what do you gift to charity?

[Ombud]

$10 - a bag of groceries - a day at the food bank - an outfit for Wardrobes for Opportunity (charity that gives interview + 2 work outfits to low income people transitioning to work force) - or nothing at all?

[Iggy aka IG]

It varies.  Mostly clothing and non-perishables to a local church.

[NoNamePerson]

I send money to my charity of choice and donate food to food bank. I have a friend whose church will take clothes so I give them to her.

[pepperdoo]

Food bank 

[Ombud]

2 interview suits for unemployed vets today @ Goodwill - they pass them along free (ok, bought yesterday on clearance rack for almost nothing - pants 4.99 ea + jackets 10.99 - $10 off coupon. Blew my NSD)

[chiver78]

I take all the toiletries when travelling, and donate a grocery bag full to a local homeless shelter when I collect enough. (I travel quite a bit...doesn't take too long!)

[dancinmama]

In the last couple of years we've donated thousands to a scholarship fund for vets.   All of our donations were matched by DH's employer.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

I put something in the food bank bin every time I'm at the grocery store. They have it set up year-round. I usually will put in canned goods, pastas, or paper products (TP, kleenex, Paper towels)

I also take the sample-sized soaps & shampoos/conditioners from hotels.

There's a Women's Emergency Crisis Center here - and I had to stay there for a couple of months just a few years ago - and they have great use for things like that. I also gave them a lot of my clothing I no longer wear once I was re-settled in my current home and established.

Some of the women who flee an abusive marriage or relationship leave with little more than the clothes on their backs - so every little thing is a hand up.

I do a lot of crafting too - so I've crocheted things like toys, toques, scarves, mittens, gloves, etc for the Children's Hospital and the "Children's Cottage" (a safe-home and nursery for kids with families in crisis).

[Blonde Granny]

I make quilts for the Quilt of Valor program, these go to injured service men and women.  We also donate $25/mo to the Wounded Warrior Project.  Since my Dh is a disabled Viet Nam vet, these two are very close to our hearts.

[mmhmm]

As a family, we're involved in a number of local charities throughout the year.  Before mother's condition required I stay here with her, I donated my time to a clinic for the indigent.  Both my kids, and their families, donate their time and money to Meals on Wheels and food banks.  At Christmas each year, we collect the money we would have spent on gifts for one another and donate it to a local charity chosen by one of us (we take turns).  Even the kids wanted to get involved at an early age.  They wanted to give, rather than receive.  We were all very proud of them.

[Peace77]

I give money to an orphanage of Deaf children (my credit union sends it automatically).
We give cash to our church.
I volunteer my time for a few different organizations that assist people who are Deaf, DeafBlind, and people in poverty.   The hours vary depending on the needs and my health. A slow week is around 12 hours; a busy week can include days so long that DH has to fix his own dinner.  

If someone is unable to go to the food bank, I will go for them and add things from my home pantry.  I save the sample size toiletries and give them to those just released from prison who will be homeless.  

[NoNamePerson]

Nov 8, 2013 16:43:53 GMT -5 Ombud said:

$10 - a bag of groceries - a day at the food bank - an outfit for Wardrobes for Opportunity (charity that gives interview + 2 work outfits to low income people transitioning to work force) - or nothing at all?

I wish we had the Wardrobes for Opportunity here. I searched around when I wanted to get rid of my work clothes. They were in really good condition and not outdated at the time.

[Blonde Granny]

Noname.....our local Goodwill just had a job fair that included clothes for those needing them for work.  You could check around and see if one close to you has a job fair.

[NoNamePerson]

Thanks for the info BG. But the clothes are long gone now, but I will keep that in mind when I have another cleaning spurt!! I am sure I hung on to a few things that should probably be handed off.

[TheOtherMe]

First, I donate a lot of time in my role as a representative payee for four clients.  Two are very time consuming and two are very easy.  One of the latter was very difficult and time consuming do to governmental paperwork to get her Title 19 benefits reinstated because we didn't attach one sheet of paper for proof, but they would have accepted a zero on the line.  I did finally get it straightened out and the Soc Sec that had been reduced has now been paid back and the Title 19 reinstated.

My DS and I take an Angel from the church tree and the gifts will go to a family in need.  We think the Angels will be there tomorrow.

I do donate to a local women's shelter here because I truly believe in what they are doing.  They have one facility to help with abused women needing to get back on their feet and another building that provides housing for up to a year once a job is found so the women can save money to get back out on their own. Both facilities allow the women to have their children with them.

I have some other favorite charities.  I do not donate until I check out the admin costs.

I also donate to my two collegiate alma maters.  Without what I learned at those two places of higher education, I would not be the person I am today.  My undergraduate school gave me a lot of scholarship and grant money and I can never repay them for how much that meant to me.  I didn't have to take out student loans for those amounts.  

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

40+ hours a week volunteering, every week, to a local nonprofit

cash

people food to the Community Food Bank

cat and dog food to the Pet Food Bank

household items to the Cancer Society Discovery Shop

[Deleted]

Cash to my charity of choice, about 15 hours a month volunteering and random gifts to individuals I know as I see a need and have the resources. I donate old clothing to the second hand shops but that is really more decluttering than anything.

[Deleted]

Within the last few weeks? I bought basic needs for someone who just moved into their home.

On a weekly basis I designate benevolence offerings (money). Periodically I give items to Rescue Mission or Salvation Army. I give scholar dollars. Otherwise, I give towards the needs of others as I am lead to. There are so many needs. 

[HappyLady]

I give clothes and household items I no longer want/need to Goodwill.  Work and various organizaitons I belong to do food drives throughout the year, and I participate in those.   I also usually give a few hundred dollars to various causes.

I would love to get more involved--I'm still looking for a local charity that would be a perfect fit.  I've heard of people doing "diaper drives" and donating diapers to those in need.  I would love to initiate one of those.

[Peace77]

Diapers and other baby supplies are needed by homeless shelters that serve women and children, including abused women.  They are also used by Crisis Pregnancy Centers to give to pregnant women.  A baby shower for charity could be fun.

[TheOtherMe]

DS and I have our Angel.  We get to buy for a 6 month old baby girl and we are so excited to be buying baby clothes.

Last year we bought for a 2 year old boy and that was fun also.

[Artemis Windsong]

The ongoing food donations at our church go to the Salvation Army and Food Bank.  If I buy a new item of clothing, I donate 2 items.  I shop their 2nd hand store and they make 100% on purchases.

Some items that I have been selling, I give 10% to the church or another organization.  In most cities there are plenty of organizations that don't spend a lot of advertising and salaries.  One charity I donated to was for music scholarship to a summer camp.

Another provides local horse riding therapy.  I know all of it went for upkeep.

[grits]

Money, food, toiletries, detergent, clothes, new dishes, glassware, silverware, cookware, and used things like vacuum cleaners, etcetera.