How do you give back?

I give a little each month rather than around the holidays, but my favorite charity is FINCA International (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FINCA_International).

They provide microloans (often less than $100) mostly for poor women around the world. These women usually have little access to loans or credit or the local banks are exploitative. These small loans can make big differences in the lives of these women and their (often many) children.

Referring to their focus on women, FINCA says "women have historically proved to be better credit risks, as they tend to be more responsible, perhaps from having to take care of the children. And frankly, they tend to be more creative and risk-taking than the men. Because they manage the household money, they know where the returns are in the marketplace on any given day."

I guess I sound like a commercial, but that's just how much I support this organization. By the way, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who basically invented microfinancing, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 in acknowledgment of its incredible effect on poverty.

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Whenever we go to Wal-mart, my son (age 4) gets to "put monies in". The local Children's Hospital has one of those tall money-collector things... it's clear, sits on the ground, and you put coins in the top, and they roll around and around and around until they go through a chute at the bottom of the bowl, then they fall through a series of metal chutes to the very bottom. He really enjoys it and puts his quarters in there, rather than buying the candy and fake jewelry in those boxes on the way out. He knows that his money is going to help kids who are sick, and he asks for "monies" every time he sees a collection tin - like from Junior Diabetes Research, the Humane Society, etc.

Every time we go to the grocery store (starting around Thanksgiving and running through New Year), I allow him to choose five things to place in the Food Pantry Box at checkout.

When he gets older, I plan to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, the local Animal Shelter, the food pantry, or other *hands-on* charities that match his interests. I think that's the most important thing - find what your child is good at and find the charity that matches it. Kids who love animals can volunteer (with parents) at the humane society, kids who like to build can work with Habitat, etc. Having been on the other side (as the volunteer recruiter), I know that I would take volunteers of *any* age, as long as the child was well-behaved and accompanied by a responsible adult.

Finally, starting when he's 5, we will start sorting through his toys and weeding out the ones he doesn't use any more to donate to our local churches and shelters. My folks had us do this when we were kids... they called it "weeding out the old to make room for the new", but the knowledge that we were helping other kids was always there.

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I give back in a variety of ways all year long. My favorite cause is literacy since it increases wealth for life, not just for Christmas. And I support overseas organizations who are providing truly basic needs which are satisfied by the US government for our "poor." In all, I serve on four nonprofit boards, volunteer for at least a dozen organizations, and give money and tangible goods to at least a dozen more throughout the year.

However, I do participate in helping selected families for the holidays, e.g., the littlest heroes (families with child cancer patients), where the reason for the problems is something individuals in the family didn't cause through their choices.

I have to admit my sympathy for the families often depends on what they ask for. Some are clearly not that needy as they request new computer games, bikes, etc., where others request gloves and basic clothes. I will choose those needy families but buy much more than they request, and throw in several gift cards so they can have a nice holiday meal and pick out a few nice presents themselves.

My kids are not yet old enough to understand charity, but as soon as they are, I will be involving them in various activities year-round.

One organization I will not support is UNICEF, because they push abortion over the needs of children born alive. I also won't give a non-designated gift to the United Way, because they allocate some of their gifts to programs I don't agree with. (If you are stuck pledging to the United Way through work, you can designate your gift to a particular charity to ensure this doesn't happen.)

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