It would be an SPCA or humane society. Or possibly the CHAMPs (Child Amputees).
SPCA, Humane Society, and any other organization that helps animals. I have like zero spare cash, and yet somehow I FIND a little cash, every month, to send to the SPCA, H.S., or Cat Care Coalition.
For humans? It’s been Planned Parenthood in the past, but right now I think I might try to make a donation to Smile Train (for surgery for those poor little cleft palate babies).
Most likely The Dachshund Rescue of North America or the American Red Cross.
Locally
Community Health Services of Middle Tennessee (I used their services when uninsured)
Wilson County Assistance (Helps the poor with things like utility bills, baby formula, etc)
CASA of Wilson County (provides advocates for children in court cases)
Nationally
ACLU
Southern Poverty Law Center
Habitat for Humanity
Funding for scolarships in the fields of education and medicine
Planned Parenthood (I have used their services in the past)
Shriners Hospitals
St Judes
Ronald McDonald House
NORML
American Diabetes Association (Both grandmothers died of complications, my mother and I live with it)
Internationally
Heifer International
Mennonite Relief
My Human Fund idea not being feasible, I’d probably set up an endowment with my local community foundation so that I could split it amongst various charities that I work with, all relating to homelessness.
It would have to be something for kids like St Judes or Childrens Hospitals.
St Judes gets most of my charitable contributions.
The American Cancer Society (my 31 year old daughter is fighting this horrible disease now).
Planned Parenthood.
MS Society. Multiple Sclerosis runs in my family, including my dad.
I love charities like this- I think they’re called “modest needs” charities. I’d love to contribute to an American microloan organization that would help rescue some people from those godawful payday loan places; I’ve known so many college students and broke single moms (and broke married couples) who borrowed $150 til payday from these places and end up paying them back $1000 over the next year. I’d love to see a place that would give unsecured small loans at reasonable interest (have some standards: no criminal record, employed [the unemployed are more in need of grants], etc., but unsecured) but I’m not even sure if such an organization exists.
Not picking on you at all, but this is a note for everybody as I live in the city where they’re HQd and they’re in the paper all the time, and because they are continually asking for money and yet this is not common knowledge:
DON’T EVER DONATE TO SPLC
It’s not that they don’t do good work (they do) or that they’re not genuine (they are), but they are richer than Og, so much they’ve gotten into trouble for it. They could operate indefinitely on what they have banked, yet they’re always asking for more. Their HQ is so ornate it’s nicknamed the Poverty Palace. Wiki on the topic.
The Patch Mortgage Reduction Fund.
What???
Oh, jeez, I give to about two dozen charities and worthy organizations already. Picking just one would be tough - I just might have to throw a dart at a list to pick one.
Some favorites:
Cleveland Foodbank - A very well-run, efficient provider of food for the poor.
Boy Scouts - My boys and I have gotten a lot out of Scouting.
Cheetah Conservation Fund - Does excellent work helping an amazing endangered species.
Mount Vernon - Doesn’t take any government money to preserve George Washington’s home and enhance public understanding of his legacy.
USO - Helps U.S. military personnel and their families bigtime.
Red Cross - Disaster relief, blood services, public education, etc.
Civil War Preservation Trust - Buys and preserves battlefield land that otherwise would be turned into strip malls, and also has a strong public education mission.
Hmm. I did not know that. I’m sure they could get Federal funds for a presidential library at least (well, probably not this year, but when/if the government ever has money again).
I wonder if the Lincoln sites (including the new $200 million remodeling/renovation/high tech updating of the museum) are state, fed, or private.