Finding a Charity

[pianoperformer]

I would really like to start donating to a charity. I don't know of many, though, so can't decide what to donate to.

I can only afford about $50 per month to donate, so would just like to select one and stick with that for a while.

Any ideas?

[Angela]

How about one that aligns with your new inspiring possibility of being bold, confident and free?

The first charity that comes to mind for me when I write those words is the "sponsor a child" organizations like WorldVision, where you get a photo of a kid, but your money really goes to projects in the community where your child lives -- projects that assist the community in growing food, building shelter, recovering from natural disaster, etc... helping people be bold, confident and free rather than just giving them hand-outs.

What comes to your mind when you imagine helping someone be bold, confident, and free?

[sidsavara]

I would recommend checking out Just Give. I have no affiliation with them, but I really like their idea of connecting people with charities.

[pianoperformer]

Thanks for the replies.

Angela: Oh, I like that idea.

I think also of, well I remember there being some site where you could donate towards an individuals attempts at starting a business. I think that's pretty cool.

I also saw a link once to Welcome to Little Angels Pug Rescue. I really love that, but can't figure out how to actually donate, without adopting a dog, lol.

sidsavara, I like that, thanks. I couldn't find how to actually find a charity, but I only gave it a cursory glance, so I will check later on.

[Angela]

I'll betcha if you contact that pug organization, they'll be sure and tell you how you can send them money!

What about your local animal rescue organizations?

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by pianoperformer

I think also of, well I remember there being some site where you could donate towards an individuals attempts at starting a business. I think that's pretty cool.

Ohh, that reminds me. There is a site (don't know where, I've seen somebody on here post about it) where you can "micro-lend" to individuals in 3rd world countries who want to start their own business. You get to choose which business/individual you want to micro-lend to by looking at their profiles. I think their business idea/individuals have been vetted and checked. Once their business succeed, they will pay you back. Since you don't care if they pay you back, that could be a great way to help someone start their business. If they succeed and pay you back, you can then use that same money and help someone else start their own business again!

[pianoperformer]

Originally Posted by Angela

I'll betcha if you contact that pug organization, they'll be sure and tell you how you can send them money!

Very true. I kind of feel bad for them because they seem to have financial difficulties, too.

Originally Posted by Angela

What about your local animal rescue organizations?

Hmm, not sure what we have around here. I'll have to check.

[pianoperformer]

Originally Posted by seeker5

Ohh, that reminds me. There is a site (don't know where, I've seen somebody on here post about it) where you can "micro-lend" to individuals in 3rd world countries who want to start their own business. You get to choose which business/individual you want to micro-lend to by looking at their profiles. I think their business idea/individuals have been vetted and checked. Once their business succeed, they will pay you back. Since you don't care if they pay you back, that could be a great way to help someone start their business. If they succeed and pay you back, you can then use that same money and help someone else start their own business again!

Yes! That's exactly the one I was thinking of! Now I only need to find the site.

[amixa]

what happened to Doctors Without Borders | MSF USA ?

[pianoperformer]

Originally Posted by amixa

what happened to Doctors Without Borders | MSF USA ?

Yes, I bookmarked that, but am trying to see what else there is.

[Doku]

The site that seeker5 and you are looking for, ie: micro-loans to 3rd world is kiva.org.

Here's the site:
Kiva - Loans that change lives

And a review of it:
Kiva.org - Lending to Third World Entrepreneurs | Million Dollar Journey

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Doku

The site that seeker5 and you are looking for, ie: micro-loans to 3rd world is kiva.org.

Here's the site:
Kiva - Loans that change lives

And a review of it:
Kiva.org - Lending to Third World Entrepreneurs | Million Dollar Journey

Yes, that's it! Thanks for posting it.

[pianoperformer]

Doku,

thanks a lot.

I wonder if it is worthwhile, though. That is, I wonder how much the people actually get.

[Apollia]

The only charity that really satisfies me is to give directly to people I know who really need the money/whatever else I'm giving them, who I know will use it wisely.

If I know the people, I will directly see what effect the gift is having, so I won't have to just blindly trust the gift is doing some good. If only gifts like that were tax deductible. (Yet another reason for me to despise taxes. If donors can only get a tax deduction by giving to a non-profit organization, It discourages direct generosity to people who need it).

Anyhow, though, if I were really forced to choose an organization to give to, it would definitely not be Kiva. (Here's my explanation of why). Instead, it would be an organization that gives gifts rather than loans.

I second Angela on the idea of WorldVision. I know hardly anything about them, but the following web page by them appeals to me:

https://gifts.worldvision.ca/Gifts/Forms/Home.aspx

I noticed this link in a comment in the refreshingly balanced review/comment page about Kiva that Doku posted.

Best wishes,
Apollia

[seeker5]

Apollio - wow read your post. I didn't realize this:

The average interest rate that a Kiva field partner charges is about 21%, and Kiva.org only partners with microfinance institutions that have a social mission of lending to the poor. To obtain more information about how Kiva.org evaluates and selects its field partners, please see our Risk and Due Diligence center: www.kiva.org/about/risk/overview .

Hmmm. I don't agree with you that a loan is bad by it's nature. Businesses are all the time started by loans, it's a way to make sure that it's rooted in good business and not just an excuse to get a grant that the person can do whatever with.

However, for me, the question is what would happen if the business fails and the person isn't able to pay back the loan? I'd hate to think there is any kind of hardship on them. For example, in the U.S. if a business fails, then the owners, if they have limited liabilities, aren't personally responsible for the debt of the business, so they can just declare their business bankrupt and move on without any personal hardship other then loss of their business. That is, they don't have to get another job to pay back the debt of their business.

I had assumed it would be the same with Kiva. Maybe I'm wrong? Maybe they consider the loan as personal loan that have to be repaid no matter what, whether the business succeeds or not? If so, I'd hate to be involved with that - I wouldn't want a business loan to be due if the business fails.

On the other hand, these people who are getting the loans know fully what they are getting themselves into. They understand the interest rate, and they prefer to get that loan with the interest rate then staying at their current situation.

[Apollia]

Originally Posted by seeker5

Hmmm. I don't agree with you that a loan is bad by it's nature. Businesses are all the time started by loans, it's a way to make sure that it's rooted in good business and not just an excuse to get a grant that the person can do whatever with.

Yes, I will admit it's possible to give a loan with good intentions - even though I think the effects of a loan compared to a gift generally aren't as positive, no matter what the intention.

However, for me, the question is what would happen if the business fails and the person isn't able to pay back the loan? I'd hate to think there is any kind of hardship on them.

Same here.

For example, in the U.S. if a business fails, then the owners, if they have limited liabilities, aren't personally responsible for the debt of the business, so they can just declare their business bankrupt and move on without any personal hardship other then loss of their business. That is, they don't have to get another job to pay back the debt of their business.

Hmm, interesting, I didn't realize that's how business debts work in the U.S. Good to know - so things aren't quite as bad in the U.S. for people trying to start a business as I assumed.

I had assumed it would be the same with Kiva. Maybe I'm wrong? Maybe they consider the loan as personal loan that have to be repaid no matter what, whether the business succeeds or not?

I wish I knew the answer. I suppose Kiva's "field partners" (lenders) might all have different policies, but, I don't know if the precise terms given to the borrowers by each field partner are available on the Kiva website.

I found this page on Kiva which gives some clues of how things are done, though:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=hel...entPerformance

Some quotes:

"Entrepreneurs are required to join borrowing support groups -- which chip in when a group member is unable to repay on time."

"The Field Partner may occasionally use their own reserves to make Kiva lenders whole, even if the entrepreneur is past due." (So, if I'm not mistaken, that means the default and delinquency rates on the website might be quite inaccurate).

"For loans that are delinquent at the end of a loan term, Kiva allows the Field Partner 6 additional months to attempt collections before deeming the loan as Defaulted."

So, it looks like they might engage in collections efforts instead of letting the borrowers off the hook if their businesses fail.

If so, I'd hate to be involved with that - I wouldn't want a business loan to be due if the business fails.

Same here.

Best wishes,
Apollia

[Brutha]

Microloans often have lending groups where there are around five people who lend get a credit.
No one of them will get again a credit from the lending instiution if one of those five people doesn't repay.
That creates social pressure on people to repay.
Sometimes those groups are also ways to trade knowledge and people get more than the money but are also told in those groups about what it takes to make a business.

You should also keep in mind that people who get Mircroloans generally don't have anything that you could take away from them in the event of them not repaying the loan.

The social pressure created through the other people in the support group getting no new credits is the primal thing that gets people to repay. It also sometimes get other people in the group to repay the loan.
There no legal system that enforces those loans.

[Apollia]

Thanks, interesting to know.

However, it's a pity that if people have the misfortune of their businesses failing that that might disqualify them from any more help.

Seems a bit backwards, since if someone is given help and still fails, that seems like an indication that they could use _more_ help rather than less.

Still, a support group isn't a bad idea, it sounds like it could really help people out.

[ar81]

Buy some toys, go to a poor neighborhood and give them to poor kids.

[Dan.Linehan]

Ideally, every dollar you spend should go to a good cause. If you are spending money on something and it's not a good cause, that's already an issue.

All my food dollars go to organic farmers. I don't send money to farmers who use pesticides. I don't send money to companies who cage and abuse animals.

All my personal care dollars go to organic, fair-trade soap makers.

All my web hosting dollars go to Dreamhost, an American owned and operated hosting company who only runs Linux and who is 100% carbon neutral and green.

There's no reason that every dollar you spend can't go to charity with a little mindfulness. This makes a lot more sense to me and seems a lot more authentic than giving away the majority of my income to people who will misuse it, then $50 a month to a charity to try to feel better about it.

Every dollar is a vote, not just some of them.

[pianoperformer]

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

Ideally, every dollar you spend should go to a good cause. If you are spending money on something and it's not a good cause, that's already an issue.

All my food dollars go to organic farmers. I don't send money to farmers who use pesticides. I don't send money to companies who cage and abuse animals.

All my personal care dollars go to organic, fair-trade soap makers.

All my web hosting dollars go to Dreamhost, an American owned and operated hosting company who only runs Linux and who is 100% carbon neutral and green.

There's no reason that every dollar you spend can't go to charity with a little mindfulness. This makes a lot more sense to me and seems a lot more authentic than giving away the majority of my income to people who will misuse it, then $50 a month to a charity to try to feel better about it.

Every dollar is a vote, not just some of them.

I appreciate your view, but I just don't think this is always possible, especially when one's income is limited, and the better options (if they exist) are more expensive.

Thank you, though.

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by pianoperformer

I appreciate your view, but I just don't think this is always possible, especially when one's income is limited, and the better options (if they exist) are more expensive.

Thank you, though.

They're more expensive because they're produced ethically.

Saying that it's too difficult to buy ethically produced products (organic / fair trade) is tantamount to saying it's too difficult to study for tests because cheating is quicker.

[pianoperformer]

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

They're more expensive because they're produced ethically.

Saying that it's too difficult to buy ethically produced products (organic / fair trade) is tantamount to saying it's too difficult to study for tests because cheating is quicker.

Not really, not when you don't have that much income to deal with in the first place. As I said, I only have about $600 per month to deal with, and so it has to be rationed very carefully.

[Dan.Linehan]

I would put the extra $50 towards ethically produced products. IMO getting in the habit of refusing to fund unethically produced goods has the greatest impact on everyone long-term. Other people see you doing it and follow along.

Alternately, you could restore sight to one blind person each month through Seva for $50 via interocular surgery.

[ar81]

When you donate money, a huge percentage goes to administrative bureaucratic processes, and benefits are minimal.
I would advise to do the charity yourself to save that money and make it more effective.

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by ar81

When you donate money, a huge percentage goes to administrative bureaucratic processes, and benefits are minimal.
I would advise to do the charity yourself to save that money and make it more effective.

Painting with pretty broad strokes here.

No one would claim that $50 to perform an interocular surgery to restore someone's vision is bureaucratic. If you donate $50 to Seva it's actually closer to restoring two people's vision too. The actual cost is between $25-$30 for them to do one surgery; they've just had better luck promoting a $50 donation than a $30 one.

You can see administrative costs here.

[pianoperformer]

Seva actually sounds really great; thanks for recommending them, Dan.

[Brutha]

Thanks, interesting to know.

Another thing about microloans:
There are people who don't want to get charity money and want to pay back the money. There are traditional cultures where receiving something without giving something back is looked down upon.

Another thing about microloan is that a lot of them go to women. I once read that the number are over 90% for the Grameen bank. A lot of them didn't have money before that they owned (the man in the house owned everything).

A talk from one of the Grameen people (the Grameen bank was the first microloaning organisation) is on Ted especially the beginning gives a good perspective about poverty and about what's wrong with traditional charity: Iqbal Quadir says mobiles fight poverty | Video on TED.com

When you donate money, a huge percentage goes to administrative bureaucratic processes, and benefits are minimal.
I would advise to do the charity yourself to save that money and make it more effective.

Money that is invested with long term plans by an organisation that keeps the whole communitie in mind can be more effective than the same amount of money, when that money is given out without big plans.
Organisations can focus capital on issues.

Without an organsation that creates the infrastrucure that necessary, there no way that a normal person could get say ten of those operations that Seva does for 500 dollar.
There are benefits of scale.

What brings a better effect, spending 50 or even 30 dollar for fixing the eyesight of a person or spending the same amount for toys for kids who live in a first world country?
I think that even through Seva spends money on administration the money is still used more efficiently.

Scale allows higher efficienty even through you need organisation that has a bit of bureaucratic "waste" to get scale.

[Apollia]

Really interesting stuff, Brutha. Thanks again. I really liked that video.

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

All my web hosting dollars go to Dreamhost, an American owned and operated hosting company who only runs Linux and who is 100% carbon neutral and green.

I'm glad to hear that, they're my web host too.

There's no reason that every dollar you spend can't go to charity with a little mindfulness. This makes a lot more sense to me and seems a lot more authentic than giving away the majority of my income to people who will misuse it, then $50 a month to a charity to try to feel better about it.

Every dollar is a vote, not just some of them.

Thanks for pointing this out, that's a brilliant point. Ideally, that is what I'd like to do.

Best wishes,
Apollia

[pianoperformer]

I do have to disagree with the Dreamhost thing though. They might be environment friendly, but they are not a great host, and certainly I wouldn't put anything on their servers that I needed to actually be reliable. I choose my host by quality over environmental friendliness.

I also don't see what Linux has to do with it. Windows is a viable option, too. I love programming in ASP.NET with C#.