I need your charity ideas!

[eirias]

So, I decided a while back to try to make a monthly donation to charity. I can afford it, and it is nice to feel like I'm making the world a better place. I didn't make August's donation until today ;) what with moving expenses and all, but now I'm looking for ideas for September. Ideally I won't make repeat donations to an organization until a year has passed. Here's what I've done so far.

July - mybikeandi's bike-a-thon adventure
August - Médecins Sans Frontières, designated for the crisis in Darfur, Sudan
September - ??

So, audience members, any charities you particularly like? I've ordered a copy of the American Institute of Philanthropy's guide to giving - I want my money to be used efficiently - but it includes tons and tons of top-of-the-line charities, and that's why I want your help in narrowing it down! Here are some things I have a personal interest in, but I'll gladly consider other causes too:

Civil rights
Victims of war
Breast cancer
Environmental causes, particularly as they relate to human health (e.g., ewwwwww!)

I have mixed feelings about donating to religious organizations, but will do it if they're the best game in town as far as a particular important cause goes.

Comments

[trygve.livejournal.com]

My favorite by far is the EFF.

My big problem donating to lots of various charities, though, is many of them get really obnoxious forever afterwards. "And when you ask them how much should we give, they only answer more, more, more!" I can't imagine how bad it would get giving to a different one each month. Heck, all the paper used to mail you for more afterwards would probably more than counter the effect any donation to an environmental cause might have. =p

But since you're looking for variety, what about political donations to politicians active on issues you care about? Just a thought, it probably won't get as much bang for your donated buck, but it might be a good way to multitask your money? Sort of a "mutual fund" of philanthropy? ;-p

[rms10.livejournal.com]

My big problem donating to lots of various charities, though, is many of them get really obnoxious forever afterwards.

Yes, but you'll never lack for return-address labels!

I feel your pain. I joined the Sierra Club for a few years, but this year I'm deciding between giving my money to the ACLU or Planned Parenthood. (If Bush wins it might be both.) I'm broke, though, so I've been trying to find a good place to volunteer my time, and that's just as frustrating.

[trygve.livejournal.com]

LOL, very true, I do have quite the surplus of return address labels. Some from Habitat for Humanity, others from the Planetary Society, but most from organizations I swear I've never heard of before.

[eirias.livejournal.com]

I have considered donating to Russ Feingold (http://www.feingold.senate.gov/), my favorite Senator, who's up for reelection in November. I think he and Tammy Baldwin (http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/) (who would have to work hard to lose her election bid - Madison loves her) are the only politicians I'd feel comfortable donating to. In response to tiurin's similar suggestion, I'll point out that while I will probably vote for Kerry as a tactical move, I'm not comfortable giving him money, or even campaigning for him at all, really. I don't think he's a very good presidential candidate; I just think that in this particular election, the good of voting for "the best possible candidate" (and thereby influencing the Democratic party to some degree) is outweighed by the good of having a fresh face in the White House. With my money, tactical decisions are a little less constrained (though not absent entirely - hence the AIP ratings).

Oh, and about the junk mail, sadly I hadn't thought of that. I do really hate solicitations. Thankfully I have recycling bins, and caller ID.

[trygve.livejournal.com]

Regarding phone calls, just give them a cell phone number, and they'll never call it. =) There are much stricter (and more strictly enforced) regulations on unsolicited calls to cell phones. I've used my cell phone as my primary phone number for probably going on 5 years now, I've never registered the number with the do-not-call registry, and I the most unsolicited calls I get are from wrong numbers.