Excellent Charities?

[TwoCitiesCapital]

I like Kiva.org

 

Microloans to people in developing countries running small businesses. 

 

While not technically a donation, I vote the money as donated and roll all loans and will not be taking the money out. 

 

My strategy has been to lend only to women-owned business. No other due diligence done. The statistics bear out that more of that benefit gets reinvested into the community than men-owned business. And in doing so, my default rate are dramatically lower than the average lender on the platform and my biggest form of "loss" is currency fluctuations

[james22]

 

[Parsad]

Just a heads up type comment.  Food banks throughout North America are really struggling this year as the demand is through the roof.  The visits at many food banks have increased anywhere from 50% to 150% in the last year.  Food insecurity is very much alive in North America this year!  Many food banks aren't sure how they will survive another year of this type of demand.  

 

I normally spread my contributions at year-end to 10 different non-profits, but this year it was much more concentrated within the two food banks I contribute to regularly.  The other 8 non-profits also received contributions, but not the same amount as the food banks.

 

My general sentiment is more aligned with teaching people how to fish rather than giving them a fish, but with increased costs in many sectors, food on a family's table has become a discretionary item for those that are running short of money each month.  Cheers and Merry Christmas to all!

 

 

[Cod Liver Oil]

@Parsad can you list a few legitimate food banks here please?

[Parsad]

12 hours ago, Cod Liver Oil said:

@Parsad can you list a few legitimate food banks here please?

 

I don't know about your area, but for where I live:  Vancouver Food Bank and Surrey Food Bank are the two I give to. 

 

Most major cities in Canada have at least one, if not more, food banks.  For U.S. residents, this is a terrific resource to find them:

 

https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

 

Cheers!

[Spekulatius]

On 10/19/2024 at 2:34 PM, thowed said:

 

Think this is spot-on, generally.  The good, smaller charities tend to be a lot more efficient with their spending and expenses.  Some of the big-name charities can be shamefully wasteful with their expenses.  It might be a bit nerdy, but I look at a charity's accounts these days before donating, to make sure they're not doing silly things with their money.

 

I don't know what it's like in the US, but in the UK there are some decent resources for finding good, smaller charities.

 

Finally, Doctors Without Borders (in the UK we use the French name) got some stick above - I haven't looked recently, but traditionally they were one of the best big charities, and would go to help people in the danger spots - when people were saying 'they help the bad guys', I think the truth is that they help ordinary people who are suffering in countries with bad governments.  Again, this may no longer be the case, but the Red Cross used to have a not so good reputation, in terms of spending, but also being a bit shy about going to the danger spots.  But as I say, I'm not guaranteeing this is still the case (I hope it isn't).

 

Anyway delighted for everyone giving money to deserving causes!

I have been donating to Doctors Without Borders for years and continue to do so. I think you get a lot of bang for the buck because most Doctors volunteer their time  there. They tend to go where it’s most needed.

I also agree going local. I used to donate to the (then local to me food bank) because I knew someone working there but I moved around a lot. So ai no longer have that connection.

 

I think going either far (Doctor without Borders) or going local makes the most sense.

Edited December 12, 2024 by Spekulatius

[Dinar]

36 minutes ago, Spekulatius said:

I have been donating to Doctors Without Borders for years and continue to do so. I think you get a lot of bang for the buck because most Doctors volunteer their time  there. They tend to go where it’s most needed.

I also agree going local. I used to donate to the (then local to me food bank) because I knew someone working there but I moved around a lot. So ai no longer have that connection.

 

I think going either far (Doctor without Borders) or going local makes the most sense.

Doctors without Borders tend to help those who would gladly kill us - Syrians, Afghans, Gazans, Shiites in Lebanon, so I will pass.  

[Masterofnone]

2 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

I have been donating to Doctors Without Borders for years and continue to do so. I think you get a lot of bang for the buck because most Doctors volunteer their time  there. They tend to go where it’s most needed.

I also agree going local. I used to donate to the (then local to me food bank) because I knew someone working there but I moved around a lot. So ai no longer have that connection.

 

I think going either far (Doctor without Borders) or going local makes the most sense.

+1 They are lean and efficient and treat where there is need. A good friend volunteers six months of her life every year (a true saint) and her accounts would make anyone weep. They do so much with the bare minimum- every aspect of the organization is efficient.

[Spekulatius]

8 hours ago, Masterofnone said:

+1 They are lean and efficient and treat where there is need. A good friend volunteers six months of her life every year (a true saint) and her accounts would make anyone weep. They do so much with the bare minimum- every aspect of the organization is efficient.

Thx, it’s good to hear accounts like this. I see the Doctors who volunteer their time often under perilous circumstance as modern day saints as well.

 

I actually had concerns about DwB last year, due the the same thinking that @Dinar explained and especially because  pushed the aid in Palestine so hard in their Fundraising, but then thought better of it. The world is not a black and white place and while it’s true that some of those victims that get help may not be our friend or maybe even enemies there generally a whole lot more victims and participants in any war. What DwB does simply to enable Doctors who volunteer their time to fulfill the Hippocrates oath in situations where people need it most and that’s good enough for me.

[Masterofnone]

5 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

I actually had concerns about DwB last year, due the the same thinking that @Dinar explained and especially because  pushed the aid in Palestine so hard in their Fundraising, but then thought better of it. The world is not a black and white place and while it’s true that some of those victims that get help may not be our friend or maybe even enemies there generally a whole lot more victims and participants in any war. What DwB does simply to enable Doctors who volunteer their time to fulfill the Hippocrates oath in situations where people need it most and that’s good enough for me.

Though it is simpler to see the world in back and white, it is very seldom the case. An example: MSF (DwB) set up a maternity ward in the Hazara neighborhood of Kabul. Under the Taliban, the Hazara community in Afghanistan is subjected to violence and dehumanization. This ward saved mothers and their children from sickness and death. In May of 2020 two gunmen entered the ward and shot and killed 24 women, children and babies. Were these gunmen our friends???

 

 

Edited December 13, 2024 by Masterofnone

[John Hjorth]

On 12/12/2024 at 2:27 AM, Spekulatius said:

I have been donating to Doctors Without Borders for years and continue to do so. I think you get a lot of bang for the buck because most Doctors volunteer their time  there. They tend to go where it’s most needed.

I also agree going local. I used to donate to the (then local to me food bank) because I knew someone working there but I moved around a lot. So ai no longer have that connection.

 

I think going either far (Doctor without Borders) or going local makes the most sense.

 

On 12/12/2024 at 5:06 AM, Masterofnone said:

+1 They are lean and efficient and treat where there is need. A good friend volunteers six months of her life every year (a true saint) and her accounts would make anyone weep. They do so much with the bare minimum- every aspect of the organization is efficient.

 

On 12/12/2024 at 11:38 PM, Spekulatius said:

Thx, it’s good to hear accounts like this. I see the Doctors who volunteer their time often under perilous circumstance as modern day saints as well.

 

I actually had concerns about DwB last year, due the the same thinking that @Dinar explained and especially because  pushed the aid in Palestine so hard in their Fundraising, but then thought better of it. The world is not a black and white place and while it’s true that some of those victims that get help may not be our friend or maybe even enemies there generally a whole lot more victims and participants in any war. What DwB does simply to enable Doctors who volunteer their time to fulfill the Hippocrates oath in situations where people need it most and that’s good enough for me.

 

On 12/13/2024 at 5:21 AM, Masterofnone said:

Though it is simpler to see the world in back and white, it is very seldom the case. An example: MSF (DwB) set up a maternity ward in the Hazara neighborhood of Kabul. Under the Taliban, the Hazara community in Afghanistan is subjected to violence and dehumanization. This ward saved mothers and their children from sickness and death. In May of 2020 two gunmen entered the ward and shot and killed 24 women, children and babies. Were these gunmen our friends???

 

Thank you for the inspiration here to @Spekulatius and @Masterofnone,

 

The above  exchange actually made me recall that my late father was donating every year to MSF. I will pick it up and grab the baton on it, starting this calendar year.

[John Hjorth]

On 10/13/2024 at 10:00 PM, cubsfan said:

I've been a big fan of Dakshana, the Foundation run by Monish Pabrai. Personally, I think he's done great work, regardless of what you think of him as an investor:

 

https://www.dakshana.org

 

I totally agree with Mike [ @cubsfan ],

 

Absolutely stunning and impressive, what the Pabrai family has built up and is running in the Dakshana Foundation, to contribute to upwards social mobility for young Indian citizens, whose families are without the means to finance their childrens post elementary school education.

[Malmqky]

On 11/29/2024 at 5:53 PM, TwoCitiesCapital said:

I like Kiva.org

 

Microloans to people in developing countries running small businesses. 

 

While not technically a donation, I vote the money as donated and roll all loans and will not be taking the money out. 

 

My strategy has been to lend only to women-owned business. No other due diligence done. The statistics bear out that more of that benefit gets reinvested into the community than men-owned business. And in doing so, my default rate are dramatically lower than the average lender on the platform and my biggest form of "loss" is currency fluctuations

 

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. My charitable giving for this year will be through Kiva to people in developing countries running small businesses as well (in addition to local giving ofc)

Interesting note on women-owned businesses as well, I will look into this.

[John Hjorth]

I think I'll add here two organisations, that have been helpfull for me, in my [almost eternal] seek and gathering of objective and non-biased information about whatever, so for me to supoort a cause, that has been very helpfull for me over now many years :

 

Associated Press [Yes, it's a non-profit organisation],

WikiMedia Foundation [Some may get wrinkles around the nose, or even holding it, here. To me, it's always a great place to start, without taking anything in from there as chisled in stone].

 

Donated to them both this year.

 

- - - o 0 o - - -

 

Off topic :

 

Friday I also engaged in a paid Reuters subscribtion for the future, untill eventually decided otherwise, - absolutely awesome  [like for Accosiated Press] how much value I have got for free from that place over the recent years, but it's not a non-profit organisation.