tell people about my favorite charities

but one of my favorite things to do with my time is to visit with elders.

If there’s a “home” for elderly people anywhere near you, I encourage you to visit. If you think it will be awkward, you’re right—for about 10 minutes. Just sit down with someone friendly-looking and ask them how it’s going. Or ask for their best memory.

Our society doesn’t value anyone over, well, insert whatever number you like, really. But a ninety-year-old can tell you some terrific stories.

In the United States, institutions called “food banks” provide food for those who don’t have enough for themselves or their families.

America’s Second Harvest is a clearinghouse for food banks. If you’d like to locate your local food bank to volunteer or donate, you can search for it at:

http://www.secondharvest.org

20 years ago, after a divorce, I gradually came to the realization that I am a lesbian. I realized with horror that while this had not been an issue in my divorce, but that the law of the land being what it was at the time, I might be in serious danger of losing custody of, or even access to, my two children.

A dear friend told me to call the National Center for Lesbian Rights. “Call them, and do whatever they tell you,” she said, “You do not want to lose those kids. They don’t want to lose you.” I called, they referred me to an attorney, who gave me good advice about coming out to my ex, and about managing my legal situation.

Ever since then, I’ve been a grateful supporter of NCLR. They have been at the forefront of the legal defense of lgbt families and individuals. NCLR is a public interest law firm.

For more information, either to support them OR to seek them out for legal referrals, you can find them at http://www.nclrights.org/

Did you know that in California, youth in foster homes simply “age out” of the foster care system at 18, with no transitional assistance at all?

Instead of receiving support and guidance during this critical transition, emancipated foster youth are without housing, a source of income, adult encouragement, or community support. At a time when most young people can depend on family for encouragement, assistance, and guidance, they may simply be put out on the street with no idea what to do next, no housing, no job hunting skills, and none of the basic skills many of us take for granted. Imagine yourself at 18 in that situation!

The First Place Fund for Youth support youth in their transition from foster care to successful adulthood by promoting choices and strengthening individual and community resources. It’s a solid organization that makes good use of donated goods and cash to help youth from the foster care system take their places as functioning members of the community.

For more info, check them out at http://www.firstplacefund.org.

Thanks, ArmyAngel1986!

Want to do this as a team?

http://www.kiva.org/app.php

From the Kiva website:

“Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can “sponsor a business” and help the world’s working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you’ve sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.”

You can donate as little as $25, and every little bit helps!

Strengthen the Good is a network of bloggers, created to raise awareness for people in need, or people who run small charities. Strengthen the Good works by having bloggers sign up with the StG network, and when they profile a charity, anyone in the StG network blogs about the charity, and links to StG so readers can find out more about the charity, and donate.

Strengthen the Good is currently on hiatus, but you can still go to the website and check out the charities that have been profiled, and save the link for the website for when they start profiled charities again.

http://strengthenthegood.com/index.php/?page_id=2

Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan would like to distribute winter clothes and blankets to locals. Please go to http://www.spiritofamerica.net/cgi-bin/soa/project.pl?rm=view_project&request_id=121 to read the whole story, and consider donating. As little as $15 can help!

On the SoA frontpage they have a list of their accomplishments for 2006, so you can see all the things they helped our soldiers do in Iraq and Afghanistan. http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site

Spirit of America is a non-profit dedicated to helping our troops improve the lives of the people in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa. When a soldier wants to help children who need school supplies, start sports teams, help build schools or shelters, hospitals, etc. they contact Spirit of America. Spirit of America then organizes fund raisers and donations from corporations to help make these things possible. For more information you can go to http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site.