Just what social or medical causes matter to you?

Heart disease. Especially, women’s heart disease.

The growing financial distance between the classes. Perks given by employers that create bubbles and increase prices.

With the evidence that large scale charities will spend your donation on fluff like advertising and merchandise, and only a fraction of your donation makes it to benefiting the cause, I swapped to local efforts a few years back.

I volunteer and donate to our local homeless shelter. I strongly support gay marriage and equal rights. I sent my Halloween candy to overseas troops. Although I may disagree on our troops being there I fully support the men and women that enlist in our military.

And finally, twice when there have been national disasters like Katrina and the devastating fires in the west I have packed a small suitcase with donated clothing (business attire) and purchased toiletries and connected with someone via Craigslist that needs my donation directly. A suitcase of useful things goes way farther than donating to the American Red Cross for both myself and the person I connect with. It feels good to see the impact directly.

@AdventureElephants I’ve been told most of the used clothes get thrown out during disasters. Supposedly, they want new stuff. I don’t know if it’s true.

I always tell women to send tampons and pantyliners. Not having those when you need them really sucks.

Oh, and don’t send blankets to FL after a hurricane. Not saying you would, just as a rule of thumb. It has happened.

@JLeslie What I have done is posted pics and info on a suitcase of business attire, shoes, and toiletries on Craigslist. Both times individuals contacted me, we discussed their need of the suitcase and made sure we were similar sizes, and I shipped the suitcase directly to the individual. I don’t donate randomly.

I take my clothing donations to a thrift store that all proceeds go to a homeless shelter.

A year or so ago a Jelly on Fluther turned me on to Kiva. and when I have money I want to donate, I add to my account there. You can invest your money in your home country, or you can lend globally. I like the idea of putting a face and a story on my help, and I like the idea that the recipients are repaying so that funds are available to help someone else.

I’ll get a partial repayment, and I can’t stand the money to be idle. I have to add enough funds to be able to make new loans and keep the money working.

That’s a flipping amazing idea, @AdventureElephants, about the suitcase full of clothes, sent to the individual.

Of course I have a special place in my heart for Deaf issues.
That said, those commercials for the poor in Africa really kill me.

Social: Homelessness, and prison reform.

Medical: Nothing really.

Inflammatory bowel disease activism is close to my heart for selfish reasons. Autoimmune disease in general is very under-recognized for their prevalence and amount of suffering that they cause to people.

On the more political side of things, universal health care is something I’m extremely passionate about.

Charity begins at home.