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Post by yearning4order on Jan 30, 2010 2:52:15 GMT -5
Obviously, I'll just take these things to Goodwill instead. (No one here is collecting donated items for Haiti, anyway.) But I feel lousy because contributing money isn't an option for me--my mother's oxycodone and ACTIQ have to come first--and I don't know any other way to help besides pray. I just wish the article would've addressed some other alternatives. One thought I have is that during time periods when a catastrophic disaster occurs in a specific region, the wonderful tender human spirit in us wants to help. This is a beautiful thing. I too live on a tight budget, and while I'd love to donate hundreds of dollars to a relief agency bound for Haiti, I just don't have it to give right now. Meanwhile, there are organizations in my own home town that are still clothing poor families, feeding the hungry, and sheltering the homeless, among other things. There are even organizations rescuing kitties and dogs, providing free acupuncture treatments to addicts trying to get off drugs, and offering respite babysitting for abusive parents who voluntarily engaged in treatment and education to stop abusing their children. The reason I say this--if you want to help and are limited by tight finances, next time there is a mailbox food drive, put a couple of cans of food in the mailbox. At Halloween, if children come to your door with those Unicef boxes for penny donations, give some pennies you might find under the couch. The charity organizations in our home towns still need assistance, and maybe even more so when the desire to be generous swings to other parts of the world dealing with catastrophic events. And rightly so, rightly so that we want to help those facing certain life or death! But I know I can't give my money--so instead I'll donate goods to my daughter's school's garage sale because I know I can do that. I think it's wonderful you want to give--and I would say turn your charitable and generous spirit to something close to home in a simple way that you can. The desire to be of service is natural and healing for us.
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Post by crazycatlady on Jan 30, 2010 10:13:04 GMT -5
Thanks for this thread, Lioness. I agree that if you cannot give money to Haiti, making an extra effort to give more "stuff" locally will help.
I read a book about Mother Theresa, and she noted that while she had able bodied people out helping, she also had others praying for them. So while one person was out doing the visible work, someone else, often someone homebound, was praying for that person. She counted them each as very vital to the work.
I also think that it is ok to limit your giving. I used to always feel compelled to give anytime someone asked for a donation of food. But I am asked at work, the kids school, cub scouts, the post office, and at church. While I think that is fabulous, because it gives many people an opportunity to give, I finally realized that it is not necessary to give to all of them! Most are a once a year drive, while our church has an ongoing box to put food into. Mr. Steve, who volunteers at the homeless shelter several nights a week, takes the food to the pantry often. That is my chosen method of donating.
Don't feel guilty if you cannot send a chunk of money to Haiti. Say a prayer, or whatever your faith and belief suggests. Donate stuff to a local charity. Say a kind word to someone when you are out and about...maybe they are extra stressed about this issue. And be gentle on yourself!
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Post by CaringFriend on Jan 30, 2010 14:37:00 GMT -5
For those who have limited or no funds to donate to the Haitian tragedy, you can still help provide food and medical assistance! Please go to www.thehungersite.com and just click! Sponsors send donations for every click and have already donated $247,639 for immediate help and relief in Haiti. It is a legitimate site which existed long before the Haitian earthquake. I click there daily. While at the Hunger site, you will see other tabs across the top: Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, Rainforest, and Animal Rescue. I click on those pages, too. Takes less than 60 seconds to click on them all every day. The Breast Cancer site made no mention of sending their donations to Haiti; the Animal Rescue site had said they were sending their donations to Haiti to provide food and medical care for the animals. Hunger, Child, Health, Literacy, and Rainforest were diverting all their donations to Haiti as well. Before this disaster, donations were sent to other areas of need.
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