charity posts

It's not just tax season that reminds us to donate to charity.

Sharing the holiday season with family and friends recently has reminded us of how lucky we are, and how we have the ability to share our good fortune with others.

Many of us choose charities based on a personal connection - whether it's a disease that has affected a family member or a friend, or a cause that we believe in and want to support.

But what happens to your hard-earned loonies after you donate? Is the money used for what you intended? Here's a list of charities that are doing the best job they can with the money they're given.

We all like getting gifts.

Seeing a box wrapped in shiny paper and topped with a sparkly bow - it makes one feel special.

And when the pile grows below the Christmas tree, its a sight to behold all the love and joy we have between family and friends.

But remember the Grinch? How his heart swelled three times bigger when he realized the joy in giving?

After surviving Black Friday and Cyber Monday, its now time to be generous and do something for Giving Tuesday, an idea that started in the United States and is now spreading north of the border, to remind us all its also a time of sharing our wealth.

Daily Finance

How's this for holiday savings: a shopping haul of remote control cars, tablets, warm coats and boots worth $8,000 for just $1,300.

That was how well extreme couponer Joni Crothers and her coupon-tourage of 14 friends and family members did after 15 hours of shopping at 10 stores in Toledo, Ohio, on Black Friday. It works out to about $450 an hour in savings. There's a cherry on top of this shopping spree. It will be used to fulfill wish lists from 16 children in need.

Crothers knows what it's like to be down and out around the holidays. She started clipping coupons when her husband lost his auto industry job four years ago. In the process, Crothers discovered a talent for discount hunting that was good enough to be featured on the popular TLC show, Extreme Couponing.

She now uses her talent to give back to children she met through a local food bank. She even identifies with some of them.



One of the kids we're helping has a mom who lost her automotive factory job two years ago, and now her unemployment is running out," she said. "These families just need to feel like there are people who care about them."

The coupontourage had their shopping plans down to a science this year. Crothers started her Thanksgiving meal in the early afternoon so she would be ready.

The group met at Crothers' home at 7:15 p.m. on Thanksgiving, earlier than their 9 p.m. start last year, since stores like Wal-Mart (WMT) pushed their doorbuster sales up by an hour.

While we're busily buying Christmas presents for friends and relatives, it seems only right that we should give a thought to those who won't be enjoying the holiday season without a bit of help.

Many organizations have their members put together shoe box gifts for specific needs. Here are a few worthy causes and how $10, more or less, can help give someone a happier Christmas this year.

Brenna Donoghue has always wanted to influence positive social change on a global basis and at one time felt the way to do so was through charitable organizations. A Canadian, Donoghue worked in the charity sector for a few years promoting economic growth and sustainable businesses in Africa, but found change was happening much too slowly for her and some of her colleagues. So, two years ago, they decided to shift to private enterprise, founding Ethical Ocean, an online retailer that sells only sustainable products manufactured by individuals or communities in the developing world.

"There are a lot of great products out there that support fair trade or sustainability and we wanted to create a marketplace that brought these products together and reflect the values of the people who made them," Donoghue said.

My heart goes out to the thousands of people affected last month by the tornadoes which hit with a fury through several states in the United States.

With the death toll now over 40, its a reminder of the power of Mother Nature.

And its also amazing to see how the survivors and fellow citizens have banded together.

But for those who didn't have insurance or very little savings in the wake of a disaster, charity organizations will be happily aiding those in need.

But are you sure your donation will get to those in need? Whether its $10 or $100, make sure the money gets into right hands.

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Remember cute 12-year-old Haley Joel Osment in the film Pay It Forward? In case you missed it, the film is about a young boy who tries to make the world a better place by helping three people who, in turn, will help other people. This Hollywood film sets an excellent example for anyone who wants to succeed in life and in business.

On occasion we may hear stories about how a millionaire paid a financially struggling woman's late electric bill or a celebrity who left a 200% tip to a waitress. Kind gestures, indeed. But you don't need to have the wealth of Oprah and her 1% peers to make a positive change in someone's life.

Everyday people can and do make a big difference.

Excited about the visit from Santa Claus this year?

Although many of us can easily get caught up in the whirlwind of parties and gifts, this season is also about giving, and for those not so fortunate, there are many ways to share the spirit of generosity during the festive season.

Despite the recent recession, according to the latest survey from Statistics Canada, Canadians are more generous than ever, giving $8.3 billion in 2010, a 6.5% increase over 2009 donations.

Instead of focusing on the latest electronics, the perfect sweater or the toy of the season, how about giving the gift of clean drinking water, a goat or the gift of education? It may not be as easily displayed under the tree, but it will have a lasting effect.

Here's a list of gifts that can make a difference now and for the new year.

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When it comes to charity, most of us have big hearts. Most of us are willing to help.

And most of us fall from time to time for hoaxes that do not seem to make any sense.

Like the one that says that, every time a text or social media message is sent on AT&T, Verizon or Facebook, these corporations will gladly donate money to help pay for surgery on a 14-year-old boy who was shot six times by his stepfather while attempting to protect his young sister.

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Do you give to charity?

According to Statistics Canada, Manitoba and Ontario lead the country in donations to charities, and have been setting the trend for the past 10 years.

But, in the past three years, charitable donations have dropped by almost $1 billion, which Statistics Canada says is a result of the recent financial recession.

With fewer people giving, local and national charities are trying to make it easy for Canadians to donate, while Canadians still want to give, but need to make it easier and not necessarily from the bank account. So how to give and not worry about every last cent?