I didn’t start out to be a “Charity Blogger,” although my friends Sandee and Jessica The Rock Chick both have dubbed me that. I’m honored that they think so, but I wanted to be sassy and silly and just write about whatever the voices in my head were saying!
Then the voices in my head turned serious on me, because I was listening to my heart. I hope you will bear with me for this Thursday Thirteen, as I deviate from my normal silliness to speak to you from my heart.
Lately, I keep seeing ideas for being a do-gooder. Does that make me boring? I guess I’ll have to live with that. And, it’s what this Thursday Thirteen is about. You see,at Robin’s blog, Around the Island, I read about Philanthropy Thursday, put on by Get in the Car. She asked herself, “How can I make a small difference today? What can I do, however small, to make the world just a little bit better?” That’s what she writes about on Thursdays. I’m going to combine the two, because I don’t see why we can’t practice philanthropy every day of the week. It should be a part of our everyday lives.
Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you do a kindness for someone else? My friend, Sophiagurl has, and wrote about it in a beautiful post called Meant To Give. It’s doing little things for others that makes our world a better place. The opportunities for kindness are all around us. My friend Mo has a thoughtful post about the difference between “generosity” and “sharing” that will give you pause.
Lately, I have gotten all tangled up in my yarn adventure. I’ll tell you again that if I had thought it through, I might not have jumped in with both feet. The Share A Square Project (giving 140 afghans to children with cancer at Camp Sanguinity) is exhausting, time-consuming, and expensive. It’s also exhilarating, awe-inspiring, and heartwarming. So, I probably would have jumped in anyway. The good parts of the program more than make up for the difficulties. I’m looking forward to seeing more faces like this one:
There are other ways to make a difference. Some of them are so small, and yet so important:
6. You could even click on this button for the Hunger Site when you see it on a website to give the value of 1.1 cups of food to the hungry. Go on and click. I’ll wait for you to come back. Hmmm…hmmm…hmmm.
hmmm…hmmm…hmmm.
hmmm…hmmm…hmmm.
You back? Now, see don’t you feel better? And, wasn’t that easy? Now if you were so inclined, you could get a little deeper into the giving.
You can even combine one of my favorite pastimes with charitable giving. You can go shopping! Remember there are only 82 shopping days left until Christmas.
I told y’all about this flashlight some time back. It’s called a BoGo light. Buy one, give one. When you buy this flashlight, an identical flashlight is distributed in a developing country. We can light the world one flashlight at a time. You think that a flashlight doesn’t make a difference? It can help end world poverty, further education, increase world health, and positively impact the environment.
10. At Heifer International, you can help end world hunger. For $20, you can buy your loved one a flock of chicks for Christmas. Of course, your loved one only gets the card; the chicks go to someone who needs them.
Or, for $250 you could give your dad a water buffalo (card). Heifer International says:
“If I die, my family will weep for me,” said one Thailand farmer. “But if my buffalo dies, my family will starve.” Imagine that. Your one gift of a water buffalo can change an entire family’s life.
own
cares on
hold for one
day to
care about someone else.Put your own cares on hold for one day to care about someone else. It is in its 17th year, and held in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer National Network. Paul Newman and Newman’s Own Foundation awards $10,000 to charities selected by 10 national honorees.
What are some of the ways that you make a difference? Do you have a favorite charity? If so, tell me about it. I’d love to know.
Leave me a comment if you would like. I hope your day is good. Come back and sit with me on the porch another day.
Other posts you might enjoy:
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Wonderful TT Shelly! I support a small charity called Youth Direct ministries, which ministers to kids in prison. I also fully believe in the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope and you can submit your charity to benefit from donations. I also support my local animal shelter and the Farm Sanctuary which takes care of abused farm animals. Also another small way to make a differece is to use GoodSeach instead of Google. You can pick a charity to benefit and every click is a penny for the charity — it really adds up!
Wonderful TT!! Happy thursday and thanks for all your hard work!
ps…it’s GoodSearch (I made a typo) and concernig the Manilow fund, you can pick from a list of small grass roots charities (hospice care, AIDS charities, animal shelters) or you can submit your own favorite charity as well. Nice idea to spread the wealth and have your support as well as the Manilow fund’s go where you want it to go in your own community!
I’ve been planning my Xmas presents for my family already. Now, to be fair, my to-do list for this semester is huge, and so is my extended family, so I need to plan early! I’ve decided that this year I’m going to do all my shopping from Oxfam Unwrapped. We are all so fortunate, that it makes sense to give gifts which also give to those less fortunate than ourselves. Great TT, Shelly, as always!
Come visit to review “Loan $25″ for a charity I featured this week.
PS I wanted you to know that there is no need to sign in to Google to comment on Blogger. You can do so as “other.”
In the comment section that is!
I volunteer three hours a week at my kids’ school. Right now it’s what I can do and I love it (and so far, my kids aren’t totally embarrassed by me being there so I guess I need to take advantage of that while I can!!!). Thanks for all the suggestions. It really made me think.
A great post – a good ideas on how we can make differences even in the smallest ways!
It’s Thanksgiving here in Canada this weekend and we’re taking a collection at our church for an organization in need. I love the ‘give up designer coffee’ one….it’s so true. Small things like that make a huge difference in other peoples lives.
Great post. I went to the Young Warrior site above. It is always good to be reminded how we can serve other people. Thanks for the reminder. Happy TT.
Another way you can make a difference, and it’s totally free — think before you speak. Seriously, just take a second and think if what you are about to say is going to make someone feel small or lift them up.
Are you just fussing, or do you need to dole out some constructive criticism? Are you gossiping, or are you sharing info about someone because you need to? And so on…
Look, I’m not saying that I actually think every time I speak, I only WISH I did! I’m trying.
Great post!! Mr. T’s father has been found, Shelly. They are setting up to test his bone marrow.
Rosemarie led me to the $25 donation via kiva, I donated yesterday and posted on it.
And you can do “other” on most blogger blogs to comment, but on a few I can’t seem to.
Going to check out Make A Difference Day!
This is an awesome list. You are obviously a very giving person. My mom is still promising me at least 8 squares. Looks like I am going to have to start bugging her more, lol.
Shelly, what a great post. And you gave me some ideas or more things I can do. Have a great TT.
Vix
http://vixensden.wordpress.com/2007/10/04/thursday-thirteen-14/
hi! i’m new to the thursday thirteen! just thought i’d say hi! p.s. you’re post was really good!
What a sweetie you are what a wondeful idea
Great post. Here is another simple one. If you wear glasses, get in the habit of giving your old glasses to The Lions Club
http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/vision_eyeglass_recycling.shtml
They distributed them worldwide to people who cannot afford prescription lenses.
I think you know me well enough by now, Shelly, that I’m always trying to do little things in the name of Tikkun Olam — the Jewish ideal of heal the world. Little things add up.
I’m working on a bigger thing that’ll happen around the holidays, though. Stay tuned for it!
Good one Shelly! I’m a “practice random kindness” kinda gal, myself. I’ve got a colicky grandson this afternoon, but between back and tummy massages, burping and general coddling, I’m trying to get to a Breast Cancer Month Awareness post today. I’ll drop back by when I’ve got the post up. You know a bit about what’s been going on in my life lately so you’ll appreciate this. Ever since I put the “donate” button on my blog, I can’t seem to stop myself from donating a dollar or two every time I see what appears to be a sincere effort at another blog!! LOL. Almost without fail my little fear-voice tries to talk me out of it, saying things like “You can’t afford to do this”, to which I respond “Oh, hush, it’s only a dollar” F-V shouts back “but dollars add up!!”, as I click the button in pure rebellion. LOL It’s true. I know that ya gotta give it away. It makes me feel better. And fear has never been one of my primary motivators, so it always feels good to shut that whiney b*tch up! We live in an infinitely abundant universe. There’s enough to go around, if we would all just realize that. Great post, Shel.
Oh, did I say colicky?? Yaaarrrrggghhh! I meant colicky AND teething!
This was a wonderful list! Very inspiring.
I’ve been a Big Sister through Big Brother Big Sister for 6 1/2 years now, and like you said, what I get from it is so much more than what I give.
a great TT post this week Shelly and what perfect timing as we are coming into the holiday season! you’ve definitely got me thinking about how i can give back more!
Shelly, this does warm my heart. I so love that picture.
Shelly – It’s your long lost friend from Houston! I’ve been lost from the blogging path but I’m trying to make a come back. This was an awesome TT! I support a lot charities and especially those that encourage the self-esteem of women and lets them know the can do and be anything. I even created a Women’s Conference at the college where I work that is now a yearly month long event. You’re a wonderful person, just don’t let the charity train run away with you! You can only do so much and that’s already quite a lot! Take care – Lara
Wonderful post Shelly—I try to do what I can. There’s just so mnay wonderful organizations and people out there in need of assistance.
My brother passed away from AIDS 13 years ago and one organization called Be-HIV (beehive) was just so kind, helpful and supportive of our entire family, we all do everything we can to help them out here.
I also support the random acts of kindness theory. You never know when something as simple as a smile can change someone’s day…
Great post. AND….you HAVE to know who Britney Spears is!!!!!
Jessica
Good post Shelly and October is such a good time to write about charity. Close to the holidays and gives us all something to think and do.
One gal mentioned food banks in a recent post and now I buy extra pasta, cereal or canned foods to put in the box by the door of the grocery store. According to news reports around here, all the food banks are running low.
What a huge and generous heart you have, Shelly. I think you have no problem listening to it and to finding ways to help others.
Owning a small business, I’m offered many opportunities to help folks with fund raisers and events in my community. I do what I can when I can.
Every day I’m open I look for the chance to do something nice for someone else. If a customer is a little short on the final tab, I let it go. If I sense a compliment will make someone’s day, I give one. If somebody needs to know how to do something, I show them.
I learned long ago that charity is more than giving material things. It’s giving freely your time, your knowledge and skills. Often I discover that I get so much more from giving than I ever do from being on the receiving end.
Thank you for this wonderful list today.
ps. and thank you for using one my banners today and for the link, both were sincerely appreciated.
Thanks for this, especially about the checking in on and helping the elderly. I love that my grandma’s neighbors check on her all the time.
I don’t know if you heard about this or not, but since you mentioned Habitat for Humanity you might. They are suppose to have this aluminum drive program, where you can bring in all your aluminum cans and they will use the proceeds to build homes. You get to help build homes and recycle. Awesome, huh?
what a truly heart-warming post my dear. thank you for the link.
you always manage to exceed my expectations when it comes to giving yourself to others. Keep on my friend. your light is shining so bright from where I’m standing. love yah
{ 1 trackback }