Do you donate to charities?

[Tuxedo]

ATC as an avid backpacker great organization
Veteran charity(wounded warrior) annually
Sandy Hook Promise monthly
Freedom From Religion annually
Elect Sean Casten IL-06 2018
Movember for Cancer awareness annually
Nearly every natural disaster
Basically the PayPal app that came out with charity pay I scroll through and donate a few times a year

[Maynard]

CNY Cat Coalition gets most of my hard cash donations; Salvation Army is my 'hoarders emotional support' for the crap I'm digging out of the basement that isn't junk - DK if it will work as well w/o the tax write-off, and I haven't looked to see if I'm now using the generic deduction or still itemizing.

[1MOREMOD]

Yeah lot of our stuff goes to salvation army also

[CTinline-six]

I'd rather donate locally to people I know who need help instead of those big charities where the CEOs somehow make millions of dollars.


In one of the school districts my company works with there is a young teacher whose husband is in hospice care with cancer. She has young kids and the school did a collection for meals to be delivered to their home and the driveway to get plowed.

[2000cs]

I target all of my donations.

A couple of years ago I decided to get rid of all of my fly fishing gear. I asked my fishing buddies and found a kids camp in Montana that could use the gear as part of their programs, and was happy to ship it to them.

I give clothing in good condition. Sometimes Salvation Army, but I’d rather take it to the homeless shelter or shelters for abused women, etc. Gets directly to the people that need it that way.

I give money as others have mentioned to organizations that do good work and have minimal overhead. I like local organizations that I can walk into and talk to. Board or volunteer service with these is a good option, too. A long-time favorite is big brothers big sisters local group. Several local groups support veterans, especially with injuries or mental issues. I favor those.

When an employee is injured or there is something else like that, I give to the family. No tax deduction usually, but I like to think it helps them out.

Finally, I value arts and give to arts organizations that I like. I often disagree with their political views but IMO arts should be provocative and make me think, so I support them.

Almost always the case that my giving is local as a result of the above. I’ve done occasional disaster giving, like to Red Cross, but there seems to be a lot of waste and I’ve been able to find better ways to get money/stuff directly to where it is needed (my industry groups often have contacts).

[2000cs]

Adding a comment on tipping. I am now at a comfortable, but not yet retirement comfortable, stage of life. I have a good job and income. So when I go to a restaurant or take a cab/Uber, I tip well unless the service is really poor. I have a minimum tip of $5 that I rarely will go below, which is nice for the low-price places like Waffle House where I might grab a breakfast for under $10 served by someone who is really struggling to get by. At other places generally 20%+, often 30%. Not showy or showing off, just trying to reward good service and make someone’s lot in life a bit easier.

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by 2000cs

Adding a comment on tipping. I am now at a comfortable, but not yet retirement comfortable, stage of life. I have a good job and income. So when I go to a restaurant or take a cab/Uber, I tip well unless the service is really poor. I have a minimum tip of $5 that I rarely will go below, which is nice for the low-price places like Waffle House where I might grab a breakfast for under $10 served by someone who is really struggling to get by. At other places generally 20%+, often 30%. Not showy or showing off, just trying to reward good service and make someone’s lot in life a bit easier.

Absolutely agree; rewarding good service is something important to me too.

[CANGRKE70]

I grow a stache and donate to Movember, Toronto Sick Kids, JDRF and I've donated hair to Angel Hair for Kids.

[upstatedoc]

salvation army is legit, thanks for the reminder

[UncleWede]

Since I graduated high school I have sponsored a kid in Ethiopia via CCF.

The local thrift stores have volumes of our older "stuff"

And then there is extended family. It's still weird when my wife's uncle comes over, and he's got on my shirt AND my old dress shoes, and the shoes look nicer on him than me

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

salvation army is legit, thanks for the reminder

And donations (cash or property ;i.e., old clothing housewares, etc) are tax deductible.

[1MOREMOD]

Does sperm donation count its laying all over my house should collect it

[Z K]

I don't donate money very much but I donate my time. Help out children's homework at after school activity centers, meals on wheels which provides meals for homebound seniors, and forest clean up days where we go pick up trash people litter.

I feel like being hands on gives some perspective into society's problems and you feel like you're personally doing something to help people's lives.

[jimbobiggens]

St Jude. Who can say no to kids???

[1MOREMOD]

Me, get off my lawn

[kscarrol]

Salvation Army gets a ton of stuff from us, JDRF gets cash given we have a diabetic son and Second Harvest Food Bank. Smaller amounts to local schools/charities.

[WreckerX5d]

I heard and read some not so good things about Wounded Warrior Project so I haven't bothered with them. The Semper Fi Fund on the other hand is pretty good though as well as the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society.

I have personal experience with Toys for Tots, and it is a legitimate service but I did get a bad taste in my mouth with some of the people showing up accepting the toys. I guess that could go for any charity organization/event though.