Livre d'Or

I am unexpectedly working today so short and sweet. Thank you for a well-thought out essay. I do not prize efficient giving over other forms such as what you mentioned with strengthening infrastructure. I do not prize infrastructure giving over "can help NOW" giving. I want balance and both to be done.

What I want most is people to know enough about their charities to be comfortable giving to them and I prefer a mix of international, national, and local charitable helping. This is my preference because this is what I do and I am highly biased that my way is the best way. (If I weren't I'd being doing something other, obviously.)

I have a monthly allotment that goes to Doctors Without Borders. When I got the solicitation phone call mor than a year ago the man on the other end of the line was floored that I quickly agreed to a monthly amount. He stammered something about, "What if you lose your job?" (I generally engage people on the phone and we'd roundabouted to jobs, economy, my hours being cut at work, etc. before I said I'd commit to the monthly amount) I laughed and said I was perfectly capable of discontinuing the charity if need be due to there not being enough funds to put food on my own table. I was so enamoured of the fact that he wasn't only pulling his charity, but concerned with the givers that I don't see me discontinuing unless I can't even afford rice for sustenance.

I give "local" in-country to St. Jude's Children's Hospital (also monthly) because I believe in research and the future value of it. And local in my personal community I do not give a monthly thing to any one place, I spread it around. Some is money, some is goods, some is body participation.

And occasionally I fund things on Kickstarter for folks who are trying to get on their feet through a business venture or project.

If I am ever forced to stop giving to any of the places I will cut the international DWB first because of my desire to help in my corner of the world first. I am filled with the arrogant belief that if everybody worked to do this in their own corner of the world then as a whole the world would be "good, and right, and fair". <----- I know this is false, but it makes me feels good to believe it. Charitable giving is about both empathy and selfish conceit. Doing good to do good and to feel good about the doing. Outward and inward reward keeps the giving going, so to speak.

And look - my reply was not short at all and now I must run!