Lady T Recommends “A is for Acceleration,” Heifer International, and Hurricane Relief

Thanksgiving has passed and the holiday shopping season has begun. This is a time of year where many of us look to buy Stuff for our loved ones – material goods or gift certificates so they can buy material goods for themselves. Material goods can be great. I don’t believe in completely taking away the commercialism out of Christmas, because I like getting Stuff and I like giving Stuff.

But let’s say you have that family member or friend who seems to have enough Stuff and doesn’t seem to want or need any more Stuff (see: George Carlin’s “Stuff” routine). You want to give your friend a meaningful present, but you’re not sure what to buy, and you’re not talented or skilled enough to make a homemade gift.

My suggestion? Make a donation in your friend’s name to a charitable organization.

No, I’m not talking about George Costanza’s Human Fund. I’m talking about real charitable organizations. Last year, I purchased a share of a goat from Heifer International in my grandmother’s name. A goat can supply a family with a ton of milk a year, extra milk to make cheese or yogurt, and younger baby goats to raise and make more milk, cheese, and yogurt. My grandma is a charitable person and she was happy to have this donation made in her name, as she doesn’t care much for more Stuff.

You might also want to make a donation to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. The food bank is distributing 100,000 pounds of food daily to the families hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy. Many people are helping with hurricane relief by donating to the Red Cross. ABSOLUTELY, keep donating to the Red Cross! But the Community Food Bank has 95 cents of every dollar going directly to local programs and services, while the Red Cross has 92. Give to one or both if you can.

Or let’s say you have a feminist Rosie Riveter-type friend who’s really passionate about women’s rights and reproductive health. Buy her or him a donation to A is For’s Indiegogo campaign: “A is for Acceleration.” Folks, we’ve had a few significant victories this past election, and personally, I’m feeling a little more hopeful and…change-y?…thanks to Obama’s re-election and the way we sent a record number of women to the Senate. BUT our work is far from over. A is For is planning a great campaign to accelerate their movement to promote women’s reproductive rights. This is what they’re raising money for (quoted from the website):

• ” Supporting and expanding our video outreach campaign

• Manufacturing our scarlet letter A ribbons

• Maintaining and expanding our website

• Developing a database of proposed laws that would affect women’s reproductive rights

• Maintaining and expanding our campaign infrastructure through stipends for writers and researchers

• Covering labor costs associated with the shipping and handling of our A ribbons

• Funding groups that share our common goal of protecting women’s reproductive rights.”

They want $10,000 and have reached $3,510 so far at their indiegogo campaign. They will receive all the money donated to them by Monday, December 17th. Please consider donating to this campaign and/or sharing the campaign with other like-minded people.

Also, if you have any particular favorite charities, mention it in the comments! Let’s encourage a little more giving and a little less Stuff.