent airstrike on a Taliban commander killed him and six other Talibanis--but also killed 16 civilians, 12 of them children. So though I have a lot of sympathy for the fact that we just killed a bunch of civilians and kids, money going to that family would be money going to the Taliban. Yet the bombing calls for some kind of balancing positive effort on America's part.

There's comments in the opinion section of newspapers in my area of the US that say that Muslims should do more to denounce terrorism. How can we make it clearer to Afghans, Iraqis, and others who may be radicalized by the killing of civilians that we denounce the killing of civilians?

What can we say, apart from "Hey man, sorry my country wrecked your country"?

GoodCorporateCitizensFilter: Help us have fun while helping others.

Sleddog_Afterburn — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:49:26 -0800

I'm looking for a new charity/fundraising event that my whole mid-sized company can take part in and get excited about. Ideally it has an outdoor/physical component so that us cube dwellers see a bit of the day-star. The physical requirements should be low, and bonus points for a charity that is in some way related to technology/connectivity-for-all etc. I work for a company that has in the past raised money for a particular charity by having individuals and teams gather donations to take part in a stationary bike ride. It's been a success in the past, but having done it for more than 5 years, its not generating much interest any more and driving participation and raising funds has become arduous.

I'm looking for suggestions for a charity/fundraising event that gets us outside and doing something, that isn't the above. I would love it if it were a bit closer to our company ethos of 'the internet is awesome, everyone should have it to learn and do great things with'. But that's probably a pretty big ask.

I don't think we are looking to organize and execute our own fundraising event. This would probably require more time and expertise than we have. Events run by the charity itself are preferred.

We are in Toronto.

Help me find this article please

IndigoRain — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:14:15 -0800

Within the last couple of months (and I'm really leaning towards more recently than that) I read an article that said if you're asking for donations to or fundraising for a charity, a little psychological trick is to tell people they don't have to donate. This would make them more likely to actually donate. I could have sworn it was on Lifehacker, but I can't find it anywhere, not even in a general Google search. Can you find it please?

Sell, Donate, or Junk My Car?

SpiffyRob — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:12:40 -0800

I've got a '98 Subaru Legacy Outback with 138k miles that I need to get rid of. It runs, but would need a fair amount of work done to continue running for long. It is safe to drive, but I wouldn't want to take it on a long trip. Trying to determine the best option: Selling, donating, or junking. In Philadelphia. My beloved Subie has taken me through some wonderful times, but it is time to say goodbye. Per a mechanic I trust, the brakes are so bad that the pads, rotors, and calipers would likely all need to be replaced (pads and rotors for sure.) Assuming it would all need to be replaced, I'd be looking at $1000-$1500 right there. (They still work, for now. He said they probably have about a month left before they start becoming a serious safety hazard. They have started making a bunch of noise though, even when not braking.) A Subie-nut friend of mine who drove it recently also recommended getting the shocks and struts replaced sooner rather than later. Not sure what the cost of that would be, but some googling seems to suggest it could run another $1000 pretty easily.

All this, plus a move to a city where having a car really isn't needed, and borders on being a hassle, has brought me to the sad conclusion that it's time to let the old girl go.

But how?

I really don't think I've got the patience to sell it myself, so selling it would likely mean a chain. My first instinct was CarMax, but the nearest one is 1:30 away, which I wouldn't feel super comfortable driving. CarSense and WeBuyAnyCar.com are two alternatives with closer outposts, but I know nothing about them. Moreover, I wonder if I would actually get any money from them. Without the work that would need to be done, I have a hard time believing one of these places would give me anything more than $2000, and knowing that there's probably at least $2000 of work needed, would they give me anything?

So then my thoughts turn to donating. It's unlikely I would be itemizing my 2013 return, so I wouldn't be doing it for tax reasons, just hoping to help out a good cause. But it seems like most of the middle man services are largely frowned upon, and very little of the car's value ever makes it to charities. I really have no idea how to go about finding a worthy cause who would be interested in a car in this kind of shape otherwise.

So finally, the big parking lot in the sky: Junking. I haven't done much research here, but it seems like I could get it towed, and if so, this would seem to be the easiest option.

So:

1. Worth selling? If so, any experience with CarSense or WeBuyAnyCar.com? Any Philly-area places I should look into? Preferably no more than 10 miles or so from the city. Someone who would tow it would be a huge plus.

2. Worth donating even if I wouldn't be taking the deduction? Again, preferably no more than 10 miles or so from the city. Someone who would tow it would be a huge plus.

3. If all else fails, any recommendations on how to go about junking it? Once more, with feeling: preferably no more than 10 miles or so from the city. Someone who would tow it would be a huge plus.

Organisations to support for LGBT rights in Uganda?

viggorlijah — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 23:38:26 -0800

I want to send some money to a preferably local organisation/group in Uganda that supports LGBT rights. I'm open to advocacy or direct help, and any religion or secular is fine. Please give me your recommendations, or tell me why Amnesty International is still the best option.

Help me with charity fundraising

jetlagaddict — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:00:01 -0800

Short version: what are the best practices when asking for charity donations? Long version: I volunteer at several organizations, and light fundraising is an expected part of our duties. (Generally, this means requests for things like auction donations.) Unfortunately, I'm really shy at talking on the phone, and ten years of selling Girl Scout cookies hasn't cured my hesitation at asking strangers for money (or gift certificates, or movies, etc., not bigger ticket items.) I recognize that local businesses deal with these requests all the time, and we do provide tax deductions for the value of the item, along with promotion of their name/logo on our press materials. Have you done a lot of charity work? Have you worked at a company that has handled a lot of charity donation requests? Is there a good script I can/should follow for a better and more efficient conversation? Specific information that I should know to provide upfront? Any suggestions welcome. Thank you!

Best organization for helping the mentally ill homeless in San Francisco

Afroblanco — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:09:02 -0800

I'd like to donate some money to an organization that helps mentally ill homeless people in San Francisco. Which organization would give me the most "bang for my buck"? I would rank my preferences in this order :

1) Efficient, well-run organization with the resources and experience to do the most good for the greatest number of homeless people
2) An organization that specifically helps homeless people in SF
3) An organization that specifically focuses on helping the mentally ill homeless

Also, given a set amount of money, which would make my money go further? One big donation to a single organization, or several smaller donations to a number of organizations?

Donating to charity without being added to the mailing list?

Elly Vortex — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 07:28:47 -0800

One of my goals for 2013 is to donate a certain amount of my income to charity every month. I'm really excited about it - especially picking the groups that will receive my hard-earned $$$$$ (okay, $$$). But I'm NOT excited about the prospect of being put on mailing lists. Last year I donated to a well-known wildlife organization. In my letter to them, I specifically asked not to be put on their mailing list. I don't want to be inundated with junk mail, requests for more money, mail from their friend organizations asking for more money, etc. Unfortunately, that's just what I got. I get a handful of solicitations a week from the wildlife org as well as other animal/environmental orgs - and I assume they got my name from the wildlife org, because I've never had any contact with them otherwise.

On the other hand, I donate regularly to NPR and they rarely contact me directly. Maybe twice a year I get an "increase your sustaining membership!" letter and I also get an annual report. That's the right amount of communication for me. I could do without listening to the fund drives on the radio, but that's not a big deal for me.

Is there some sort of magical language that one can use when donating money to a charity to make it clear how much communication I want there to be? I'd like to make it clear that I do not want solicitations, spammy junk mail, or to have my info shared with other like-minded organizations, etc. Would a phone call be more effective than a letter in this case? If I donate "anonymously", would I still wind up on lists (my name would be on the check...)?

If the only way to donate without being added to a list is to find a representative of the organization, throw them a wad of cash, and run away without giving my name... I guess I'd be willing to do that.

Charities that would help a woman get an operation she needs:

Katjusa Roquette — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:53:34 -0800

Are there charities that would help a poor woman get an operation she needs? I have a friend who lives in Canada. She is around my age (59 or thereabouts).. She has an ovarian cyst that needs surgery. The health care system is saying they won't operate because they think it's too dangerous to operate. She has not let me know how big the cyst is, but I am sure she is post-menopause. She has Tpe II diabetes. She has some major stresses in her life.
1. A grown special needs son,
2. Poverty.

She wants the operation because of her son. She is pretty sure the cyst needs to come out and that if she weren't poor it would.
Anyway, I am wondering if there are charities which would help her with the operation.

She would be willing to go outside Canada for treatment.
Thanks, you guys were helpful before!

Best charity for Haiti in 2012?

The Minotaur — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 19:47:43 -0800

What is the best charity currently working in Haiti to which I can donate? Since 2010 I've donated to the Clinton Foundation, but looking at their website recently it's unclear whether Haiti is still a priority for them, and their online donation form doesn't provide a way to earmark money for a specific campaign as far as I can tell.

Is there a best place to put my money specifically for this cause? I know charities need to spend money on overhead, too, and that's fine--but I don't want to donate with Haiti in mind and then find out the money went to Rwanda (heartless though that may sound).

Thanks!

Looking for good team-based giving opportunity.

found missing — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:48:53 -0800

Apart from Kiva, do you know of any good charities that support team-based giving?

Is there such a thing as a fashion related charity?

peppermintfreddo — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:23:59 -0800

Is there such a thing as a fashion related charity? I will be wrapping my workmate's Christmas presents and asking for a donation for charity. I work in fashion, so would like the charity to be fashion related in some way.

My ideal would be a charity that works with women in third world countries who make clothing or textiles, and actual projects that help specific people, not just general activism.

In in Australia, but I'm not too fussed where the charity is based, as long as it is reputable, and can take credit card payments online.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Acquaintance passed away. Do I donate to his preferred charity, despite my concerns?

evadery — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:26:24 -0800

An acquaintance has passed away, and in lieu of flowers, his family is requesting a donation to a religious cause that gives me some concerns. What to do? A co-worker has passed away. He worked in a different office, and I did not work closely with him, but in my 2.5 years at my company working with him we had a couple good conversations, and in the rare times we worked together we got along well. He was a very nice man, passed away much too soon (in his 50s) and will be missed by all.

He left the company for a new job about 2 years ago, about the same time he was diagnosed with lung cancer. I didn't know he was ill until I found out he passed away this week.

He was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his family is asking for contributions to Watchtower, which makes me uncomfortable. He never discussed religion with me, but I know he had an uncomfortable run in with a colleague who was divorcing which made her quite uncomfortable. I identify as an atheist who celebrates the cultural aspects of Judaism.

A side note: I do not know if his religion prevented him from getting treatment for the cancer or not, and have read mixed things online about whether this would happen. However, even the possibility of this disappoints me, although I know it is his choice to live by whatever religious code he chooses.

So, do I make a nominal donation to Watchtower, which I know he and his family would have wanted? Or do I make a donation to a cancer charity, which may be viewed as a slap in the face by the family? Or, since we weren't particularly close anyway, should I just not make a donation, as one likely isn't even expected of me anyway? Thoughts on these or any other options would be appreciated.

Best org for angel tree?

greta simone — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:41:29 -0800

Best organization in NYC in which to participate in an angel tree kind of thing? I'm nannying a 8, almost 9 year old boy and he has expressed interest in buying something for a boy his age in need for the holidays. I have have previously participated in Stockings with Care, but you are mostly randomly assigned a kid of any age. I have also done the Barnes and Noble angel tree, but I think my charge really wants to go the toy route--something that would be fun for him to pick out (he reads, but doesn't get as excited about books as he does about toys). He wants to buy for a boy his age (8 or 9).

So what organization can we 'pick out' (for lack of a less crude phrase) a kid to buy for? In the past in my home town, the local mall had a tree with ornaments that stipulated a gender and age that you would pull from the tree, go buy for, and drop off with the organization. I'm looking for something like that I guess.

His parents are cool with the idea, in case it's relevant.

Thanks!

Large-Scale Donations

lilboo — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:45:56 -0800

Post-hurricane, and I'd like to donate almost EVERYTHING, but I don't personally have much time to sort it all out... I have a 10x10 storage unit that is filled with all of the furniture, bedding, clothes, and housewares of my former life. I've been meaning to get rid of most of it for a while now, but I've procrastinated because the work schedule's been pretty relentless.
I have a lot of great-condition furniture and housewares for people who are trying to replace their lost items, and there is seriously no conscionable reason for me to spend another dime on storage in this scenario, so I want to donate it ASAP.
The wrinkle is that I can only give it a day, and I can't move the stuff myself, so I need to find a charity that will drive out to the storage facility and haul it all out. Most places want you to deliver the goods, and I really just can't do that right now. Does anyone have a line on a reputable charity that does this particular type of pickup?

Charitable groups that fight voter suppression?

Lemurrhea — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:27:42 -0800

Help me give my Obama winnings to a good charity. Last week I put a decent chunk of change into Intrade and bet on Obama. He won! So now I have a windfall - which by long-standing personal belief gets 10-20% to a related charity.

What I'm looking for:

A NON-partisan charitable organization that focuses on voter participation / anti-suppression work.

I know there's a hotline that one can call if the polling laws are not being followed, with election lawyers, etc. Are there others? Are they a charity that need cash? Halp!

[US organization, preferably federal, and preferably one that fights voter suppression rather than just gets the vote out, but I can be convinced of the need to support ground game stuff instead.]

What smaller, local NYC charities need our support the most in the wake of Hurricane Sandy?

tweebiscuit — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:38:24 -0800

I want to donate more in support of Hurricane Sandy, but I'm concerned that while the Red Cross and the NYC Mayor's Fund are probably getting a ton of love, there are other charities in the city that are in dire straights as a result of the hurricane. (Or just in general.) What smaller, local NYC charities need our support the most?

Sandy Relief Organizations?

hapax_legomenon — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:38:47 -0800

Please help me donate to Sandy Relief! I'd like to make a donation to the Sandy relief efforts and am looking for recommendations for a list of organizations to target. I know about the biggies (Red Cross, etc. - although do feel free to list others) and have already made donations there. Now I'm looking for those organizations that are perhaps less well known and that are on the ground directing monies toward this immediate and specific need.

(As an example, this morning I ran across an article mentioning a grassroots volunteer effort coordinated by a small local Asian community organization that's sending people into affected buildings that have yet to see any assistance from the Red Cross, FEMA, etc. It seems to me that these types of organizations could really use an influx of cash immediately.)

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

Should my money go to Wikipedia?

zscore — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 09:14:18 -0800

I'd like to donate some money to a charity. Is there a worthier techno-cause than Wikipedia?