If someone gave you $1,000 and you had to give it away....

[Mrs. Readsalot]

What would you do?
I would donate half to a sport equipment for 3rd world countries program. This program was started several years ago in memory of a homeschooled boy we knew and it is a wonderful program.
The other half would go to Heifer International

[angela in ohio]

Donate it to the crisis pregnancy center.

[Carol in Cal.]

1/3 to my church.
1/3 to fund microloans for poor woman business owners in 3rd world countries.
1/3 to buy solar ovens for women in Africa, so they don't have to cut and burn trees, risking attack to gather wood and messing with the oxygen cycle a lot. Maybe some of this would be used for solar water purifiers as well--those are so cheap and easy to build.

[Amy in Orlando]

I know a family that could really use extra money. I'd give it to them.

[WTMindy]

the missions team of high school students going to Mexico.

[3littlekeets]

For me, it would be to the RISE School. The reverse inclusion preschool my daughter went to. It promotes amazing understanding of disability in young children!

[Tutor]

To friends of ours in Uganda who are building and maintaining wells, providing health care and supporting a local school and orphanage (most of the children's parents died of AIDS and many of them are sick as well).

[mrscopterdoc]

I would give it to the humane society. Not that I wouldn't want to help out people, but I'm a sucker for sad little puppies and kittens and grown cats and dogs with no home.:(

[beansprouts]

I know a family that could really use extra money. I'd give it to them.

Ditto here, maybe split it up among a few families. An anonymous gift of course - it's more fun that way ;)

[Antonia]

A great organization that fixes cleft palate for kids in underdeveloped areas. $250 saves one child from a life of misery and isolation. I could "save" four kids!

[HeatherH]

I just wanted to share. . . .and here seems like a good place to do it.

My dh has been out of full-time work for almost a year. Many, many, MANY times, we have been the recipients of financial gifts, just when we were at our most discouraged and/or strapped.

It is such a blessing. SUCH a blessing. Very humbling for those of us *ahem* who have in the past prided ourselves on being self-sufficient. It helps my entire family see what a great God we serve. And inspiring - I pray that someday, we may be able to be the givers.

So - if you ever DO give a gift anonymously - just know what a blessing it is to those to whom you grant that gift!

(Sorry if this is not related. I had to share this - and with anonymous gifts, you just can't send a thank you note!)

[JFS in IL]

autism research.

[Michelle T]

A Jewish foundation that supports various food pantries, soup kitchens, and any other "hunger prevention" groups here in the US.
Michelle T

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I know a family that could really use extra money. I'd give it to them.

Me, too. I suspect we might even have the same family on our respective short lists. ;)

[6packofun]

and I would try to meet some of those needs, anonymously. :) I'd probably give a portion to our church as well.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I know a family that could really use extra money. I'd give it to them.

Ditto.

[Wendi]

$100 to my church
$300 to a friend going through a bitter divorce, and struggling
$600 to our church's sister church in Uganda (they care for many orphans, and are preparing to open a children's home)

Wendi

[Peek a Boo]

3 ways:

local crisis Pg center
local family
Heifer Int'l

[King Alfred Academy]

Shared Hope International (http://www.sharedhope.org/).

It's an organization that rescues girls/women from the bonds of s*x sl*very. I hope to one day "work" for them...Shared Hope, not the s*x industry...thought I would clarify. :p

[Heather in the Kootenays]

We support an orphanage in Honduras and I like to contribute to micro loan projects as well.

[Pencil Pusher]

I've been thinking about this all evening & even asked dh when he got home. In the larger scheme of things, there are so many needs & $1000 doesn't feel like it goes far enough.

We've got missionary friends in Africa that dh said he'd like to send some to. We've also got friends struggling here who were recently in a car accident w/ an uninsured motorist--a real need, but not the kind of thing any program or agency addresses. We also talked about food ministries, both here & abroad.

I'm so impressed that you all know exactly where you'd give the money. I'm overwhelmed by the need & wouldn't know where to begin. I think it helps a lot when you know a specific situation locally. I mean, distant needs are really important, too, but they're the kind of thing you can budget & to some extent, draw the line. When you think you've barely got enough for yourself & certainly nothing leftover, if you know a specific need, it seems like you can find wiggle room to help. Kwim?

[freethinkermom]

I would give 3/4 to the local women and children's shelter and the rest to the Richard Dawkins Foundation For Reason & Science. Both are organizations I already try to make contributions to whenever I can.

[lynn]

help my niece buy a better car for her and her daughter. Help one of nieces or nephews with college.

[Jennifer in NH]

All of you have such wonderful ideas of where that money would be best used! Before I read all those posts, and thought..."hey, that idea is much better!, and that one too!" I thought that I would give about 1/2 to Catholic Charities and the other half to the rescue team that tried to save my father's life. having said that, and since I do belong to Solar cookers international, I think I would give about 1/3 of it to them and split the others 1/3 and 1/3 as well.
Now I wish I had that money so I could do that!

[Dot]

nt

[Kay in Cal]

I'd give the money to Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. This is a mission that has been on my heart and mind for a while now. Panzi treats women and girls who have been victims of the horrific sexual violence that wracks that part of the country, perpetrated by organized militias and soldiers, many of whom fled from Rwanda after the end of genocide there.

I'll link a New York Times article... but be aware that the truth in this case is very disturbing. It's so painful to talk about--and maybe that's why it has totally fallen off of our media radar. Sometimes I can't believe that every woman in the world isn't screaming about this.

http://www.davidbyrne.com/journal/misc/10_08_07_nyt_congo.php