The Heifer Project
Give anything from a flock of chicks ($20) to a trio of rabbits ($60) to up to $10,000 in grants to support women working in livestock. Gifts go to people in countries in need with the expectation that they will provide more food and further use to more people in the future
When to give: All year long, but especially during the holidays, because everyone needs a gift anyway! You can make a gift in someone else’s name, making it great for adult relatives, mentors, and anyone who loves knowing that they are giving back.
Where to get/give: https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog
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Free Rice
I stumbled upon this my junior or senior year of high school when freerice.com was a spelling game. It’s now grown into a full-fledged quiz site with different subjects where for every question you get correct, you donate 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program. You can even play in French, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese too, so get working on that brain improvement. Ten grains of rice might not seem like much, but it’s addictive, so it adds up quickly! Plus, its free!
When to give? All year long, but especially when you’re not doing anything better and procrastinating job applications over break!
Where to give: http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1447
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Doctors without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontiéres (MSF)
Looking to donate some more money or the pennies you accumulated from shopping at Bart Mart after you ran out of Flex? Check out the following community fundraising pages for Doctors without Borders. Groups of Atheists, Christians, and Muslims have banded together in friendly competition to raise money for a great cause. MSF is a neutral, independently funded organization that works to provide quality medical care to those affected by “armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters.” You’ve probably seen them in the news as a non-denominational alternative to the American Red Cross.
For the Athiests: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/r-atheism/ratheism
For the Christians: http://www.firstgiving.com/rchristianity
For the Muslims: http://www.firstgiving.com/rislam
Don’t want to join the competition? Donate directly to MSF: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/overview.cfm?ref=main-menu
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Help out an Animal Shelter
After all, pets are people too! For those of us in love with our furry, feathered, or scaled friends, a great way to pass the days of break away is to volunteer at your local animal shelter. If you don’t exactly have time to leave your Christmas party, instead of doing a gift exchange for people (who needs more ornaments anyway?) collect food, clean blankets, or toys for your local pet shelter. Be sure to check with them to see what they need.
Where to give: Check in with a national organization like ASPCA’s shelter database (http://www.aspca.org/adoption/shelters/) or The Humane Society’s Volunteer page: http://www.humanesociety.org/animal_community/resources/tips/find_local_animal_shelter.html
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United Way’s Volunteering as a Family Program
Parents won’t let you out of their sight now that they have their baby back for break? Take the opportunity to volunteer as a family and maybe even get your youngest siblings involved. You can help out as a mentor, educator, or reader.
Where to give: Check out the bottom of the page for volunteer opportunities based on your location. http://liveunited.org/take-action/volunteer