Sunday, July 12, 2020

Why We're Giving

Sometime back I wanted to support an organization by making a donation, but it was not a good time financially to give as I would have liked. Frustrated with myself about the situation I started supporting organizations with small monthly donations. Each time we've made it a little further in our careers we have added another monthly donation or two for organizations that matters to us. Currently, and in other times, we have also supported organizations by volunteering with strategy and advocacy initiatives, and we currently hold one board seat between us. We support all of the organizations linked below ongoingly except where noted.

Drawing on Jeffrey Sachs' holistic approaches to helping eliminate poverty and solve endemic diseases, we are inspired to address community development and creating better opportunities for underserved communities. We have varied the (SECTOR) of the charities we support to be intentionally broad forming a comprehensive approach to social impact.

What motivates your charity? Please share about the organizations you are passionate about. We are always excited to learn about organizations’ great work and missions, yet I realized recently that I do not know who most of my friends support and why it's important to them. I invite you to share stories about organizations you are passionate about and why supporting them matters.

Why We’re Giving:

(HEALTH) We support Partners In Health for their ongoing amazing work in Haiti and around the world training and building capacity in addition to delivering services.

(ENVIRONMENT) In hopes of one day offsetting our carbon footprint we have been supporting Trees Canada planting approximately seven trees a month across five provinces in Canada. Perhaps within six to ten years our family will be carbon neutral for all of our lives, and we'll continue planting many more trees beyond that.

New York Harbor used to be the epicenter of oyster culture the world over. Moreover, the harbor needs its bivalve friends now more than ever to help clean and millions of gallons of water constantly flowing through. To that end we're supporting the Billion Oyster Project out of the Harbor School on Governor's Island. In a super cool project they're currently raising 15 Million "spat on shell" in Red Hook before installing them to the mouth of the bronx river.

(COMMUNITY RADIO) We have been long time listeners and supporters of WNYC. We appreciate their news, entertainment and overall cultural awareness; they're always the eyes and ears of New York.

(GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT) Thousands Currents supports grassroots groups in the Global South deploying resources and strategic social impact investing.

(ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT) I have long believed in the merits of capitalistic systems. One way I have been able to scale the impact of our development focus dollars is through Kiva. While I am concerned with the 20-35% interest rates that borrowing entrepreneurs can experience, I am able to relend every loan that's paid back. With $2,362 contributed over the years we have been able to lend out more than $10,500 to hundreds of entrepreneurs in 77 countries in over 14 sectors.

(PRISON EDUCATION AND REENTRY) For more than a decade I have been advocating for changes in imprisonment, educational and rehabilitation opportunities and reentry services. College and Community Fellowship under the leadership of Vivian Nixon is doing amazing work.

(LGBTQ) Lamda Literary elevates the voice of LGBTQ authors and recognizes the beautiful written arts they create with awards such as the Lammy's.

(EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY) Room to Read ensures books are available in all children's' homes, especially so that early years are filled with words, adventure and story.

(EDUCATION) We give to our high schools but not our universities (yet).