Charity
The Yelp and Zagats of charities and non-profits
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Wealth, Charity, Fraud
If you want to find a good hairdresser in your area, you go online to Yelp.com. A good restaurant: Zagats.com. But where do you go to find a worthy -- and trustworthy -- charity to donate to? Try GreatNonprofits.org, a site that's trying to make it easier for all parties involved in a nonprofit -- volunteers, staff workers, donors and the needy -- rate it as a place to fund. GreatNonprofits.org was started by Perla Ni, former publisher of Stanford University's Social Innovation Review, after people came to her post-Hurricane Katrina, asking what charities to fund. Ni didn't have a clue -- there was no measurement system online rating charities beyond the income/expense ratios. The charities she did find in New Orleans providing most of the shelter, food and water were small, obscure ones that weren't getting any media or celebrity attention.
That's the case everywhere -- lots of small nonprofits doing good work but lacking the time and money to promote their efforts. GreatNonprofits.org has reviews for about 400 nonprofits to date, most of them in the Bay Area where Ni's organization is based, but there are more than one million charities in the Web site's database waiting to be reviewed, if you have some insight to share.
San Francisco Airport eases fliers' "guilt trips" with carbon-offset kiosks
Filed under: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Transportation, Travel, Charity
After touching down at San Francisco International Airport after the holidays, I didn't feel so guilty about flying as I had in the past. Or actually, because of optimism for a New Year, reduced gas prices and a third of the seats on my flight staying empty, I didn't even give a thought about feeling guilty. However, I was landing in San Francisco, one of the most eco-conscious places in America, and the city intends to do its part in making everyone passing through its borders aware of their carbon footprint. Not only is San Francisco the first U.S. city to consider a "congestion pricing plan" for motorists driving its streets, it will also be the first city in the world to let travelers buy certified carbon offsets in its airport.
The Job Hunt: Not-for-profit jobs growing
I've been looking for months to work for a not-for-profit group, mostly because I'm interested in the work they do and would like to find a job helping the community. A recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics points out a few other good reasons: Non-profits are experiencing rapid employment growth, and they pay a little better than other businesses.
As a former newspaper editor, I can write and edit for pay, among other skills, and I'm always on the lookout for expanding industries that may need my talents. The most expanding area is in general, medical and surgical hospitals, followed by colleges, universities and professional schools. If you want to go where the money is, or at least where more jobs are, then your local not-for-profit hospital or university is a good place to start.
Although for-profit businesses pay better, more jobs are being created in the not-for-profit businesses, according to the BLS report. Not-for-profit employment has increased 5% in two years between 2002 and 2004, while total private employment increased by less than 1%.
Animals & Money: The hero auction wrecker
Filed under: Real Estate, Charity, Fraud
Just before Christmas, an economics student in Utah figured out a way to help the environment by messing up the mechanics of an auction. The Bush administration had Bureau of Land Management auction offer a last minute auction to sell off 150,000 acres near Arches National Park.Tim DeChristopher, 27, just started bidding when the government tried to auction off the land. That threw a wrench into the whole auction. He went home -- after a brief visit with police -- owning 22,000 acres of land and owing $1.7 million. But he also pushed the price up for oil developers. So much so that the whole auction results are now in question. The AP says buyers were given 10 days to decide if they paid too much. I don't think that offer applies to DeChristopher himself. They may have to have a do-over for the whole auction -- but that would be under the Obama administration.
DeChristopher didn't start off his day hoping to stand in the way of Bush's last minute sale to the oil industry. Instead, he went to his scheduled final exam. Amy Goodman reported in the Seattle Post Intelligencer that one of his exam questions was whether this very auction was fair since only the oil companies were bidding. That got him thinking.
Men, women differ in charity decisions
Filed under: Charity
New research by a Texas A&M professor confirms what any panhandler knows; men and women approach charitable giving in a different and predictable way. Hint- if you're planning to stand on a city street, hat in hand, target men.
Researcher Karen Winterich found that charitable behavior can be predicted with only two pieces of info; sex and 'moral identity'. Moral identity, in this context, refers to the degree to which the individual values fairness, kindness, compassion and the like.
Her study found that men of similar moral identity are more likely to give to those needs in close proximity; face to face, neighborhood, or community. Women, on the hand, have a propensity to give to larger causes, such as Hurricane Katrina victims or relief efforts for the survivors of the 2006 tsunami disaster.
The study found a correlation among women between moral identity and the proximity of giving; those who scored higher on moral identity gave more willingly to causes regardless of how far away they were, while those scoring lower preferred the closer cause.
My take? If you are female, expect more pitches from not-for-profit organizations focused on foreign or worldwide causes. If you're a man, expect your doorbell to ring more often.
If you're selling Girl Scout Cookies, wait until the man of the house is home. And get to him before dinner.
Also read: How to stretch your charitable giving
A better way to rate charities...before you give
Filed under: Charity
There's an abundance of charities in America working to fulfill a variety of missions. Because of the sheer number, several firms have stepped in to rate them. While their methods differ, these organizations are all trying to do one thing; help donors make informed decisions. Unfortunately it is difficult for these entities to rate charities on one of the most important aspects of charitable work; their ability to complete their mission. This brings up a good point; you wouldn't purchase anything else based solely on ratings that didn't account for how well the product works. So why would you give to a charity based solely on a set of financial data without observing how well the charity lives out its mission.
If a charity incurs high overhead costs or has low cash reserves but still manages to provide foods and shelter for a large populace of people, shouldn't that count for something? The Wall Street Journal took a look at how charity rating sites plan to adjust their methods to include this important aspect of a charity's success in the coming year.
Last-minute gift ideas? Have a cow
Filed under: Charity
Who here is NOT done with holiday gift shopping yet? There are lots of us, hmm? May I suggest a gift that doesn't require a trip to the mall or expensive last-minute shipping costs? Charitable donations are a stress-free Christmas gift, perfect for givers who hate to shop and recipients who already have everything anyway.In this blogger's opinion, Heifer International is one of the best charities out there, worthy of consideration for any gift-giving occasion. When you donate to Heifer International, you're not just making a one-time offering. The money you send will be put toward animals (which you can choose or let the organization choose for you) that will be given to families in need. Heifer recipients go through rigorous training to learn how to care for their animals and make the most of the gift. Then, when their animals have offspring, they pass on at least one offspring along with their training to more needy families. This process makes the charity so much more successful than a program that simply donates cash or food to people in need. Heifer teaches people the skills they need and gives them the tools necessary to rise out of poverty, and in turn help others do the same.
It's called Heifer because it started with a cow, but now the organization deals in all types of animals, and even trees. (I think the ducklings make an adorable Christmas card.) If you can't afford to donate an entire animal, you can donate money toward that animal, which will be pooled together with other donations. It really is a gift that keeps on giving, and that's why I always do some of my holiday shopping in the Heifer International Gift Catalog.
20 unusual ways to save money: Dumpster dive
Filed under: Bargains, Entrepreneurship, Extracurriculars, Home, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Charity
In a lot of ways, dumpster diving represents the ultimate battle between thrift and dignity. Dirty, smelly, and quasi-legal, it is also a great way to save money, get great stuff, and learn about your neighbors on a whole new level. Although "trash reclamation" has probably been around since the dawn of garbage heaps, movements such as Freeganism and Freecycle have blurred the line between waste and wealth creation, ushering in a new era of dumpster diving.When I was a college freshman, I was something of a preppy; consequently, random fate and poetic irony conspired to pair me with an inveterate dumpster diver. Much of my roommate Dan's possessions came from various trash piles around campus; those that didn't were generally the product of thrift store or discount bin scouring. Although I didn't join him on his scavenging hunts, I quickly became amazed at the incredible array of items that he brought back. From furniture to clothing to computer equipment, Dan had an almost preternatural ability to jump in a pile of trash and pull out a few pieces of treasure.
Charitable conundrum: Family offered help we don't (totally) need
Filed under: Charity, Relationships
I'm not going to lie and say we're flush with cash, but I don't consider us to be in need of charity; we have a house with a mortgage we can (barely) afford, we pay our gas bill and power bill before the shut-off notices start coming, we buy organic produce from the farmer's market (though we trade off many things -- like entertainment and travel and home electronics -- so we can afford healthy, toxin-free food). For a split second, I thought about saying, "no! we don't need it silly!" but realized that would be rash at best, ungrateful and insulting at worst. I asked many of my friends their advice, and to a one, they told me I should accept the basket with grace and, if I didn't need what was inside, give it to someone else who did.
Now I'm looking forward to picking up the basket this weekend, and wondering how I'll decide to whom the contents should go; perhaps I'll visit a local nonprofit servicing homeless families, as this is one cause about which my heart really breaks (especially as my hometown is experiencing 10 days of a cold snap just in time for the holidays). But I'm wondering what WalletPoppers think: if you were offered charity, but felt you didn't totally need it, what would you do?
Job applicants flooding in for low-paid positions
He ended up hiring three people and spending $1,000 on the project -- and deciding to start a nonprofit job-creation program, as well, to put all these valuable unemployed individuals to work doing good things. And then this morning on BBC, another story described a man who ran a small construction crew; he posted jobs on craigslist, too, and he too received hundreds of great applicants within hours. He picked the college-educated, over-qualified job seekers to work for him; so he could listen to NPR on the job site without complaints.
It's a bad time to be looking for a job, but if you're hiring for a low-paying job, you've got the cream of the crop hoping to work for you. And it's interesting to see many white-collar types searching for work in decidedly blue-collar jobs; the promise of Joe the Plumber is paying off and Americans, more and more, are seeking the sorts of skills that get your hands dirty and promise way more exercise than the walk to and from the conference room. It's not surprising that, when I announced on my instant messenger's chat client status that I was "working at Starbucks" (I was using the wifi there to write), one of my friends thought I was actually working for Starbucks (hey, she figured, Starbucks has a generous benefits policy!)
The economy may be in trouble, but there are silver linings; and some real opportunities to expand your set of marketable skills. If you're unemployed, where have you looked for work?
An everlasting gift: September 11 Memorial cobblestones
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Shopping, Charity, Relationships
One of the toughest aspects of holiday gift giving is the fact that most presents have a very short shelf life. It is almost inevitable that this year's toy will become next year's piece of broken plastic, while a dress that is perfectly in style in 2008 is almost guaranteed to be an embarrassing relic within five years. Even those precious few items that stand the test of time are prone to breakage, disappearance, or, in the case of a beautiful piece of luggage that my parents gave me when I hit 16, cat pee damage. Sadly, there simply aren't that many things that will last for 20 years, much less 100. With that in mind, one gift giving option that you might want to consider is a part of the World Trade Center memorial. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum is currently asking for donations to help build a monument to the lives lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks. For $100, you can sponsor one of the granite cobblestones that will line the pathways surrounding the two memorial pools in the center of the monument. Each cobblestone will be numbered, and your friends, family, and descendants will be able to find your stone with the help of a kiosk that will be located at the site.
Until December 19, if you give a cobblestone sponsorship, your recipient will receive a holiday card. After the 19th, the stones will still be available, but the cards will not. However, regardless of whether you order your gift before or after the deadline, this is definitely a present that your loved one will never forget!
Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. He still has a few hard-to-please people on his list.
Dine with the stars: Celebrity lunch boxes benefit the hungry
Filed under: Entrepreneurship, Extracurriculars, Food, Shopping, Health, Charity
Would you like to have lunch with Cameron Diaz? How would you like a meal that was prepared by chef Mario Batali? Does a balogna sandwich with Gwyneth Paltrow interest you? Well, I can't help you get any of those great privileges, but I can set you on track to what just might be the next best thing. A unique and rare opportunity has just come our way. In service of the expanding efforts to feed the hungry, an esteemed group of culinary and entertainment celebrities has come together with an unusual kind of auction. These good hearted celebrities are auctioning one of a kind lunch boxes which they have designed themselves. An interesting array of etched, painted, and otherwise embellished lunch containers is ready for your cultured approval.
The lovely specimen to your right is a lunch box designed by food legend Alice Waters. (Too bad you can't bid for this box filled with a lunch of her making.)
This intriguing charity effort is being conducted to benefit the Food For Survival food bank of New York City, and The Lunchbox Fund. The auction is being sponsored by Master Card and a host of NYC icon establishments. To be sure, this collection of lunch boxes certainly represents some whimsical and original art. Whether or not these very special lunch containers represent investments in their own right, is a secondary consideration to the very serious sentiment behind this charity auction effort.
American Idol cancels 'Idol Gives Back' fundraiser
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Charity
Idol Gives and Takes Away
** FILE ** In this April 14, 2008 file photo, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul arrives at the 2008 CMT Awards, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
AP
** FILE ** In this April 14, 2008 file photo, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul arrives at the 2008 CMT Awards, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
AP
** FILE ** In this April 6, 2008 file photo, Robin Williams, left, and Ryan Seacrest embrace on stage at the "Idol Gives Back" fundraising special of "American Idol" in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)
AP
** FILE ** In this April 14, 2008 file photo, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul arrives at the 2008 CMT Awards, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
AP
** FILE ** In this April 14, 2008 file photo, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul arrives at the 2008 CMT Awards, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
AP
** FILE ** In this April 14, 2008 file photo, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul arrives at the 2008 CMT Awards, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
AP
** FILE ** In this April 14, 2008 file photo, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul arrives at the 2008 CMT Awards, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
AP
** FILE ** In this April 14, 2008 file photo, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul arrives at the 2008 CMT Awards, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
AP
This undated photo provided by HSM shows the Mosaic Earrings from the Forever Your Girl line by Paula Abdul. They might not go home with a recording contract, but Paula Abdul doesn't let any "American Idol" contestant leave empty-handed. Each season she designs and distributes jewelry for the aspiring singers as a keepsake of their experience. Beginning this month, Abdul's fans will be able to buy similar mementos from HSN. (AP Photo/HSN) **NO SALES**
AP
This undated photo provided by HSM shows the Opposites Attract Clutch from the Forever Your Girl line by Paula Abdul. They might not go home with a recording contract, but Paula Abdul doesn't let any "American Idol" contestant leave empty-handed. Each season she designs and distributes jewelry for the aspiring singers as a keepsake of their experience. Beginning this month, Abdul's fans will be able to buy similar mementos from HSN. (AP Photo/HSN) **NO SALES**
AP
Despite concerns over some un-dispersed funds, Idol Gives Back only uses 7% of the donations for overhead. In comparison many national charities spend above 10% on administrative and fundraising expenses according to CharityNavigator.com.
Even though the leaked memo makes no mention of the reason for canceling Idol Gives Back 2009, I can't help but wonder if there are concerns about securing corporate sponsorships which made up a bulk of the donations. One of the major sponsors in 2008 was Ford and given the recent scrutiny that bailed out companies are receiving, charitable giving, even when tied to advertising, may be reined in. If the government is going to be giving to charity, they might as well do it directly.
Hopefully donors will continue to support these programs by giving directly to the charities.
Teaching kids about charity with a party
Filed under: Charity
My mother keeps a piggy bank of spare change in her house for my niece. It's full of coins collected from the laundry, and when my niece comes to visit, my mother gives her the money to spend however she wants. This Thanksgiving, the piggy bank had almost $20 in it -- a lot of money for a four-year-old! When we asked her how she wanted to spend the cash, my niece gave an answer that surprised us all. "I want to give it to people who don't have any."We took her to the grocery store, and after unloading several handfuls of money into the Salvation Army collection bucket, she announced that she wanted to spend the rest on food for the hungry. So she took her remaining $11 and bought canned goods to leave in a food bank donation box.
We were, of course, very proud of our little giver, but also curious about why she was so charitable all of a sudden. After all, she's a typical four-year-old. She loves STUFF, and we were surprised that she didn't want to spend any of the money on herself. It turns out, she'd just been to a charity-themed birthday party. Instead of gifts, this friend (more likely this friend's parents) had requested that everyone bring food that they could donate to the food bank. Then all the kids went down to the food bank together, made their donation, and listened to a volunteer there teach them all about what food banks do and why it's important to give.
Stop the presses! Over-leveraged Tribune Corp. files bankruptcy
Filed under: Borrowing, Debt, Entrepreneurship, Charity, Bankruptcy
My first job out of college was working for the Tribune Co.-owned Sun Sentinel and late-lamented Fort Lauderdale News. As a woman among many men, I was in charge of helping put out all the most trivial news -- the 24-page Sunday bridal sections and the 36-page Wednesday food sections.It was hard to just find enough stuff every week to keep the ads from bumping together. There were so many ads in those newspapers that one of the baffling management problems was how to fit enough copies in a newspaper carrier's bag so that he could get the papers delivered on time.
Those days are long gone. Today, the Tribune Co. declared bankruptcy. Chairman and CEO Sam Zell blamed "a precipitous decline in revenue."
In short. Not enough ads.
