10 Simple Giving Ideas

Do you feel the pain of those less fortunate and wonder what you have to give? Often the average person who wants to help has trouble figuring out a feasible action plan. The following 10 ideas should provide anyone with plenty of simple paths towards giving within your means.

1. Give a goat to African poor.

For $20 you can provide a goat that will produce about three-quarts of milk each day for purposes of drinking or making cheese. Go to www.ihfonline.org to pay the actual cost of a goat for a Kenyan family in need.

2. Buy a GOOD gift card for a friend.

Purchase this tax-deductible gift card and empower one of your friends to support one of the 1.5 million participating public charities. To purchase the card, go to www1.networkforgood.org/good-card.

3. Surf the internet to benefit the world.

GoodSearch allows you to designate a charity that will receive proceeds from the money made by each one of your searches. Go to www.goodsearch.com to begin creating revenue for your preferred organization with each one of your clicks.

4. Be a low-cost monthly donor.

For $38/month you can provide education, food, and a loving context for a child through Compassion International (www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child). For $40/month you can fund a loan to a poor South African entrepeneur who will use it and the required business training to start and/or grow their business to sustain their families (www.your40story.com).

5. Blog for orphans.

You can provide the personal connection between orphans around the world and their sponsors in the U.S. as a blogging advocate or a leader of a group of Facebook friends. Go to http://fiftyfriendsforswaziland.blogspot.com to see how one blogger enables 50 orphans in Swaziland to receive care.

6. Give your time locally.

Find an opportunity to volunteer at a local organization you respect. Go to www.christianvolunteering.org or www.volunteermatch.org.

7. Take advantage of a corporate gift matching plan.

If you own or operate a business, start a corporate gift matching plan for your employees to encourage giving. If you work for a corporation, use your company’s gift matching plan to increase the amount you give for free. Check company gift matching plan availability online at www.matchinggifts.com/coloradocollege.

8. Create a charity badge to raise money for your favorite cause.

Customize a banner that promotes your favorite charity and allows visitors to your personal webpages to learn about and donate to the cause. Go to www.sixdegrees.org to get started.

9. Purchase products that benefit the world.

Shop at www.worldofgood.com or buy RED products at www.joinred.com to economically empower small businesses around the world, support charitable causes, and promote eco-friendly consumerism.

10. Recycle cell phones, ipods, and cameras for charity.

Recycling for Charities is a nonprofit recycling company committed to protecting the earth and supporting causes that benefit humanity. Collect your old electronics or have a recycling drive to benefit your charity of choice. Go to www.recyclingforcharities.com.