Book: Charity Discussion

[Kestrana]

These are suggestions so far:

Photography Related

Photographers without Borders – provides educational and financial support to communities of the world through the promotion and sale of fine art photography. (2 nominations)

International League of Conservation Photographers – furthers environmental and cultural conservation through ethical, inspiring photography (3 noms)

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep – Volunteer photographers helping families in hospitals that experience the death of a child (10 noms)

Medical Care & Research

Save the Tatas – Breast Cancer Research (3 noms)

Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation – Myeloma Cancer Research

Shriners – Children’s medical funding

Scottish Rite Hospital – Pediatric orthopedic specialists helping children with deformities

Knights Templar Eye Foundation – Helping with medical treatment for eye disabilities

St. Jude Children’s Hospital – childrens medical expenses (3 noms)

Michael J. Fox Foundation – Parkinson’s research

Medecins Sans Frontieres (doctors without borders) – providing medical assistance in impoverished areas (2 noms)

Locks of Love – providing wigs to chemotherapy patients, especially children

Humanitarian Organizations

The United Way – Helping children, families and communities all over the United States

American Civil Liberties Union – defenders of civil liberties in the US (3 noms)

The Heritage Foundation – defenders of the US Constitution

Habitat for Humanity – constructing dwellings for the disadvantaged

American Radio Relay League – provides inner-city education focused on technology and communications, as well as providing emergency communications in major disasters like Katrina

Vital Ground – works to expand nature preserve areas by purchasing adjacent land as it becomes available

Educational Support

Child’s Play – Helping children experience the Arts (4 noms)

Knights Templar Education Foundation – Grants and scholarships[/b]

[SilverStag]

My votes, in no particular order:

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
ACLU
St. Jude Children’s Hospital

NILMDTS gets a vote because it’s a caring organization, performing a sensitive service in very trying conditions. It has to take a strong heart to do that work, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t.

ACLU – because I fear more now for our liberties than at anytime in my life previously.

St. Jude’s – because they never turn truly needful children away. Amazing people and philosophy in this day and age.

[Curious]

International League of Conservation Photographers — i’m big on conservation and give to the nature conservancy when i can.

ACLU – while i’m not a fan of some of their positions what SilverStag said is unfortunately all too true.

[zenprowler]

I would like to suggest these two:

child’s play (already nominated) and medecins sans frontieres (doctors without borders) http://www.msf.org/

I like the international nature of them both and think they channel donations where they are needed without waste.

[orionid]

Pangolyn‘s family is requesting that her portion go to Locks of Love, as that was her favorite charity.

Out of the suggestions so far, I like St. Jude’s, Save the Tatas, and Child’s play.

I also like the American Radio Relay League (inner-city education focused on technology and communications, as well as provides emergency communications in major disasters like the 1993 Mississippi floods, the RI floods, the 2003 five-state black-outs, Katrina, etc.

Not wanting to start a political debate (I’ve already had to scale back on FB based on comments from friends who got caught in the crossfire), I’m really not a fan of the ACLU. In fact, I pretty much despise them. While they look good on paper, they pick and choose which liberties to help defend and for whom, based on political affiliation (well, most organizations of that type do, in general), as evidenced by their silence when Juan Williams’ freedom of speech was violated by NPR. The Heritage Foundation would be my choice in that regard of protecting liberties as they use the wording of the constitution and its ammendments as basis for determining what to support/fight. But most of you probably see that as an uber-right-wing fascist organization.

/Truth be told, my choice is the NRA, but I’ll readily admit that’s right out. Maybe we should avoid political organizations alltogether.

[ravnostic]

I like the idea of a photography related charity, so I’ll vote for NILMDTS.

[linguine]

International League of Conservation Photographers – I hadn’t heard of this group before but it seems like a good group and giving some of the proceeds to a photography group seems like a good idea for farktography. Also a photography group may be more likely to give the book a plug on their website?

Doctors without borders – Very good group, glad zenprowler thought of them.

Save the tatas – This book may mainly be sold to farkers and being able to add boobies to any plugs we make for the book on fark could pick up extra interest.(and let us use the almighty boobies tag)

[linguine]

Even though I think I have a very different view of the ACLU from Orionid I have to agree with him that avoiding political type groups would probably be a good idea with how many people are involved with this.

[Elsinore]

That’s an excellent point about a photography group being more likely to plug the book. And while I suggested NILMDTS myself, I’d also be good with Photographers without Borders or International League of Conservation Photographers.

I also agree with the idea of avoiding overtly political groups.

[Curious]

Even though I think I have a very different view of the ACLU from Orionid I have to agree with him that avoiding political type groups would probably be a good idea with how many people are involved with this.

folks the ACLU is non political. not that one would know that from the general preconception of them. but if including them causes problems then … well i too don’t want to start a ruckus and this isn’t the time or place to get sidetracked. besides if we stick to those charities that are photo related we increase the potential goodwill.

[Kestrana]

My personal feeling about the charity is this:

1. Choose only one to make the biggest impact. The more we split, the less weight (although still appreciated) the donation carries
2. Whatever charity we pick will get some publicity out of this, so choosing a lesser known charity may create more ancillary good than one everyone knows. I had planned for the dedication page in the book to have a note about whichever charity we pick
3. I agree that groups viewed as political in nature should be avoided but I’ll still list whatever gets nominated
4. I will get in touch with whatever charity we pick to see what kind of reciprocity they can offer us as far as plugging the book, since they would also benefit if we sell enough copies to generate royalties. A smaller charity is more likely to be helpful in that regard or have less hoops to jump through, a larger charity will reach more people.
5. I’m personally in favor of anything photography related. As I said in the email string, photography is the reason this book exists so I feel we should give back to it.
6. Since we represent an international community, finding a charity that is or potentially will be international would also be appropriate.

[ennuipoet]

International League of Conservation Photographers –
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep –

I am good with either or both.

Any time one brings politics into something, bad blood follows. I definitely vote for a politically neutral charity.

[lokisbong]

International League of Conservation Photographers seems to be a good photography based charity from what I just read. and non photo based I would say save the tatas

[nobigdeal]

/Truth be told, my choice is the NRA, but I’ll readily admit that’s right out. Maybe we should avoid political organizations alltogether.

LOL!!

How about we do Right To Life and Planned Parenthood. Start a full on flame war over a charitable donation.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep has my vote too, very worthy cause that does something I could never in a million years do.

[harpo]

All good ideas so far. Medical research would be my first pick. As someone who suffers from sarcoidosis (which spell check still doesn’t recognize as a thing, an indication of how well the search for a cure is going) I’d love to see even a small portion go to fighting that, admittedly for purely selfish reasons.

[Author]

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