23 Dec 2002 | MG said...

I don't see the Human Fund listed.

23 Dec 2002 | fajalar said...

Or you could do this.

23 Dec 2002 | JF said...

$300 taped to a window with a sign that says "Please take only what you need. Remember others" would make a great observational study in human behavior. I wonder if anyone taped it.

23 Dec 2002 | matt said...

at least i can return socks.

23 Dec 2002 | Eccentric Gardener said...

When I read that Dan Benjamin, Narrator of hivelogic.com, was unemployed and had run out of cigars, I didn't hesitate to make a donation to the Hivelogic Cigar Donation Fund. OK, well maybe I did hesitate for a bit, but I did donate eventually.

You can help save Christmas. Buy a cigar for the Narrator.

Happy holidays,

I'm not Dan Benjamin

23 Dec 2002 | pecker said...

I bought Dan cigars as well. Maybe he could open his own cigar shoppe?

24 Dec 2002 | alisha said...

For our wedding, we asked everyone donate to an org (instead of buying gifts) that was started by a 70 yr. old woman from San Fran for kids in Nepal: Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation. That was over two years ago - since then shes been on Oprah. :-) this is a super org to donate to and theyre still very small so they need all the help they can get.

www.nyof.org

They even have a spiffy new website :-)

24 Dec 2002 | fajalar said...

(Warning, assumptions ahead)

This seems to be a topic that people who post here struggle with. I see it come up somewhat often. How do we help others when we struggle to help ourselves.

There seems to be a mix of people who post here. Securely employed to haven't had a job in a while (or ever). All different domains are represented, too.

Am I correct?

Perhaps we should start our own foundation. We could get a mention between news items on NPR. Divvy out money and pro bono work to those that write us grant proposals. Designers Without Boarders?

Actually now that I have typed some, I am remembering posting something similar before. I guess that means I know what my new year's resolution is.

25 Dec 2002 | Scrooge said...

This might give some people warm fuzzies, but I prefer to receive a gift that isn't someone else's tax write off.

25 Dec 2002 | Anna said...

Brilliant idea ... donate as little as $1.00 in their name and save hundreds on gifts while being socially responsible.

26 Dec 2002 | alisha said...

we had a 25 dollar minuimum per person.
its not too much to ask.

26 Dec 2002 | ~bc said...

Designers Without Boarders?(sic)

I've thought about founding a firm which specialized in work for non-profits, etc, and maybe small, responsible business, and then for so many paid jobs, donate a site to a needy charity/non-profit. If I had won PowerBall last night, I might be here recruiting today

And as for Boarders, I don't know why they get such a bad name on the slopes. They're no worse than skiiers.

26 Dec 2002 | Don Schenck said...

True cigar story: A few days ago I posted a message on the (now defunct) JR's Cigars bulletin board. I fellow cigar aficionado liked my comment so much -- it made him laugh -- the he sent me 21 cigars. Just like that, out of the blue.

Seems trivial, but boy has it ever inspired me to commit to more "random acts of kindness". Ya just never know how your action may spur others to perform!

26 Dec 2002 | Don Schenck said...

I know a guy who owns a very small company, and every year he likes to purchase around $100 of books for a poor programmer/student in a developing country. It's a pretty cool idea (at least I think so). His biggest problem is finding recipients. Any hints I can pass along to him??

26 Dec 2002 | fajalar said...

~bc... Did you ever stop to think I could have meant:

boarder n. One who pays a stipulated sum in return for regular meals or for meals and lodging.

No, wait. I did spell it incorrectly.

20 Nov 2003 | blue cross insurance said...

good idea