PUT UP OR SHUT UP

[Ender]

I am a Minister under a Vow of Poverty.

I became one to live my life freely helping others, w/o the horrible shenanigans and power plays I have seen in many so-called "non-profits".

Our ministry helps with local food banks, charitable causes, etc, but our main focus is to help youth through arts and private schooling. The arts connect the brain, making kids "whole thinkers". The number 1 major accepted to Med School is the music major. I have seen kids lives turn completely around from drugs and gangs to incredible talent and major contributors to their communities. I have seen no other program work as efficiently and as quickly as ours and we are NOT a remedial school.

Right now we are looking for sponsors for about 20 kids for the high school program- if anyone is interested, let me know!

 

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

So awesome to hear that some of you are already doing things in your communities.

 

[WarAnonymous]

I wasn't going to mention this either but....

About a month ago I found a post of craigslist for someone that had rescently lost their job, the husband was disabled and they had 3 kids. The person was not asking for money and was not asking for handouts, the sad part was is she was trying to trade her kids items for food (and some of her own). She explicitly said she did not want free hand outs. I immediately emailed her and told her I didn't want any of that but I did want to help. The next day I contacted friends and family and asked for 5-10 dollar donations or any extra food, as well as my wife and I threw in a good sum. We hit the store bought a crap ton of food and delivered it, I could see in the ladies face just how greatful she was.

2 weeks ago she emailed back and wanted to know if I knew where she could go for her family to get a thanksgiving meal. Knowing that she didn't have a car, and her husband was very ill, I knew that it would be better for them to have a nice Thanksgiving at home. Again, I fired up the phones, asked for anything for Thanksgiving meals (food items) or small monetary donations. I ended up with so much food and cash to go get more items. Tuesday night my wife and I delivered the food. Again she expressed how happy she was, how thankful her whole family was for the kindness that we provided for her family.

For the last couple months, I realized that I have been preaching about getting the government out but I stopped to think, what am I doing to help provide people with what the government is doing poorly? It's time to put up or shut up. My wife and I will continue to do what we can to help people that need it. You can't have a free society without a morally good society. We need to help our neighbors, our friends, our families and even strangers!

 

[eleganz]

I know of a national Buddhist organization called Tzu Chi which is focused primarily on immediate action of charity and good deeds from environmental, needy, medical, and emergency disasters.

They are damn well organized and your efforts will be put to good use.

http://www.us.tzuchi.org/us/en/


A friend of mine recently volunteered with Americorps for Hurricane Sandy relief and she said they were very professional and organized so that could be another choice.

 

[JVParkour]

My church came up with a great way to do exactly what you are talking about. We call them 'Giving Circles'. Essentially, about 10 people or a few families team up, and contribute one percent of their income a month to the Giving Circle. Then, as a group, we talk about where we see needs in the community. Using the money that we pool together, we use it to help out people. Sometimes we help college kids fix their cars, buy gas cards for people, or help out paying for groceries.

It is also used as an easy way to invite people to get involved in helping others. The idea is that as a Giving Circle grows to more than a few families, it splits up into a separate giving circle.

Its really a cool thing. It gives you a chance to hang out with friends and spend more time getting to know each other, it makes you pay attention to the needs of people, and you know 100% where the money is going!

Just thought that I would share in case anyone else wants to start one in their communities.

 

[Nirvikalpa]

I know of a national Buddhist organization called Tzu Chi which is focused primarily on immediate action of charity and good deeds from environmental, needy, medical, and emergency disasters.

They are damn well organized and your efforts will be put to good use.

http://www.us.tzuchi.org/us/en/


A friend of mine recently volunteered with Americorps for Hurricane Sandy relief and she said they were very professional and organized so that could be another choice.

I can not express enough how great of a charity Tzu Chi is. I have worked with them (personally) a few times. There has not been a disaster I have been deployed to that representatives from their org haven't been to. They do great work.

Just want to thank those on the forum who donated to my fund to help buy holiday presents for children who lost most/all of their possessions in Hurricane Sandy. Your contributions melt my heart :')

 

[bunklocoempire]

*snip from OP*

so let's just once participate in a lovebomb where we show love and compassion towards our fellow man and help change the world one person at a time.

Relationships are where it's at -and I'd encourage anyone "putting up" to explore the value of a relationship as at least equal to or greater in value than physical needs.

If you can't deal with having a relationship, then by all means please support those who can along with all the physical stuff.

Know your neighbors, take care of your neighbors. The rewards for yourself and others are endless.

 

[Tod]

last line of the article: "We love our brother very much," Kirk Hillman told the Daily News. "Our door is always open to him, but this is a lifestyle he's chosen."

Homeless man grateful for boots, but barefoot again

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/nypd-homeless-man-boots-tillman-134758145.html

I can believe that. Some homeless guy in Las Vegas once asked me for some money and I countered with an offer for dinner, which he accepted (the only time someone has taken me up on the offer; every other time they have only wanted money, probably for booze or drugs). Anyway, over dinner he quite articulately explained to me that being a bum was a choice for him; he liked doing that better than having the responsibility of a job and that he's had jobs before but quit them in favor of being a bum. I felt like such a sucker.