‘Tis the Season to Give Worms (and Maybe the Grey’s Anatomy Board Game Too)
If the mere thought of holiday shopping has already begun to devour your sanity, how about channeling the true spirit of giving this season and donating to a charitable organization?
Like most everything, charity is now customizable thanks to a slew of new philanthropic sites that allow you to give both to your loved ones and those truly in need of your gifts this season.
Does your niece love animals? How about donating a dozen baby chickens in her name to help generate income for a family living with HIV? Oxfam America Unwrapped sends witty cards to your friends and family letting them know you have put money towards a good cause for them. You can pick gifts by gift or price, and even though the money won’t always be put into the item you chose to buy, you can be assured it will always be going to a good cause.
If you like more insight and control over how your charitable donations are spent, log onto GlobalGiving.com. This is my personal favorite as it allows you to select projects by subject and region, and then sends you updates on the communities you have chosen to help out.
Even more interesting is the fact that charity now has a social network. Razoo.com is now up in beta and is described on its site as “a place to learn about causes, share your passion, connect with other people with similar interests, and find tangible ways to make a difference”. I haven’t joined yet, but I intend to do so soon — and think it will provide a whole new group of great online opportunities.
Until then, I’ll probably be sticking to these sites to send donations through this year. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll also be buying my sister the Grey’s Anatomy board game for Christmas, but her gift may be supplemented by a can of worms.
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