Time For Year-End Charity Donations

It's getting towards year-end and I'm getting my annual donations decided upon and made. For the past several years I've concentrated on organizations who assist LGBTQ+ people find safety and acceptance and legal rights. I'm continuing that this year with upping my annual donation to Trevor Project to a monthly donation instead - smaller increments but a larger year-end total. I'm also donation again to Point Foundation - an organization that helps provide scholarships for higher education to kids who have no homes or whose families either kicked them out or just won't/can't provide. It's an incredible organization. 

I've made annual one-time donations to Trevor Project for several years,
and decided to change to a monthly donation beginning in 2020.
They do so much to help prevent the suicide of our youth, and they
are there with an outstretched hand when people have hit the end of
their ropes. 

On a more local front, I'll be renewing my donation to Out Front, an organization working hard to make "conversion therapy" illegal in my state. Although some cities and towns have enacted legislation against these practices, as a state we're still lagging behind. I haven't decided 100% on my fourth and final donation for the year. I usually choose four different organizations for my annual donations. 

Out Front has done some very successful lobbying against
Conversion Therapy here in the Frozen Northlands. I believe
in supporting local organizations that are effective, and
they had a winning year this past year. 

Of course, I have been giving on a monthly basis for many years to Public Television and Public Radio. I firmly believe that they have to be available, in a way it's my way of supporting a Free Press, just without the newspaper connotations. When I want true news of the world, these are where I turn. 

I'll probably give a one-time donation to Point Foundation again this
coming year. They do wonderful work helping students get a college
education. I know how much a small amount meant to me while
I was in college. Anything at all is a help, and they have helped some
really awesome students achieve their educational dreams. 

Why donate? I donate because I'm very fortunate. I have a roof over my head, heat and food in my house, and a small amount of excess funds that will go farther when joined with other people's donations than if I donated directly to a single person on my own. I'm fortunate in my life, and to not pass some of that on to others would be selfish and self-centered. I sincerely hope that I'm not either of those things. Ever. 

The ASPCA usually gets a donation from me as well. I believe in
helping those who can't help themselves and the ASPCA is
wonderful in their work for happy and healthy animals, with
rescues and shelters, meals and health care for our 4-footed friends. 

So I hope all of you contribute what you can to something that will help your fellow members of the human race. I'm not going to direct your donations, they have to come from your heart and you know your communities and where a helping hand is needed far better than I ever will. But please, if you can, choose a charity or two and donate. It doesn't have to be much - a single $10 donation can help a lot. On that note, I'm going to call this post done and I'll be back on Monday. 

BTW - In case you were wondering, yesterday's first day of our Four-Day Sale went beautifully - we were running like crazy until late in the afternoon. I hope the other three days will be as busy, despite our icy rain and possible snow.