Charity

I'm lucky.  And I hope that I appreciate it.  I have the best job ever, the best Peanut, the best pugs.  But the real reason I'm so lucky is because I was born into a place where I could have the opportunities to do what I have done.  I had the opportunity to grow as a healthy child, to have enough food to eat, to have my family all still living, to become an adult, to get an education, and to be able to get a job that would enable me not to live in poverty my whole life.  A vast number of people in this world don't get even the most basic of chances.


I am grateful.

I have decided to spread my charity dollars around a bit more, so this year I have decided to choose different organizations to donate to.  This month I am donating to:

2015

January and February:

http://portlandleadership.org/


March and April:

https://www.facebook.com/nepalearthquakesupport


May and June:

http://www.reliefnursery.org/


July, August, September:

Aid for Syrian refugees.

https://www.mercycorps.org/about-us/our-work

October, November, December:

Aid for Syrian refugees.

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.7998857/k.D075/Syria.htm

2014

January:

Oregon Public Broadcasting


February:

Friends of the Children Portland

http://friendspdx.org/


I love this organization which runs a lovely long term mentoring program for at-risk children. They were last years August donation as well.


March and April:

http://www.cambodiaschools.com/

I am sponsoring a school girl for a year through this program:

http://www.cambodiaschools.com/our-programs/girls-be-ambitious/


May and June:

Performing Animal Welfare Society 
http://www.pawsweb.org/


July and August:

Clean water, sanitation.  The most basic of things we need.  

http://www.charitywater.org/



September and October:

Ebola relief.

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm


November, December:

http://www.innocenceproject.org/



2013

October, November, December:

https://www.fistulafoundation.org/


September:

Willamette Family, Women's Residential Program
Eugene, Oregon


August:

http://friendspdx.org/it-works


July: 

http://www.reliefnursery.org/


June:
http://www.sanjosemilkbank.com/index.htm


When my twins were born, Aven had a rough entry into the world and ended up needing almost a week in the NICU.  While she was there she benefited from donated breast milk while my milk was still coming in.  I am so grateful that there are women out there who are generous enough to share their milk with others.  I wish I could as well.  Since I can't, I am choosing this non-profit milk bank to donate to for the month of May.

May:
http://www.ecotrust.org/


April:
http://www.sustainablenorthwest.org/what-we-do/success-stories