Giving money to charities

It's fascinating with this crises, there's lot of good things happening! And tree planting is good, green looks better, trees take up pollution and CO2 and are important to insects. Plus the lifeguards have something to do. I've decided I'm going to use my survey points for Charity this Easter, but haven't made up my mind if I'm going to buy only trees or give some to the different charity options they have. I've been so busy with online teaching that the rest of the world has flown by, so I feel the need to do something. 'Cause even though it's Easter, I'll be busy with online grading. Keeps me socially distanced for sure, noone wants to hear about it!.

@moffittjc Yes, this year I even teach double. Physics, math and german in upper secondary school and physics for primary school teachers at the university.

@Torunn Are you a teacher? If so, what grade do you teach, and what subjects do you teach?

@JudyEv Yes, I remember that shooting. It has been quite a lot of things going on in Egypt lately, hope your niece lives in a safe area.

Du you have a connection to Egypt? Just since it's a far away from Australia. I know you have a connection with animals.

@Torunn Our niece married an Egyptian in Luxor in 1998 and we went to their wedding. They still live there and we've visited twice since - and visited the vet hospital. Horses and donkeys have a dreadful life there. The shooting of a tourist bus and its passengers just before we got there stopped tourism in a heartbeat and now the virus will be doing the same so there is no money for feeding families let alone livestock. A British woman started the hospital. This is their website:

That's a good one! And if you think the retreat works well, that'd be one of the best ways to know that the money you give isn't just lost in the system :-)

@mythociate Sounds nice, especially if it includes mountain views and good food.

@Torunn I want to compare it with 'business retreats' some offices have, which increase camaraderie between co-workers & fellow workers in their industry.

That's also a good point. We probably have some local charities here, but not as many as in other countries. I'm considering the Norwegian version of WWF, it's not the biggest organisation so not the much offices etc. Or one of the clear-the-ocean organisations, although there I could actually join a friend and clear beaches for 3 days out west.

@Torunn I give to the local animal shelter and to the volunteers who take care of the elders, they do not spend money in expensive travels, public relations and fancy offices.

That's very decent of you. Then they should be fine and the charities can help other people.

@Torunn Yes, they are. Thank you.

That's great! There's not really a lot people in need here, compared to other countries, which is one of the reason I give to charities.

@Aansh13 I think it's a very good way of making sure that what you give is needed, and that none of it goes to middle-men or organisation, as it does for the big charities.

@Torunn Oh!!! In India I can find many, so this works fine for me...

@Torunn We found the child in India through a small local organisation. When we receive news from the organisation they sometimes include a person letter from the child. We pay for her education and we also get a copy of the grades she receives in different subjects.

@Porcospino That sounds very much like what my mother did. I might do something similar once I have to time to write letters, it's nice to have personal contact.

@Torunn Yes, it is nice to have personal contact. We are always happy to find a letter from the girl in India. When we signed up they didn't choose a child for us. They asked us to look at the photos and descriptions and pick one. It was really hard to choose because they all need help.

If you know people in need, that might be the best approach. Then you probably also know best what they need.

That's also a sensible way of doing it. I donate to charities (clothes and shoes) but I hardly every buy clothes so I don't buy a lot from them. But English charity shops have much more different stuff I think? I know I bought books and cards in a charity shop when I visitied a friend in London.

So those are charities set up by single persons? I know there's internet pages for those here, I just don't know which ones they are.

Yes, it's a really good organisation.

Well, I'm sure some are, but I don't think all are. With smaller, local charities it'd be easier to see how the money's used.