It Isn't ALWAYS About Me

As a teacher, the holidays would come and many students would shower my desk with gift cards, homemade goodies, and the like and there would always be one family/student, who in lieu of a gift, would make a donation to a charitable organization and truthfully, I always made sure in in my thank you card, to let them know that this was truly the best gift to give. In the past, I have always made a donation at the holidays, usually to a children's organization, in my grandmothers names. They are old, that is just the truth, and they really don't need or want for anything. I have contributed to The Home for Little Wanderers, St. Jude, Make a Wish...you get the idea. And I think it is important that even if you have a little extra to give, that you do.

I am lucky enough to have close friends and even not so close friends who are charitable with not only their money, but with their time as well. Supporting the arts, animals, people, schools, you name it. In fact, my friend Tracy has spent the month posting a different organization that can benefit from donations. I am including some links of organization that she has been sharing:

Friday Night Supper Program

Homes for Our Troops

God's Love We Deliver

Hands on New Orleans

Donors Choose

Room to Read

Plan USA

RobinHood Foundation

Americas Camp

The Heat and Warmth Fund

Pine Street Inn

There are more, but I didn't want to completely overwhelm you. She did the work for me, and now I have done the work for you-- you just have to click and donate.

On a more personal note, and old friend of mine and his wife are headed to Costa Rica for the month of January. There they will be working in an orphanage for teenage boys who have been removed from their homes. They too are looking for anyone who is able to, to donate to their selfless cause. So please, if you have the means, consider donating. If not to one of these links, to something that is near and dear to your heart. Rick Deutsch's Costa Rica Blog. You can make a donation via the blog.