Those of you who read my blog via its main page rather than RSS feed will notice a new TypeList to the left called CONTRIBUTE. Since the holiday season is now in full swing and people are looking for ways in which to share their time or money, I wanted to list a few of my favorite organizations. Some of these are local - I'm sure those of you in other areas of the world can find similar programs closer to home:
ANY SOLDIER, INC. We talk a lot about supporting our troops, but the military personnel deployed overseas can't read our bumper stickers or see the ribbons on our doors - they can't hear our speeches or read our blog posts. What they CAN do is read letters, and enjoy care packages full of reminders of home.
Started as one family's way to help their son's brigade, Any Soldier, Inc. has expanded to include all branches of the armed services and reaches almost 20,000 active duty military personnel via more than 4,000 military representatives. Because my father was a SeaBee, I've chosen a rep who is the OIC of a SeaBee battalion stationed in the Al Anbar provice of Iraq.
The system is simple: Scroll through the military representatives (all of them post personal messages about what they need, what their conditions are like, etc), and apply to receive that rep's address (because of security concerns they are not posted on the website). Then, fill up a couple of care packages with treats, necessities, and letters and send them off! Warning: Please read the FAQ and sending regulations very carefully - sending mail to a war zone requires a few extra steps and precautions.
PASADENA HUMANE SOCIETY & SPCA The PHSSPCA is one of the oldest animal shelters in Los Angeles County - it was founded in 1903! Not only do they offer boarding, sheltering, adoption and outreach education, they are also very involved in investigating animal cruelty and neglect. Though they're well staffed for volunteers at the moment, they can always use donations and, of course, homes for their orphaned animals!
PHAT GIRLS RUNNING Support me in my goal to run a marathon on December 10! OK, you're really supporting AIDS Project Los Angeles - a wonderful program that is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by HIV disease; reducing the incidence of HIV infection; and advocating for fair and effective HIV-related public policy. The marathon is less than two weeks away so you only have one more week to donate! (The deadline is December 3, 2006)
THE LIME PROJECT Heather has cancer and we, her friends, think that sucks. We think it sucks more that since her insurance does not cover prescriptions, she has about $20K in outstanding medical bills. So bronxelf decided that we had to do something about it. Fast.
Next thing we knew, fourteen of us were naked and posing for a 2007 calendar! I'm January. We're doing a very limited printing and have already sold out more than half so hurry up and order yours before we run out! If you don't need another calendar, you can also make a straight donation from the order page.
THE ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST If I look out my kitchen window, I can see the peaks that make up the south west boundary of the Angeles National Forest. Many Los Angeles residents don't know that in addition to being a beautiful place for hiking etc, the Angeles National Forest also contains the majority of Southern California's watersheds - an invaluable public resource. There are countless ways to help the Forest Service protect the Angeles National Forest; check out the volunteer page for a few ideas!
VOLUNTEER MATCH Want to volunteer but have no idea where to start? Volunteer Match is the place. You can search by metro area and by interest so you won't be overwhelmed by hundreds of options.
I love the generosity that pours forth during the holidays, but please remember that there are people, animals, and wilderness areas that need help all year - not just in December. If you're too strapped/busy to contribute now, pledge to do it in February, or in May. The need does not stop when the new year rolls around.
