# You are given $1 million to donate, who do you donate it to and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 30, 2004, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775 "2004-05-30T10:07:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/41 "2004-05-31T03:48:35Z")
A lot of it would go to my church’s Humanitarian Aid fund and the education fund that gives grant/loans to people in third-world countries. A good chunk would also go to a particular AIDS program in Africa that I’m fond of. With all of those, I know where the money goes and how it’s spent, and I approve highly of what’s done with it–and there’s very very little overhead. ---
**Author:** ![lynxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@lynxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynxie)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/42 "2004-05-31T05:12:06Z")
Multiple Sclerosis Research honestly? because i have it. research here will also help many related illnesses and spinal cord/brain injury, ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/43 "2004-05-31T12:49:37Z")
BC/EFAThe first organization formed to help people with AIDS ---
**Author:** ![hill\_o\_beans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4491bb/32.png) [@hill\_o\_beans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hill_o_beans)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/44 "2004-05-31T15:07:39Z")
I would use my million to fund [Even Start](http://www.famlit.org/ProgramsandInitiatives/EvenStart/index.cfm), a family literacy program that serves the neediest families in a community (and one that Bush is proposing to [eliminate](http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2004/education.html) ). I strongly believe that family literacy helps prepare children for school and parents for their most important role: teaching their children and helping them throughout their school years. hill ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/45 "2004-05-31T21:02:03Z")
The "_ **World Eater** needs a solid gold helicopter" fund_ You can contact me through my website should you care to make a donation. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/46 "2004-06-01T04:09:24Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > The "_ **World Eater** needs a solid gold helicopter" fund_ > > You can contact me through my website should you care to make a donation. 😃 “Wouldn’t a solid gold fiddle weigh hundreds of pounds and sound crummy?” “Well, it’s mostly for show.” ---
**Author:** ![Denis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@Denis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Denis)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/47 "2004-06-01T06:04:39Z")
**250K to Children’s Hospital in Seattle** Our son was born with a birth defect. They healed him (and quite likely saved his life). **250K to Ronald McDonald House in Seattle** They give housing to non-local families of Children’s Hospital patients, reducing the burden of a family’s crisis. **250K to the ACLU** Because civil liberties are for everyone, and they stand by that, no matter what. **250K to Americans United for Separation of Church and State** Because the Framers had it right when they forbade the meddling of Church and State in each other’s affairs. ---
**Author:** ![Grant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Grant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grant)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/48 "2004-06-01T12:34:36Z")
**1/3 to Ronald McDonald House 1/3 to Make a Wish Foundation** My niece died of brain cancer when she was 3 about 11 years ago. They really helped my sister out **1/3 to the local SPCA** They are horribly under funded here. ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/49 "2004-06-01T13:01:29Z")
1/3 to the SPCA 1/3 to help save the rain forest 1/3 to help protect World Heritage Sites. I think we should work on saving the world before we try to help ourselves. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/50 "2004-06-01T13:24:20Z")
500 000 to [Nature Conservancy Canada](http://www.natureconservancy.ca/files/frame.asp?lang=e_®ion=1&sec=about) 500 000 to World Wildlife Fund ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/51 "2004-06-01T13:27:23Z")
The last link doesn’t work, try [this](http://www.natureconservancy.ca/files/index.asp) ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/52 "2004-06-01T15:02:57Z")
Put the whole pile into an interest bearing account, the proceeds of which would be distributed as a scholarship to a young woman or man who is pursuing a degree in either fire science or fire protection engineering. Why? In memory of friends who tried to make the world a little bit safer, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving others. ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/53 "2004-06-01T15:27:12Z")
Anti-animal rights groups. The petards and humaniacs have screwed up this country beyond belief. Their ilke needs to be stopped before we end up like Austria where circuses can’t keep large cats, poultry has to be free ranged, dogs can’t have docked tails or pinced ears, and other totally abnormal BS. Since the two top organizations of AR nutcases in the US, PETA and HSUS, have significant domestic terrorist ties and have advocated such acts, the anti-terror climate here in the US makes stamping out these worthless SOBs a distinct possibility if a enough money is put behind the cause. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/54 "2004-06-01T15:29:53Z")
I’ve been thinking about this one for a while, and finally came up with something. I’d donate half to the [UEA](http://www.uea.org/), and the other half to organizations devoted to teaching social skills to [young people](http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/putnampaper.html)so that they can get the help I didn’t and avoid the hells I went through. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775/55 "2004-06-01T18:24:20Z")
**Local** $200,000 to my children’s school system $200,000 to my high school alma mater for a scholarship in my late brother’s names. $200,000 to \*\*Muscular Dystrophy \*\* for the parents or family caretakers of someone afflicted with this terrible disease. A foundation would be set up in my mom’s name even though she is not dead. $200,000 to my local library because they are great ladies doing a most excellent job. I loves my librarians. **Animals** $50k to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. it just seems to be a great cause for animals that everyone loves. \*\*Human things \*\* $50k to spinal cord research $100K to Cystic Fibrosis of Michigan in honor of a friend of mine who’s identical twin daughters have this terrible disease. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-given-1-million-to-donate-who-do-you-donate-it-to-and-why/247775.md?page=2)