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Your bleeding heart....
What's the state of your social conscience? Do you have a favorite charity that you donate money too or volunteer your time for?
Do you spread your acts of kindness around, or do you have it narrowed down to one or two.
If you have a favorite cause, is it due to a personal association, like supporting cancer research because you or someone you love has been affected by cancer.
Do you think your donations are better given to large charities and organizations or do you like the more "local" kind of thing, like the hand labled coffee cans sitting on the counter of grocery stores and gas stations asking for help for a local family's tragedy.
What is your cause, and what drives you to support it?
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| July 20, 2006, 09:01 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
Living in a very small town, there are usually more than a few cases of "coffee can collection" for some reason or another. The majority is for kids..... transplants, wheelchairs and the like. I'll try to give as much as I can afford, which isn't much, unfortunately... but every little bit helps!
I also try to donate to the Defenders of Wildlife. If I can't donate cash, I do my best to spread the word.
Another great discussion, Chaz... can't wait to hear from others about this.
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| July 20, 2006, 09:07 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I would think that anyone who grew up within the religious beliefs of celebrating Christmas has gotta love "toy for tots"
I always think of the song "Father Christmas" by The Kinks...and just can't stand the thought of any child wondering why Santa seems to like the rich kids better.
It's such a small part of a short time in a child's life where they can believe they live in a splendid world where there is actually magic.
Even if 5 bucks is all I have to my name, I'll gladly contribute to that!
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| July 20, 2006, 09:32 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
We have a thing down here, you may have heard of it, it's called the Angel Tree. They put them up in shopping malls and stores. Each angel has a child's name, age, clothing size, etc. on them. You take an angel, buy for that child, then return it to the store. Every year at Christmas we pick one boy and one girl and buy a gift.
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| July 20, 2006, 09:36 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
Here at Christmas, we have the "100 neediest", it's similar.
You can read about the needs of families, and decide which one to "adopt" for Christmas, you get all the information you need, clothing sizes, ages of children, you can choose to buy gifts, food, pay a month's utilites bills, etc...I don't know what rips my heart out the most, reading about the plight of some of these families, or not being financially able to help them myself....some day, some day I will...till then, I'll contnue to buy a red paper poppy from the veteans, put what change I have in a coffee can collection, and contribute what I can to the local veteranarian's neuter and spay program.
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| July 20, 2006, 10:09 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
i donate to several charities throughout the course of the year..
lost my mother to lung cancer a few years ago, so i give my time and physical effort to the american cancer society and the Relay for Life..
Alzheimer Association is another...due to another family member who passed from that disease...
Special Olympics is a gr8 cause...ya just have to see the kids as they compete...overcoming or at least striving to make the best of their particular handicap.
I walk or run every year in the Susan B. Komen breast cancer event..have done so for years..have a sister who has had mastectomy and is a survivor...a very emotional event much like the Relay for Life, as mentioned above.
Of course, at Christmas time the Salvation Army gets my $$ in their red buckets...but i contribute furniture and household goods to them regularly as I do the Vietnam Veteran's Association.
Each year i contribute to the PPA the Police Protective Association...it is a good cause but it sure helps to have that sticker on your car when getting pulled over by a cop..its got me out of more than one ticket...is that reverse charity giving? ha, ha..
there are others too..i tend to be very generous and am very grateful for things in my life so i like to "do good."
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| July 20, 2006, 10:23 |
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funlovingpair
59 / couple
Frozen Tundra, Minnesota, US
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
Ma and I used to be up to our necks in boyscouts, but now the kids are to old for that. Salvation Army would get what pennies I could throw their way. The other would have to be Red Cross, but I give blood only, they will never get any cash support.
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| July 20, 2006, 10:39 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I always donate to the diabetes foundation. We have a lot of it in our family.
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| July 20, 2006, 11:54 |
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Re: Re: Your bleeding heart....
QUOTE (MoonHowler @ July 20, 2006, 09:36)We have a thing down here, you may have heard of it, it's called the Angel Tree. They put them up in shopping malls and stores. Each angel has a child's name, age, clothing size, etc. on them. You take an angel, buy for that child, then return it to the store. Every year at Christmas we pick one boy and one girl and buy a gift.
They have that around here too.. 
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| July 20, 2006, 22:22 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
When cleaning my place out, I will set a pile aside for the Salvation Army. Just because I need to get rid of it or else I'll never get it out. Figured it's better that way so I don't just throw it away when someone else with a lesser success in the money situation or whatever the case may be, can have some of the things.
Haven't done so lately but 8 years ago, I was leaving my work place which was a restaurant, and seen a bum guy waiting for a ride. I went on about my way and couldnt forget how he looked so I turned around and gave him $5 and told him to get something to eat. Whether he did, I'll never know.
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| July 20, 2006, 22:26 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I donate my blood, volunteer for Hospice every week, donate items to Good Will. I give food to those in need. I don't like to give my money to large organizations anymore because I do not trust what they do with my money. Once I am out of school I will go back to donating money to local residents who need it.
I am a huge Hospice supporter - people that are dying need the same love and care that every else get, maybe more. Their last days should be filled with peace and love.
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| July 20, 2006, 23:33 |
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funlovingpair
59 / couple
Frozen Tundra, Minnesota, US
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
When MA and I were doing the scouting thing. We went to the pastor of our sponsoring church, to ask if there was a couple of families who could use a Thanksgiving meal. Of course he said yes. So Ma's group put together a complete Thanksgiving meal for 8, and my group did the same. We gave it to the pastor who saw that it went to right families. We never knew who they were, but that really didn't matter.
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| July 21, 2006, 00:55 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
When I had room for my sewing machine and all my supplies, I use to have a hobby of taking in old clothing(especially coats), and cleaning, repairing, and updating them till they were like new again.
Then donate them to coat drives, abused women's shelters, homeless shelters.
Speaking of abused women's shelters, do they still take your donated cellphones? Even without a calling plan, they can still be used to call 911, and at one time, they gave these donated phones to the women from the shelters for saftey when they had to leave the shelter for Dr. appointments. job interviews or to go to work.
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| July 21, 2006, 09:06 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
My donations are really limited.
I do give to the Red Cross, but mostly give to those I know and meet in person.
I like to see the surprize and happiness on the peoples faces.
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| July 21, 2006, 09:15 |
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funlovingpair
59 / couple
Frozen Tundra, Minnesota, US
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Re: Re: Your bleeding heart....
QUOTE (funlovingpair @ July 21, 2006, 00:55)When MA and I were doing the scouting thing. We went to the pastor of our sponsoring church, to ask if there was a couple of families who could use a Thanksgiving meal. Of course he said yes. So Ma's group put together a complete Thanksgiving meal for 8, and my group did the same. We gave it to the pastor who saw that it went to right families. We never knew who they were, but that really didn't matter.
The Boys then decided that they should do a Christmas dinner then. so we did 2 more families and gave 2 complete meals for Christmas.
Ma
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| July 21, 2006, 16:15 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I've done the angel tree thing a few times, couple small donations to some wildlife foundations, and a few years as a volunteer fireman.
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| July 21, 2006, 16:55 |
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Re: Re: Your bleeding heart....
QUOTE (boredcountryboy @ July 21, 2006, 16:55)I've done the angel tree thing a few times, couple small donations to some wildlife foundations, and a few years as a volunteer fireman.
 did you say fireman??? 
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| July 21, 2006, 18:11 |
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40something
57 / female
In the Sun, Arizona, US
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
We do a lot of different things here. Around Christmas, like some of you mentioned, my kids each pick an angel, and we serve food at the homeless shelters. I work in a deprived neighborhood, so anytime I can squeeze out a few extra bucks I bring in toys to the ER to give the kids who are ill, and my kids know that every spring they have to go through all they have to donate to the child crisis nursery. I have to admit, I tend to focus on the children.
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| July 21, 2006, 19:20 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
Bummer...I'm no position financially to be of much help to anyone this year, I'll have to settle for donations of can goods to the local food pantry and dig up some loose change for the bell ringers...
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| November 28, 2006, 09:46 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
My daughter's middle school class and the others took donations of money and gifts for their angel trees. The elementary school is doing something called a "penny war." They do it every year until Christmas. Whichever class collects the most pennies gets to have a pizza party. You can put pennies in your class' jar or put paper money in another class' jar..... the total of the paper money takes away from the other's total. It's a cute little battle that's for a very good cause.
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| November 28, 2006, 09:54 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
At this time of year, we have a shoebox charity for the children in Romania, you fill a few shoe boxes up, with lots of small gifts so they have something for Christmas. 
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| November 28, 2006, 10:02 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I love the giving tree, was not actually going to do it this year as finances are very tight. My daughter brought one home from school so I went ahead and bought the items - you know it just really puts you in the spirit. So what if I am not feeling like I have extra this year - they have little to nothing. I will just cut back somewhere else.
That's what x-mas is for right??
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| November 28, 2006, 11:04 |
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KINKYINTHEFALLS
56 / male
wild and wonderful, West Virginia, US
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I always save all of my lose change all year and take it in around this time of year for charities, school functions etc... It never seems to amaze me at how much it builds up each year.
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| November 28, 2006, 12:05 |
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Re: Re: Your bleeding heart....
QUOTE (KINKYINTHEFALLS @ November 28, 2006, 12:05)I always save all of my lose change all year and take it in around this time of year for charities, school functions etc... It never seems to amaze me at how much it builds up each year.
Well cool! You're a good Santa!
CKTC...I'm with ya, I don't have it to give, but I'll find some way, a few extras for the pantry when I go to the market...and what little change I have goes in the buckets.
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| November 28, 2006, 12:15 |
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funlovingpair
59 / couple
Frozen Tundra, Minnesota, US
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
Some one here asked about old cell phones, and yes, here they do still take old cell phones. I have a couple to get rid of. Things for us are tight also, but getting better. Once things are done from a previous business, it will be better yet. So not many pennies from us this year. Toys for Tots, Santa Anonymous, Secret Santa are a lot of things for our area.
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| November 28, 2006, 13:42 |
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lizonya
64 / couple
lake elsinore, California, US
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
ASPCA - anything to do for the helpless creatures that depend on us humans. i'm an animal lover!
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| November 28, 2006, 13:55 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I give to several charities yearly as well as the United Way. The past 3 years I raised money towards cancer research. I joined a group of fellow employees in a head shave for cancer campaign. We had to get pledges from people to sponsor our head shaves. The first year I raised just over $500.00. The second year I collected $600.00 in pledges and this past May I set a goal to collect $1000.00 and I managed to raise $1600.00. The campaign organizers got professional hair cutters to donate their time to shave our heads and they were very generous too. I won't be doing the head shave next May because I have 2 neices getting married, [one in early May and the other late May], and my mother does not want me to be bald for the weddings and neither do my wife and daughters. I think I look good bald but I will respect their wishes.
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| November 28, 2006, 14:46 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
i posted my charity giving earlier in this thread for those who care or have inquiring minds.
how bout a WN Angel Tree!!
we can place pics and profiles as a card of various WN people on the tree. As their card is selected by someone that someone then says who they will give the "Angel" to and then describes the "gift giving" exchange..
is my mind too active and/or is this ridiculous or what?
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| November 28, 2006, 15:42 |
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NRG4U
63 / male
Beaver City, Nebraska, US
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I've done the toy run a couple of times, where 1,000's & 1,000's of bikers with stuffed toys strapped to their Harleys take them to be distributed to kids that wouldn't have Christmas otherwise. Lately though I joined "Hunters for the hungry" where hunters donate meat they hunted for, to the hungry. I thinking of joining "Be a muse" where you take a young child out hunting, show him the outdoors, wildlife, & how to hunt.
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| November 28, 2006, 20:18 |
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Re: Re: Your bleeding heart....
QUOTE (CKTC @ July 20, 2006, 23:33)
I am a huge Hospice supporter - people that are dying need the same love and care that every else get, maybe more. Their last days should be filled with peace and love.
I can only say THANK YOU CKTC, I have been looking into hospice for my Mom and the people I have visited with have made me speechless. Talk about giving everything of oneself!!! Until I began this process I always thought of hospice being for those that are dying but have found that it is just as much for the living. I applaude you!!!
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| November 28, 2006, 20:52 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
OK...call me Dan... I added an "e" to the end of applaud.
At our office we adopt several families and do a canned food drive for our area food bank. Last year we were able to supply twelve families with a wonderful Christmas. The entire staff donates money, raffles off gift baskets where proceeds go towards items for these families, and invites them to the office Christmas party.
On a personal level, the American Cancer Society and St. Jude's are my charities of choice. The important thing about this time of the year is that not only you donate your money but your time throughout the other eleve months of the year.
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| November 28, 2006, 21:02 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I'm not able to do much, but I have been buying a few extras when I grocery shop for the food drive for our local food pantry...so since they are predicting a ridiculous amount of snow soon, today I picked up a bunch of boxes of instant hot cocoa mixes(with marshmallows of course)...I just think that every kid who comes in from playing in the first snow of the season, oughta have a big cup of hot chocolate waiting for them!
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| November 29, 2006, 14:13 |
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
Also, when you're at the grocery store or the pharmacy, look for those cards where you donate a buck or two if you can and put your name on it...... for cancer research, etc....
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| November 29, 2006, 14:33 |
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GG317
60 / male
Bowl of Granola, Massachusetts, US
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Re: Your bleeding heart....
I used to play in a golf tournament every year. In memory of a fallen friend who lost his life in a skiing accident. Now the big charity is St. Judes Children's Hospital. They get me at least once a year, sometimes two... 
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| November 30, 2006, 00:43 |
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