The responses to my 2008 Charity Spotlight article just keep pouring in!  I want to thank those who have suggested charities, and encourage those who would like to participate to read the announcement article and then contact me!

You can read about the first four recommended charities here.

Blunt Money from Blunt Money writes Charity Spotlight Aliamos – an article about Aliamos, an Australian-based charity.

People can CHOOSE to donate money or time to a specific environmentally responsible and socially just project.

John from Curious Cat writes Funding Entrepreneurs – an article about Kiva, a site which helps you make micro-loans to people in developing countries.

I was happy when a new payment came in, not for the money being repaid (which shows again that my aim with this money is not a return for me but to provide opportunities to entrepreneurs), but for confirmation he was doing well.

Patti from Tightwad Wannabe recommends Hope House Children’s Respite Center.

At Hope House, parents of medically fragile children can find rest form the strain and exhaustion that result from providing constant care. It is a special place where the focus is on making medically fragile children feel at home while giving their parents a much-needed break.

Reader Gaming Girl suggests Child’s Play.

Since 2003, we’ve set up and organized Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 40 hospitals worldwide.

I still have several charities to spotlight, but I don’t want to overwhelm you (or myself).  As always, before contributing money to any cause, do your own research, and then make your own decision about donating.

Again, if you would like to participate, please read the 2008 Charity Spotlight article and then contact me.

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Spotlighting The Second Four Charities

The response to my 2008 Charity Spotlight article has been nothing short of amazing!  I want to thank those of you who have already submitted your articles and suggestions, and I encourage those of you who would like to participate to read the announcement article and then contact me!

I want to make it easy for my readers to read about each charity, and also want to give a link to each charity mentioned.  I’ll list the website of the blogger who submitted a particular charity, a link to that blogger’s article about the charity, and then a link to the charity itself.  Clear as mud?  Good.

Shaun from Learn Financial Planning writes – How To Save A Life – an excellent article about Charity Water.  From the article:

A dollar gives a free year’s worth of water to someone living in an underdeveloped area.

FMF from Free Money Finance writes – Samaritan’s Purse Gift Catalog Purchases Made – and article about the Samaritan’s Purse Gift Catalog.  From the article:

The catalog contains 40 different ways you can help people from around the world — by “purchasing” (really donating the money for) food, clothing, shelter, transportation, medical supplies, etc.

Stephanie from Poorer Than You writes Charity: Helping Those Poorer Than Me – an article about the Cambodian Rural School Project.  (See article for how to donate.)  From the article -

This program builds schools in some of the poorest areas in Cambodia and, in the areas they are built, has drastically cut down on illiteracy, long-term poverty, and human trafficking. In order for a basic school to be built, $13,000 must be raised. This money is matched by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank and goes towards a school, teacher, and well. Additional money raised goes towards school enhancements such as solar panels and computers, books, and extra teachers.

A reader, DM, suggests St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  This same charity was suggested way back in 2006, during the first Charity Spotlight, by blogger Dedicated to Financial Freedom.  Here’s a link to that article about St. Jude.  (For the life of me, I want to call it St. Jude’s, with an apostrophe.)  From the article -

If you get a chance to look through their site… you may see hope for a cure and success at saving our children from these… illnesses.

I have several more charities to spotlight, but I don’t want to overwhelm you (or myself).  As always, before contributing money to any cause, do your own research, and then make your own decision about donating.

Again, if you would like to participate, please read the 2008 Charity Spotlight article and then contact me.

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Spotlighting The First Four Charities

For the third year in a row, I’m asking my fellow personal finance bloggers to write articles about their favorite charities.  If you have a personal finance blog – or any old type of blog – and you would like to participate in this year’s 2008 Charity Spotlight, write a post about your favorite charity, publish it, and contact me.  If you do not have a blog, but you would like for me to mention a charity that you love, contact me, and let me know a little about the charity, and why you think it rocks.  As I receive them, I’ll share your articles, charities, and suggestions with my readers.  When writing about your charity, be sure to include any pertinent contact and website information.  Any help in promoting this year’s Charity Spotlight would be greatly appreciated.

Click here to view the 2007 and 2006 Charity Spotlights.

Spotlighting The First Four Charities

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2008 Charity Spotlight

I recently asked my fellow personal finance bloggers (and my readers) to contact me and let me know about their favorite charities. Several bloggers and readers have responded – but I’d still love to hear from you! So, read the original post about the Charity Spotlight 2007 and let me know about your favorite charity.

Today, the spotlight shines on a charity mentioned by two of my readers -

Modest Needs

Website: Modest Needs

A quote from the Modest Needs website -

Founded in 2002, Modest Needs is an award-winning public charity with a simple but critical mission: we work to stop the cycle of poverty BEFORE it starts for the low-income workers whom conventional philanthropy has forgotten.

We do this by empowering compassionate members of the general public to safely and securely help hard-working, low-income households to afford the kinds of short-term emergency expenses that we’ve all encountered before: the unexpected car repair, the unanticipated visit to the doctor, or the unusually large heating bill, for example.

Modest Needs looks like a very interesting organization.  It seems that their goal is to keep folks from hitting ‘rock bottom’.  I love the fact that they take efforts to verify the validity of a need.  Take a few minutes and check out their site.

If you have a charity that you’d like me to ’spotlight’ – please read this post.

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Charity Spotlight 2007 – Modest Needs

I recently asked my fellow personal finance bloggers (and my readers) to contact me and let me know about their favorite charities. Several bloggers and readers have responded – but I’d still love to hear from you! So, read the original post about the Charity Spotlight 2007 and let me know about your favorite charity.

Today, the spotlight shines on Kristen’s favorite charity -

Good Gifts – An Organization Located In Hampstead, England

Website: Good Gifts

Kristen’s article about her participation and why she loves this charity: Simple Pound – Good Gifts

A quote from the Good Gifts website -

1. You’re giving directly.

2. The thought really counts.

3. You’re providing a practical solution.

4. You’re effecting positive change.

5. Your gift is wanted.

6. Smiles all round.

A quote from Beth’s Random Life website -

They offer a range of presents to replace the ordinary Christmas gift by contributing to a selected number of charities instead and hence helping people who are in real need. (Y)ou could be giving your parents, partner or friends the warm and content feeling of having helped…

I had never hear of Good Gifts before today, but it looks like an interesting organization. I would be interested to know if they have an American counterpart.

Kristen, thanks for sharing this great charity with us!

If you have a charity that you’d like me to ’spotlight’, please read this post. I’d love to hear from you.

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Charity Spotlight 2007 – Good Gifts

I recently asked my fellow personal finance bloggers (and my readers) to contact me and let me know about their favorite charities.  Several bloggers and readers have responded – but I’d still love to hear from you!  So, read the original post about the Charity Spotlight 2007 and let me know about your favorite charity.

Today, the spotlight shines on Beth’s favorite charity -

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life

Website: The American Cancer Society Relay For Life

Beth’s article about her participation and why she loves this charity:  Beth’s Random Life -  Relay For Life Kickoff

A quote from the Relay For Life website -

At events in 4,800 communities nationwide, teams of families, friends and coworkers join together to CELEBRATE the lives of those who have battled cancer, REMEMBER those lost and FIGHT BACK against a disease that takes too much.

A quote from Beth’s Random Life website -

I got the scare of my life…a large mass was found in the deep tissue of my right breast…Luckily, the mass was found to be a benign fibroadenoma. Since then I’ve had several students who have survived cancer in one form or another. That’s why I continue and strive to raise money for the ACS (Relay For Life).

I urge you to visit the Relay For Life website and consider making a donation and/or participating in a local relay.  My local church has been participating for several years, and I find that the organization is well run and that the relay means so much to so many.

Beth, thanks for sharing this great charity with us!

If you have a charity that you’d like me to ’spotlight’, please read this post.  I’d love to hear from you.

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Charity Spotlight 2007 – Relay For Life

If you have a blog, let me encourage you to write a post about your favorite charity. Send me the link to your post (and a link to the charity) and I’ll mention both to my readers.

To my readers, if you have a charity that you would like to make us all aware of, please contact me and let me know about it! I’ll write a “Reader’s Charity Spotlight” post – and share your charity and it’s information with everyone else.

Click here to contact me.

(Side note: Obviously, I reserve the right to screen the posts or charities that are submitted.)

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Personal Finance Bloggers – Charity Spotlight 2007

I live in a small town in Georgia. All my life, I’ve been surrounded by people who love me, plenty of food, and I’ve never once, not one time, gone to bed hungry. I spend my days and nights worrying about the things that most Americans worry about. Will I have enough money to buy a new car? Can I afford to retire when I’m 65? Should I increase or decrease the amount of life insurance I have? But, tonight, as I’m thumbing through the channels, I stumbled across a 60 Minutes piece about Darfur. I must confess, I had heard of “Darfur” but I’d struggle to find it on a map. To be honest, until I looked it up, I didn’t know if Darfur was a country, a province, or a city. But, after watching the piece on 60 Minutes, I’ve decided that I’ve got to do “something”. Seriously. Do you know about conflict in Darfur? Here’s just a snippet from Wikipedia:

There are many casualty estimates, most concurring on a range within the hundreds of thousands. The United Nations (UN) estimates that the conflict has left as many as 450,000 dead from violence and disease… As many as 2.5 million are thought to have been displaced as of October 2006…

Do you see those numbers? Staggering… Basically, there are 2.5 MILLION human beings who have been driven from their homes, forced to live in tent-like housing, baking in the hot dessert son, miles and miles and miles away from their homelands. I don’t have the time (nor the desire) to go into the details about the political upheaval that lead to this genocide, but I hope that you will take the time to educate yourself about the conflict in Darfur.

So, what is the “something” that I can do? At first I had the idea of asking for donations, or doing some silly “leave a comment and I’ll donate a dollar” type thing… but that’s all too… trivial? trite? self-promotional? So, I’ll leave it up to each of you as to what your “something” is going to be. As for me, I’m going to go to bed hungry. Instead of eating at night, I’m going to spend time in prayer, meditation, and thought, thinking about the people who are suffering in Darfur, and I’m going to make some kind of donation to help them. I’m going to talk to other people about them. I’m going to speak to my church about them. THEM! Not just “Darfur”… THEM. Human beings, created in the image of God, each one individually designed with purpose and meaning. Dying, thousands per day, many of them alone, sick, broken-hearted, poor, sad and away from their homes.

If you want to learn more about Darfur and it’s people and the terrible reality of their struggles, click here to Save Darfur. Make a donation, spread the word, say a prayer, or share their story. Just. Do. Something.

–Jason (NCN)

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A Serious Note About Darfur

One of my favorite podcast couples, Kris and Betsy Smith of the Croncast, are having a charity drive for their local children’s home charity, Childserv. If you are not familiar with the Croncast, it’s an awesome podcast. But, this post is not about their podcast. Kris and Betsy are raising money for Childserv. Childserv is a group home for teen boys, and they need donations for their Christmas presents. If you want super details, listen to the last 5 to 10 podcasts, but the simple summary is that they could really, really use the donations for these boys. When you go to the Croncast.com homepage, there’s a big red block button on the right hand side. Click it and you can make a donation via paypal. ANY AMOUNT WOULD BE AWESOME. All money will go directly to childserv. HURRY, HURRY, HURRY! The drive ends FRIDAY the 15th!!! GO, GO, GO!!!

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PLEASE Read This Charity Post!!!

What a cool idea! An English Major’s Money points out the awesome work done by the folks over at Dress For Success. The idea? Help those who are going for job interviews to “look the part”.
Check out this post, consider a donation, and look for similar opportunities where you live.

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Charity Spotlight 5: Dress For Success