#3 Tithing : Louisiana Flood Relief

In August, much of southern Louisiana was designated as a federal disaster area by FEMA due to flooding in what was called the worst natural disaster to the area since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. So, this month's tithing went to recovery and disaster relief efforts in the affected areas of Louisiana.

Half of the tithing amount went to The Salvation Army - to the local Gulf Coast Floods program through the Mississippi affiliate. The Salvation Army's mission statement is:

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

The other half of this month's tithing went to the Red Cross - specifically to the Louisiana Flooding efforts. They typically provide shelter and emergency supplies to people affected by disasters. The mission statement of the American Red Cross is:

"The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors."

More about them, from their website:

   The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

KJets

#3 Tithing : Kiva, Micro-Loans

This month had World Refugee Day, so I decided to focus on tithing my money in ways that would be helpful for those who are displaced, and those who are left behind.

I decided to use my money to give micro-loans through Kiva. It is a lot like crowd funding, but the money is paid back eventually.

The first person I contributed to was Mr. Eddine in Lebanon. He lives and works now in Lebanon to support his wife and kids back in Syria.

The second person I contributed to was Mrs. Sumod, who is actually around my age. She is currently married with three children, living along the Gaza Strip in Palestine. Her home was destroyed during the war, and she is currently renting while her home is rebuilt. This loan is to help cover her rent.

Although I want to do something for those who have had to leave and are now on foreign soil, I chose to first put my money towards those who are trying their best to stay in their home. This is not a reflection on whether or not I think they should come to Europe/my home country. To be clear, I understand that they are doing what they need to in order to survive, and that is a tough as hell decision to have to make, which I believe deserves mad respect. But I believe that the average human in the world would prefer to remain where their home is, where they've grown up, and where their whole family lives. So, I felt contributing to help make staying home more feasible would be the best first step. I would like to volunteer or make financial contributions to displaced individuals as well, but I see that as the second step.

Also! Not that it's my personal donation (mom's technically owned the car) ...  but my old car has been successfully donated to the Purple Heart foundation! My lovely companion of a car will be used - most likely he will be dismantled and used for parts and materials -  to continue to improve the lives of others. Rest in peace,  my rock solid,  rock-star of a car.  You will be missed.


K Jets

#3 Tithing

For May, I first had to make up for missing the April tithing goal - donate to Rebuilding Together. Serendipitously, it goes nicely with my May tithing goals! (which... I planned after I failed April...which makes it not so much a surprise....but...shhhh... let it happen) These new goals are outlined in the following pleasantly passionate paragraph:

I have been so darn frustrated by politics and current issues lately, which I suppose is to be expected. I'm pretty sure everyone gets frustrated with politics during election years. But I want to do something constructive about my frustrations and anxiety. I'm sick of feeling helpless every time I listen to, or read about, politics in the news. To re-empower myself and "put my money where my mouth is," I went on a donation spree, giving to causes I feel most passionately about:




Publicly funded news (non-big corporation): My local NPR station





Sexual health and education - Planned Parenthood





Human rights and equality - (global) Human Rights Watch





Affordable housing/home repairs - Rebuilding Together



There are plenty more charities and non-profits I would love to donate to, even within just these four categories. I'm constantly learning about more opportunities to donate from sources like my favorite actors, Humans of New York (HONY), and various charity events happening in my area. Certainly, there is never a shortage of places to send my money off to, or ways to financially do good in my local, national, and global community.

A good website to get ideas of charities to donate to is: Charity Navigator
They rate the effectiveness of the charities - how much of your donation goes to the actual project versus the CEO's wallet, as well as the effect they've had on their cause- so you have a better idea of who/where to invest in, in order to have the effect on the community you want.


KJets