Thoughts on giving...

I thought my blog might be the perfect forum to raise awareness of some of my favourite not-for-profit organizations to support. This thought came to my mind after Valentine's Day, when I gifted my mom and grandma each a chicken, that would be given to a less fortunate family in a third world nation. Since I was young, my parents and grandparents have taught me the importance of helping people who are less fortunate. Now that I'm "all grown up," I realize that my family members don't really need more "stuff," and that a good way of recognizing a holiday or event is to give to others on their behalf.

There are two groups that I usually support:

1) Sleeping Children Around the World

Just $35 will buy a bedkit for a child in a developing country. The bedkit includes a mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, mosquito net, clothes outfit, towel and school supplies. 100% of the donation goes directly to the children. This is something that my grandma has been doing on behalf of my sister and me since we were very young, and now that I am in the position to be able to give, SCAW is one of my favourites as well. It is sometimes difficult to find charities where all of the money goes to the cause, and SCAW is one of them.

In return for your donation, you will receive a picture of the child with their new bedkit. They usually have a bright smile on their faces, which puts a bright smile on my face, knowing that they will sleep well that night.

2) Canadian Feed the Children

Canadian Feed the Children has some creative ideas for donating to other people in need. Donors have the option of giving "The Best Gift Ever," which is what I usually do. These gifts are actual items that will be of great use to someone in need, and vary from animals (chickens, cows, goats, etc.), to medical supplies, to clean water, to school supplies, and more.

These are all gifts that can be used by a person to achieve greater goals. A chicken can help feed a family with eggs. A school uniform can help a child obtain an education that will allow them to find a job in the future. A pre-natal visit can help an expecting mother to nourish a healthy, developing child.

Canadian Feed the Children says that only 4% of donations go towards program administrative expenses, which doesn't seem too bad to me. Gifts from Canadian Feed the Children help to build capacity in nations where the people don't have the means to do so themselves.

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I hope this post doesn't come off as preachy. I just thought I would share some information that might help others make informed decisions. I know that many people want to help others, but it can be difficult to determine which charities do what, and which charities direct most of the money towards the people in need. So, this is my two cents on organizations that make a difference.