Cell Phone Donation

Worldwide, cell phones are becoming ubiquitous. And, with falling prices and changing standards, they are also becoming throw-away items. In fact, in the United States, handsets are cast off, on average, after 18 months.

Unfortunately, for all their convenience and increasing affordability, cell phones are difficult to dispose of safely. Because they contain toxics-rich semiconductor chips, LCD displays and batteries, and because their casings tend to be composed of hard-to-recycle plastics, cell phones are filling up landfills and leeching potentially toxic chemicals into surrounding soil and groundwater. Luckily, the challenge to recycle cell phones had created another opportunity to give to charities. As with vehicles, there are many organizations, such as The Charitable Recycling Program (www.charitablerecycling.com), that will accept your own cell phone and recycle it for you, then use or distribute the proceeds of that recycling to charities.

There are organizations to which you can donate cell phones, where they will be used to help fulfill the organization's mission. In some cases, your cell phone might be given to a domestic abuse victim so that she has a way to call for help. Communication is a very important aspect of community development and crime prevention; donated cell phones are also often put to use in areas that need crime prevention, and can even play a role in apprehending criminals, as when they are used to spread an Amber Alert.

The Wireless Foundation (www.wirelessfoundation.org) accepts phones for these purposes, and you can also talk to local shelters to see if they would accept your cell phone, its batteries and accessories. Finally, your wireless service provider might run its own program or work with existing programs, and will surely fill you in on details!

The Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is a membership-based organization that works to protect the environment and stop global warming. The Sierra Club is America's oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization. With its mission to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the Earth, the Sierra Club practices and promotes the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources, educates and enlists people to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment, and uses all lawful means to carry out the Club's objectives.

A significant lobbying organization, the Sierra Club thrives on its membership. You can support the Club by joining, donating money, sending letters and faxes to congressional representatives.

*Visit www.sierraclub.org for more information on the Sierra Club, its work and how to help.

Give the Gift of Your Time

Volunteering can be very fulfilling—you are performing a much needed service, and filling a need like that can be very satisfying. You can get a lot out of it, such as:

• Volunteering can lead to learning new skills, all the while contributing to the pool of benefits that we all derive from society.

• Volunteering can give you great perspective and help you to be more sympathetic to and understanding about the world around you (this can help you deal with stress and problems in your own life).

• Volunteering can be very social, providing you with the opportunity to meet new people and breaks down barriers, and even make contacts that could help you in your personal or business life.

• Volunteering can be creative! You can take a volunteer vacation or make your wedding a volunteer occasion.

Reasons to donate: More Than the Satisfaction That Comes from a job well done

While your sense of charity might be enough to spur you to action, there are plenty of reasons to give to charity, and occasions on which to do so. Below is a list of a few:

• Giving money and/or material donations (such as clothes, books and vehicles) can help you keep your tax payments and other costs down.

• Donating items can help you clear some clutter out of your own life while providing necessary and important things for people less fortunate than you.

• Rather than throwing away those old clothes, donate them and be proud that you are keeping a family warm, or giving an unemployed person a nice outfit in which to go to interviews!

• Giving money or items to charity can also be a good way to celebrate something in your own life: many recovered addicts, for example, mark anniversaries of sobriety by giving a gift to the organization that supported them through their recovery.

• Donations to a charity can also be a fulfilling way to honor someone who has died: often, families prefer donations to research organizations, hospitals, or hospices rather than flowers as memorial gifts.

If you Choose to Adopt a Pet, Make an Informed and Thoughtful Decision

The decision to adopt a pet is a huge responsibility for you and your family. Animal shelters are likely to ask you a series of questions and even ask for documentation and references, but it still makes sense to give your lifestyle, your needs, and your intentions before you start the process. Things to consider include:

• Animals are a long-term commitment; this commitment can last 10-15 years for dogs and up to 20 years for a cat. Remember that this animal will be with you through many different times in your life.

• Animals do not adjust well to solitude, and long stretches of alone time can evolve into behavioral and emotional problems for pets. Think about whether you will be able to have a consistent, primary caretaker so that the pet's daily needs do not get lost in the shuffle of busy schedules.

• The responsibility of having a pet includes protecting his health and safety, and includes costs that extend beyond the adoption fee (including basic and emergency veterinary care, toys, supplies, food, etc.).

• Think about where you live and where you might live during your pet's lifetime: not every pet is right for your household, and your household might not be right for every pet.

• If you have allergies, or think you might have small children, or other life issues that would make you change your mind, strongly reconsider adopting. You will save yourself and a needy animal heartache in the long run.

• If you do decide to adopt, be a responsible owner: spay or neuter your pet; keep his vaccinations and heartworm medications up to date; take dogs to obedience training and learn about cat behavior; clean up after your pets, and spend time with them.

If you make the decision to adopt thoughtfully and carefully, and you are a responsible owner, pet adoption can be a very fulfilling experience and can yield many years of happy companionship. In addition your donation to an animal shelter will help save animals from the streets to get into happy homes.

Substance Drug and Alcohol Dependence Prevention and Treatment Programs

According to a recent survey, 3.6 million Americans are habitual cocaine users and more than 33 million are regular binge drinkers. More Americans have died in drunken driving accidents than in all the wars the US has been involved in since the nation was founded. Tobacco kills 430,000 Americans every year. The abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise. Despite these dire statistics, there are signs of hope: much is being done to prevent and treat drug abuse.

Education and prevention programs, especially those focused on children, are starting to influence behavior, so that drug use rates among teens have leveled off. Groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) have raised awareness and opened communication, making drunk driving more of a taboo, so that the number of drunk driving deaths overall has been dropping. Needle-exchange programs, while controversial, work to lower rates of HIV transmission, and drug treatment programs helping many addicts reclaim their lives.

*These education, prevention, treatment and support programs need your support and participation: consider donating to or volunteering today.

In Nonprofitorganizations are the Backbone of Disaster Relief Efforts

Less-developed countries often seem to be hit disproportionately by disasters such as earthquakes, drought, et cetera. Whether this is statistically true or not, the fact that these nations possess fewer resources in general means that they are truly strapped in times of crisis.

Less-developed countries need more external financial and physical relief than wealthier victims of disaster might. Thus, there exist many emergency relief organizations that operate on an ongoing basis and are prepared to deal with such crises when they occur, regardless of where in the world the disaster strikes.

Charity Wristbands: Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve, But Buy Direct

One of the recent trends in fundraising has been the sale of rubber wristbands that feature a slogan or other catchphrase of the organization your purchase supports. Originally made popular by the Lance Armstrong Foundation's yellow LIVESTRONG wristbands, your purchase of the band supports the charity, and you can literally wear your support on your sleeve.

People "in the know" will know that you support the cause and curious onlookers may ask about the band, giving you an opportunity to share information and raise awareness about the cause. One word of caution about charity wristbands: due to their recent popularity, there has emerged a re-selling market. If you buy a wristband from a re-seller, you not only might pay more for it, but the money is most likely not being directed to the charity the wristband was developed to support.

*Make sure you buy from an authorized source so that the charity gets the benefit.

Boys and Girls Clubs of America

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America addresses the growing challenge of modern life: that kids grow up pretty fast, and that children are often left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets—and that often comes to no good.

With an increasing number of children at home with no adult care or supervision, many young people feel neglected. They need to know that someone cares about them. The BGCA offers these children a place to go, and programs and services that promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling in them a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. The various programming offered at Boys and Girls Clubs in communities throughout the country covers such important areas as:

• Character & Leadership
• Education & Career preparation
• Health & Life Skills
• Arts
• Sports, Fitness & Recreation
• Specialized programs (alcohol/drug, pregnancy & gang prevention, and leadership development)

All of these programs are designed to meet specific needs of specific kids in different communities. And, all of these programs aim to help children become more well-rounded, confident, and productive members of the community. To learn more about the organization's mission, about your local Club, and how to get involved, please visit www.bgca.org.

Disasters and Emergencies Occur Everywhere!

Natural disasters know no boundaries: every nation on every continent is subject to the forces of nature. Individuals affected by such disasters will always need both physical and emotional support.

Unfortunately, much of the world is also affected by man-made disasters, including war, terrorism, and gross human rights abuses. Also unfortunately, the reverberations of both natural and man-made disasters is often more severe in poor regions because of political instability and their lack of resources with which to address the disaster. To provide a rough idea of the different kind of emergencies and disasters are ongoing in 2005, consider this:

• Africa: Recent and current emergencies include both drought and floods, outbreaks of plague and cholera, general storm damage, and complex emergencies such as ongoing war and civil unrest, creating internal displacement, large numbers of refugees, abandoned or orphaned children, and human rights violations.

• Asia: countries affected by the tsunami continue to try to recover and face ongoing earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions and storms. Ongoing political turmoil in many countries, including Afghanistan, creates displacement and movement of populations that both undermine stability and create humanitarian strains.

• South America: earthquakes and storms are natural disasters that have huge impacts on large populations. While political stability in the region has improved, people still struggle, and disasters and emergencies can undo much of the progress that has been made by putting people in dire straits.

• Eastern and Central Europe: emerging economies continue to deal with nationalist conflicts and the after-effects of war. In the Americas, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, mudslides, wildfires and severe winter weather kill and leave homeless thousands of people each year.

• The United States: also continues to grapple with the implications of the September 11, 2001 attacks and the potential for other man-made disasters.

As you can see, emergencies and disasters can hit anywhere, anytime. If for no other reason than that, it makes sense to think about how you can contribute to disaster relief and recovery efforts.