Chrissi's SQOTD 11/13 About This Page:

[Chrissi]

In keeping with the count-your-blessings theme:

You've won the lottery and, being a good citizen , you've set aside 3 million dollars to donate or begin a charitable organization(s).

Do you donate locally, nationally, or internationally? And which charities?

There are three that are very close to my heart that we currently support and I could never choose between them. So I'd gladly split that donation three ways - La Leche League of the Poconos (new mom hospital bags for nursing moms and free lactation consultation for those with advanced or unusual needs that can't be met by volunteer moms), the Tobyhanna, PA VFW (senior veteran support), and the local food bank. The food bank is run by a church in town and they supplement it with a very low-cost second-hand store. They desperately need more space and they are completely volunteer-run. A little money goes a long way.

[chezp]

I would donate either locally or nationally - probably to our local children's hospice, Guide Dogs for the Blind, as they do an amazing job, Children in Need and the Donkey Sanctuary.

[disney_duke]

I have to admit, I haven't done a lot of research on donations such as this! I give little amounts here and there to various charities. But if it was such a huge amount, I'd probably give it all for animals. Local, National, or International, I'd divide it up and make sure it went to the right places to help animals in need.

[Figmentlvr427]

I would donate to any animal charity, cystic fibrosis and breast cancer research.

[tigger22]

I would donate to several local organizations as there is quite a bit in need around here this holiday season. My biggest gifts would probably be to the local Girl Scout Council and my local food bank as these were near and dear to me growing up.

[Luv4My4]

I would probably donate locally and nationally and would first honor two dear people I lost to breast cancer: My Aunt Peggy and my sister's best friend Sue as well as my mother who is a breast cancer survivor by donating a third of it to the Susan G. Komen fund or something similar. I would also donate a third to Cystic Fibrosis research as my DH's best friend's son suffers from this disease and finally I would donate a third to a local food bank probably Philabundance.

[duck addict]

I would first give to my church, then to the diabetes association (since I am diabetic) and the local pound (they never have enough money : ) and the local group that feeds the homeless every day.

[sparks74]

I would donate locally to various organizations I am involved with and nationally to support Breast Cancer Research (my mother and grandmother are both survivors) and the Lupus Foundation (my father is living with this awful disease).

[cherylf]

I would probably gove some to a couple of national organizations I support, but most would go locally to Children's Miracle Network and Griffin's Friends. Both were great to my daughter and her family when my DGD had her cancer surgery and chemo.

[Disney_Scarlett]

My family is really into community service, so I can think of a lot of local organizations that we already give to (with either time or money or both), that could definitely use a piece of that $3 million. I'd definitely give to my Junior League's charity fund - each year we hold a fundraiser for a different charity, and not only does it raise money, but also raises awareness of the program/need. I still give to past year's charities that I might would have not been aware of had the JL not exposed the community to it.

I'm a member of Kiwanas, so I know I would give money to them. Also my church, which does so much good work - food bank, discretionary fund for needy families, adopt-a-highway, etc. Happy Hills Animal Foundation, our local no-kill shelter. And the Farmer's Alliance, which my grandmother is a stockholder in. They need all the help they can get!

[RobDVC]

Locally.
I'd contribute to the local youth sports organizations that the boys play in.

[DopeyGirl]

We already do a little of all 3 . . . little being all we really can do right now. Not all of them are necessarily "charities" but the money does get put to good use. If we had more money, we'd certainly make a larger donation to each.

We donate locally to DD's Girl Scout troop and the Council. We also put in some money each year to help plan and fund the kids' Christmas party for DH's squadron (without money, there is no party for the kids . . . and no Santa visit. The party happens even if the squadron is deployed and those types of things are real important for the families of the deployed. )

Nationally, we give to to ASPCA and a couple of Navy related things through the Combined Federal Campaign.

Internationally, we give a little to the ONE Campaign and the Save Darfur Coalition.

[akleos]

I'd give $1M to ALS research (thanks to Renee and her sister, Aimee for opening my eyes), and the rest I would donate to my son's special education preschool. They have given me an invaluable gift: the gift of communication with my boy. So even the tidy sum of $2M wouldn't be enough to give them. CRAYONS FOR EVERYONE! Just kidding - I would hope that they would use the money for a permanent music program in the school.

[DyanKJ130]

The Red Sox are one of the tops when it comes to charitable work. Gabe Kapler's (He manages one of the Sox farm teams now, I believe) 'crusade' is one that I hold close to my heart. The Gabe Kapler Foundation: Ending the Cycle of Domestic Violence

[Jookiba]

Like Dyan, I'd earmark half or more to agencies that assist victims of Domestic Violence because IMO, there's not even close to enough resources available for these individuals.

Another agency that would receive from me would be the ASPCA-American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.