Charity Begins at Home - That's the Saying, At Any Rate

It's December 30th and I'm running late. Late for what? Late for my annual charitable donations. I always allocate some of my annual spending to support charities that are important to me. I have some on monthly, automatic deduction from my bank account - Public Radio and the Trevor Project are standard for each month. But I also do annual donations to Twin Cities Public Television, Point Foundation, Out Front Organization, the ACLU and the Animal Humane Society (animals are just as important as people),. as well as a few others. I also do spot donations during the year for things that catch my attention or just to help a friend who is having a hard time. I usually have already made my donations for the year by this time. I'm going to have to rush things through in the next two days. I want my donations completed before the end of the year. 

Life for young people is hard. Life for young LGBTQ 
people can be even harder. When someone contemplates 
suicide, they'll often reach out via phone to someone ... 
anyone. When I was young and reaching out, there wasn't 
anyone there. I'm determined that won't be the case now. 

I've been very lucky in my life, but I also remember those times when I was anything but settled and was relying on good luck and food stamps for my meals. I was raised by parents who firmly believed in giving to various charitable causes and organizations that improved the lives of their community. I was NOT raised with weekly tithing to religious organizations, and I don't do that either. I look carefully through the organizations that make my short list, and I don't always choose the same charities every year, although TPT and The Trevor Project are pretty well carved in stone. I want to give where I feel it will do some good and help individual people achieve a dream or improve their lives. And of course, I love animals and want to help them have better lives and loving homes. 

The Point Foundation is a National organization that 
provides scholarship funds for higher education to 
LGBTQ youth. The scholarship funds are used for both 
classic four-year and advanced degrees, as well as 
for study at Community Colleges. As a single person, 
I can't help much with advanced education expenses, 
but combined with thousands of other people, I can 
have a positive impact on a student's dreams. 

I'm not asking any of you to go out and donate to any specific causes, and I know that donations of money are only one way to help - donations of time, materials, or labor are equally important. What I am asking is for you to be kind and if there is any way at all that you can make a difference in the life of another living creature, then please try to make it happen. The best way to achieve peace is through a single smile at a time. 

The Animal Humane Society, both National and 
International, are also high on my list for charitable 
donations. The well-being of animals and the caring 
for our fur and feathered friends can make a serious 
difference in the quality of life for both parties. 

I'm stepping off my podium now and rejoining the human rat race. Please be kind, stay safe and wear a mask. I'll be back tomorrow. 

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. 

Falling Through the Cracks and Donations for 2018

Yesterday's insurance meeting found out that I'm OK - my paperwork came through, but only on the 19th so it may be a day or two before I get my confirmation. DH's paperwork, apparently got sucked into a black hole. The agent resubmitted it and will baby-sit it through as much as possible so that we don't lose him in the cracks. What a mess! I've got to give it a bit of time, no choice, but I'm not very happy about where I had to leave things. So frustrating! 

It's so easy to fall through the cracks these days. I'm
really glad I went back to the insurance company to
push a bit. Now if things could just get resolved quickly! 

We got a winter storm through the state yesterday, but the worst of it shifted course to go north of us. We did get a bit, but not much. Today, however, it will be warm enough to rain - at least until tonight when all of that lovely rain will freeze and tomorrow's driving may be a skating rink. It should be an interesting 24-36 hours of weather. *sigh* Life in the Frozen Northlands. 

It's no fun driving on ice, so I'm hoping we'll avoid the
ice and get snow instead. Snow can be a PITA too, but
all in all, it's easier to handle. 

The best thing about my Annual Year-end Sale is that it brings my long-time customers out to catch the deals. It was wonderful yesterday - we had a chance to catch up with some really good friends and customers throughout the day. It's really the best thing about the end of the year - getting a chance to catch up with people and how things have gone for them over the past few months. 

The Trevor Project fields more than 45,000 calls a year
from trouble youth dealing with their personal sexuality
and discrimination issues. Trevor is a lifeline for so many! 

I'm whittling down my donations list. I already donated to the local Animal Humane Society - a donation that I had owed from a pledge earlier this year. I also know I'll donate to The Trevor Project because they come at the head of my donate list every year. One charity that has come to my attention this year is another local one - OutFront. They are doing some wonderful work helping kids who desperately need it in the more rural areas of my state. I suspect I'll also be sending some funding to AllOut to help with global equality. That leaves one slot open and I'll figure that one out within the next day or so. I've added links to each of the charities, in case you or someone you know is looking for a great place to help through the coming year. 

OutFront Minnesota has been doing wonderful work
in rural areas of the state against conversion therapy.
They also have turned into a strong political group,
where many of their candidates won office over
this past election. 

On that note, I think I have to wrap this up. I need to shovel my driveway before I leave for the gym this morning - a little extra exercise for my morning. Oh well, maybe it will work off some of the pounds I've put on with too much Chex Mix and DH's birthday cake from yesterday. Have a wonderful Thursday and enjoy your day, I'll be back tomorrow!