It is Christmas Eve morning, and with much to do today and tomorrow, I still could not resist the urge to post about the very important gift of giving.
Below are just a few of the organizations that I believe deserve mentioning, and that I feel strongly about. I realize that some of these are local (New York City and vicinity), but every community across the country has similar programs which need your support. You don’t have to be Bill and Melinda Gates, or a Warren Buffet, or Bono to make a difference either. Small donations are always welcomed by these organizations. Another good means of helping those in need are "Coat Drives". Most communities in the colder regions have winter coat drives, that provide coats for people who need, but cannot afford them. Most of us have one or more winter coats that we don’t wear anymore, or that no longer fit us properly, and if you have kids, you know how fast they outgrow stuff. Look through your closets and donate to your local coat drive. There are many ways to give, and however you chose, doing so is a truly great thing!
Here is my personal list:
The Innocence Project - (headquartered in New York, but operates nationally) Founded by attorneys Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld in 1992, this organization uses DNA evidence to exonerate individuals who have been wrongfully convicted in courts across the country. Many have spent years in prison for crimes they did not commit. Our system has all too often relied on circumstantial evidence, and faulty eye witness testimony to convict the wrong party, and this is truly a travesty beyond comprehension (remember too, that for every wrongfully convicted individual, the real perpetrator / perpetrators of the crime are walking free).
As of this date, The Innocence Project has exonerated 188 individuals.
Robin Hood Foundation - (a New York City organization, but similar foundations exist around the country). The Robin Hood Foundation works to fight poverty in New York City by funding programs that directly deal with, and attack the problem at it’s sources. You can learn more about the foundations approach, and the programs they are funding by clicking here.
A.S.P.C.A. and the North Shore Animal League - I love animals. They are our innocent cousins, and anyone who has ever been around them knows that they possess intelligence, have emotions, and that they feel pain every bit as much as a human being does. Cruelty to an animal is in my opinion, on par with cruelty to a child. Both are deplorable and despicable, and the above organizations, along with others like them across the country serve to stand up for these helpless creatures, providing veterinary care, adoption services, and in the case of local S.P.C.A.s, law enforcement functions designed to apprehend and charge those suspected of cruelty, mistreatment and neglect.
The Food Bank NYC - This again is a New York organization, but you will find food banks in almost every community across the country. Just Google, or Yahoo! “Food Bank“, followed by the name of your city or town, and learn more about how you can help in your local area.
There are, of course, many more good causes that need our support. The above are some of those on my priority list, and are in my opinion, simply good places to start.
