Come on ATS, give a damn!!(or what you can)

With global markets failing, prices of necessities skyrocketing, and millions of hungry and homeless worldwide, the time is now to act upon a need to help our fellow man. Many of us find the waves of threads here bringing in nothing but gloom and doom, many of us here have a desire to change the way the things are, and many of us are fortunate in our right. Comfortable in our “bubbles” we scan through the day’s additions, only to see more of the same.

This time of year signals the approach of the holiday season for many, generally a time of celebration and enjoyment. A time of being together with loved ones, and sharing with those we cherish. But what about our fellow man? People we may not even know that have to wonder: “where is my next meal coming from”? Or ‘how will I feed my children tonight”? I invite you to challenge your thoughts of comfort against those of the less fortunate, this thread is meant to be a guide for willing members to use in order to find direction in helping others.

Many of us wonder, “What can I do”? Or “how can I help”? But have no starting point and help doesn’t always involve the giving of money and fact is that many charitable agencies would love to gain the help of volunteers. Through the broad spectrum of ATS members, I believe a constant exists, despite beliefs,opinions,religions,and nationality…and that constant is goodness.

A small step in the direction of change multiplied many times over to fight greed and give our neighbors who may otherwise go without, hope. Because weather our means are meager or mighty, giving to our fellow man comes full circle. Please take the time to review some of the resources below and feel free to add your own, I invite you to add ideas for helping, tell a friend a neighbor a co-worker. Take time out of your day to slow down and be kind to that frustrated clerk, or that overworked server…you never know it just might make their day.

Below is a list of some great starting points for those wanting to give to the less fortunate, I hope this message reaches you all well and serves to remind us that no matter how bad we think we have it, there’s always somebody who has it worse. Thank you ATS and come on! Spread some good!

Fe ed the children
America's Charities
Charity navigator
Independent Charities of America
Toys for tots
Catholic Charities
American Red Cross
Donate to Red Cross
British Red Cross
Canadian Red Cross
Australian Red Cross

Charities outside the U.S
Top 5,000 charities in Europe
Miracle day Europe
The big give UK
Rose Charities Canada
Ronald Mcdonald house of Canada
Canada Helps
Australian Charities
Care Australia

World poverty statistics


Please feel free to add some local links for referance in addition to your ideas for helping out eachother in these tough times, thank you again and Come on ATS, give a damn!!

Simple ideas for helping around your communities:
Vollenteer time at a local homeless shelter.
Donate excess food (non perishible) to a local food bank.
Check to see if your community has "meals on wheels" program if so then see what they need and try to give.
Donate unwanted clothing to the Salvation Army or the DAV



[edit on 26-10-2009 by alyosha1981]

[edit on 26-10-2009 by alyosha1981]

I don't know anything about the charities you listed, but I am deeply suspicious of charities in general. While they sound like a great idea, many of them exist mainly to get money for themselves. There are some "charities" that only give a small percentage of their money to the people they claim to help.

If you're going to give to a charity, I recommend researching it first to make sure it's not just some sort of scam. It's tragic when people go hungry, are homeless, or otherwise suffer. It's even more tragic when well-meaning people try to help these unfortunates, only to have their money taken by greedy con artists who don't care about others. Make sure your contributions are going to wind up helping people.

In the meantime, you can give money or food to people in your own neighborhood. I don't care where you live, there are hungry people nearby, and those who are either homeless, or in danger of becoming homeless.

This is more of what I ment, i do advocate giving to charities and the one's linked are all registered, Some people can't afford to give to a charity but can give to the local homeless shelter weather in time or money, both are great. I just urge everybody to do something!

One of the best charities in my opinion is doctors without borders. Beyond politics and beyond feudalism.

Doctors without borders

reply to post by Seiko

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Thank you Seiko! we should also be aware of the millions who have no healthcare insurance and the option to help the one's who help them

reply to post by alyosha1981

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In respect to your thread I'm hesitant myself to give to large charities. I prefer the neighbour to neighbour way. Local churches will always take food and clothes, and are available should you find yourself in need.

When I look at a charity website I see links to volunteer and donate, but if i do not see a link to apply for help, I do not donate. There are some exceptions, like the doctors one, but they respond to crisis. By the time you apply they'd already be there.

Planning for a donation?

Check the Better Business Bureau for info on charities.

They have a great resource.

reply to post by Seiko

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Great points, the neighbor to neighbor way is a great option and probably the one most people are comfortable with, after all many people can just take a walk around their community's and find ways to help out. I think this is a gigantic way to help out, right at home

Great idea..this is what I keep in mind.
THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL.

reply to post by AccessDenied

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If everybody did just that, then the world would be a completly different place...for the better I imagine

Charities - like churches - are just scams. If you want to help people - do it personally - find someone local to help, the money and effort actually do good - and you get to see the results.

ADMIN EDIT: REMOVED VIOLENT SUGGESTION

[edit on 26-10-2009 by Crakeur]

reply to post by Amagnon

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Violence begets violence.

What a pity people think like this.

I can vouch for Toys for Tots as I have donated time and toys to them. Great organization.

I give a damn, actually I give alot !!

Take the other day for example, I'm out and about, and I see a homeless man using his shirt as a rag to wash cars for extra change.

I took the line " shirt off my back" literaly, .... and gave the homeless man my shirt.

He caught it, ... as he looked up at me in disbelief, his eyes slightly watered, ..... Then he threw it back at me !!! at my face !!! and said " How the hell am I supposed to buy beer with this "

haha, seriously though, I give alot.

reply to post by Amagnon

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Hope you aren't my neigbor because I wouldn't want to get on your bad side.


St Jude children hospital is also a good place to donate.

shop.stjude.org...

I personally avoid charities that make a spectacle out of the people they help. I know some do it to prove that they are actually helping people but some take it to extreme. If I needed help, I wouldn't want the whole world to see me on TV getting something from some organization just because the organization seeks publicity.

One thing is for true that American's are among the most generous people on the planet. Others are too, I just speak from what I know.

Charity Research

If you plan on donating to a charity, like others have posted, please research it. That site has good information on how they spend their money, how much goes to actual charity and how much goes to administrative cost, etc.

Local help is always great. The blanket statement by some such as charities and churches are scams are what is killing me here. Seek out the knowledge and find someone to help, but be wise about it. Local food banks, blood drives, Big Brother's and Sisters. Money isn't everything, but it sure is a help, but lending a hand to someone can also be just as effective.

So if you plan on donating to a charity, do some research on them first if that is what makes you more comfortable, I do admit that unfortunately there does exist dishonest organizations who, will take the donations of kind people and use the money for other things. It's sad really but a reality none the less, so for some a more local focus is desireable. Children's hospital turns no child away for treatment because of the family's inability to pay, so they rely on donations as well as federal funding.

reply to post by alyosha1981

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e-mail a copy of your post to the scores of brokers/executives over at Goldman Sachs who will divide up some $20 billion the company made in profits, in this year of recession & layoffs & TARP bailout$

Now that $20 billion has to be divided by over a group of 400 executives...
over and above their quite adequate weekly salary !

start with the 'Board', their names are public record along with the CEO,CFO,VPs,etc etc...then down to Dept. Heads & staff & then the independent brokers/traders

reply to post by St Udio

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These types are the epitome of the selfish greed that has driven this country down, they'll laugh and respond with some kind of " Thank you for your interest, please not that our company donates 1% of profits to notable causes" crap and not telling of the tax write-offs for such a donation, great as it is albeit.

sorry..... but me and mine do not do charities any longer..... we tend to do what we can on a local level and through our church...


most of the ones you listed.... I am not interested in .... reality is that there is enough here in this nation to do...so in a manner that might seem hard to you or some others.... I really do not care about other nations, that we keep sinking millions into.... take care of our own home first and then move onwards...

reality sucks but it is reality