On being thankful for clean water and food (and alpacas)
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Around this time of year I usually review our charitable contributions. This year I’ve enlisted my 10-year-old daughter in part of the review process. We recently received a donation “catalog” from World Vision, which lists a range of targeted donations for livestock, medicine, education, water, and other basic needs. I’ve given her the responsibility to read through the catalog, learn about the various needs, and choose something that we will fund. (Along similar lines, last year some of the kids at her school had a project to buy a cow at Heifer International.)
It can be hard for kids (and grownups) living here to relate to the idea of scarce and/or unsafe water, subsistence farming, or a general absence of health, education, and basic physical and economic security. Spending time travelling in and around the developing world has given me a greater appreciation for the mundane efficiency of everyday life when I return home. (Drinkable tap water, stable electricity, Whole Foods, etc.)
I’m inclined toward systemic solutions and assistance rather than one-time fixes, so I’m biased toward providing aid that enables people to help themselves. This obviously doesn’t work for disaster relief, but I’m starting to think of that as a separate recurring category of its own.
Overall, here’s where we allocate most of our donations, from local to global:
- Our local public elementary school (California state funding is lame)
- Various community funds (helps agencies here in Palo Alto)
- Our church (keeps it running, and funds external national and global programs)
- My high school (boarding school, which I attended on financial aid)
- My college (which I attended on financial aid)
- Local United Way (designated to regional agencies)
- Various global charities (different ones from year to year)
Emily is apparently leaning towards an alpaca, because they’re soft and furry. I’m trying to make a case for one of the water related items, although at this point I figure I’m happy simply having a framework for a discussion with her about life in the rest of the world.
Charity Navigator is a good resource for checking out charitable organizations. At the moment I like the Grameen Foundation and World Vision for global programs.
See also: Merry-go-round and see-saw powered water pumps, DIY UV Water Treatment System, Voltage Stabilizers and Hidden Costs of Rural ICT
Tags: charity, philanthropy, global, kids, parenting, ruraldevelopment
December 4th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
Ho John –
Great post. Theresa and I are completely in sync with your approach to charitable giving.
We love Heifer International; it seems so pragmatic, and also appeals to our kids as a somewhat more concrete concept than the other ways we have tried to get them involved. In a stroke of brilliance, Theresa “bought” the kids Halloween candy, as much or little as they were willing to sell, and used to proceeds to purchase animals. Charlotte loves everything about ducks, so she bought some ducks. And then Theresa brought the candy in to her office (although one might argue that it would be more humane to dispose of it completely).
There’s another side of this subject that we read about in a book called [url=http://www.amazon.com/Road-Hell-Ravaging-Effects-International/dp/0743227867/sr=8-1/qid=1165288297/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-0433586-5955152?ie=UTF8&s=books]The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity[/url], which talks about how destructive well meaning but poorly considered charitable giving can be.
In this world where global warming is a major issue, it’s important to keep in mind that we need to be encouraging sustainable growth and stewardship of the planet. It’s a little tricky.
Tom
December 11th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
No toys for you! (On being a skeptical charity donor)
I hate being skeptical about charitable solicitors, but I am.
This evening there was a solicitor with a table display of children’s toys on the sidewalk in front of the Long’s Pharmacy on Middlefield Road, next to a barrel marked for don…