by Marsha Landers

Created on: July 20, 2008

There are many new and entertaining ways to help worthy charities. Giving to charities is as quick and easy as clicking your mouse key. For example, if you love animals you can go to the website www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive. By clicking on this site, you give 100% of the donation for the food and care of animals in need. This works because you click and view ads paid for by sponsors. The money from the advertisers goes to the charity partners of the site who provide food and care for animals who have been rescued. If you want to feel as if you have contributed to the world each and every day, you can request a daily reminder. First thing each morning, I make my donations.

My favorite part of this site is that once you are on it you can give food for the hungry, pay for healthcare for a child, help a women in need receive a mammogram, buy books for children in need, and help protect and preserve rainforest habitat. You do all of this from one site! Within a minute, you've donated to SIX charities without opening your purse or billfold. You did not even have to put in a credit card number. Of course, if you choose to purchase from the sponsors who give to the worthwhile causes, you may click on their links. Each sponsor donates a percentage of your purchase price to the cause. When it comes time for you to purchase gifts or to buy something you need for yourself, try to remember these sponsors. Although you have spent money at this point, your donation to the charity did not cost you any extra money. You were buying the item anyway.

Another fun and educational way to give to charity is to visit www.freerice.com. Here you are given a vocabulary word and four choices of the definition of the word. Each time you choose the correct answer, you give 20 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program. Caution: Each time you get a word correct, they give you a harder one. The good news is if you choose the wrong meaning, you get an easier word. Not only have you helped feed the hungry of the world, you may get smarter, improve yourself in your writing, speaking, grades, and job performance. All this and it is great fun, too!

The American Red Cross is always in need of units of blood. Not only does it not cost you money, you get a free mini health screening. It helps me to monitor my blood pressure and iron count. I have also received free tee shirts, ball caps, aprons, and have registered to win $1000.00 in gas and Atlanta Braves baseball tickets. Okay,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>