Day 93 - Gratitude and Giving

via donorschoose.org

About DonorsChoose.org

DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need. Here's how it works: public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests range from pencils for a poetry writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class. Then, you can browse project requests and give any amount to the one that inspires you. Once a project reaches its funding goal, we deliver the materials to the school. You'll get photos of your project taking place, a thank-you letter from the teacher, and a cost report showing how each dollar was spent. If you give over $100, you'll also receive hand-written thank-you letters from the students. At DonorsChoose.org, you can give as little as $1 and get the same level of choice, transparency, and feedback that is traditionally reserved for someone who gives millions. We call it citizen philanthropy.

In the Spirit of Christmas and all the other holidays, I have decided to devote the rest of the month to organizations that are centered on giving.

Several years ago I put a moratorium on Christmas presents in my family. I asked my family to donate their time or money to a worthy cause instead of buying me a present. Although this hasn't worked with everyone in the family, last year my favorite gift was a box of backpacks filled with school supplies that my daughter, son-in-law and grandson had assembled for me to take to Mexico for the children who were in need of such things.

The year before they contributed to the purchase of a goat for a family in another country. A goat would not only provide milk and cheese for the family but bear other goats for other families.

We have so much, how much more will that $10, $20 or ? mean to those who have nothing?

Some folks object to sending aid to other parts of the world when there are needs nearer to home. If that is where your feelings lie, DonorsChoose would be an excellent opportunity for you to help a teacher in a school in your very own home town.  You can pick the town, the school and of course the project you want to support.  You will also get a thank you from the class when the project has been completed.