Charitable Organizations you donate to?

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thechoson
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Charitable Organizations you donate to?

Post by thechoson »

I was wondering if some forum members would be willing to share what kind of chritable organizations you donate time/ money to and the amount of commitment (I guess if money then % of income or absolute amount, if time, how many hours/month type thing).
bwalling
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Post by bwalling »

I donate some money to a local organization that provides vocational training.

I donate clothing and other items to Salvation Army/Goodwill.
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Opponent Process
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Post by Opponent Process »

15% of income to Federal government
8% of income to California government
athletic events for various charities
socially-conditioned gifts are usually charitable donations tailored to the recipient's values
30/30/20/20 | US/International/Bonds/TIPS | Average Age=37
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Hector
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Post by Hector »

Opponent Process wrote:15% of income to Federal government
8% of income to California government
I doubt that you have any choice here.
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Post by Hector »

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Christine_NM
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Post by Christine_NM »

I give 8% of gross income to 2 local charities, 1 national, and 1 international (diversification, I guess). It doesn't seem like that much, I was surprised at the %.
16% cash 49% stock 35% bond. Retired, w/d rate 2.5%
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HomerJ
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Post by HomerJ »

Christine_NM wrote:I give 8% of gross income to 2 local charities, 1 national, and 1 international (diversification, I guess). It doesn't seem like that much, I was surprised at the %.
8% of gross is huge.
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Christine_NM
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Post by Christine_NM »

rrk -

I suppose it is huge on a personal-budget scale, but it's nothing compared to the need. And it's precisely half what I pay in taxes (16% of gross). So, not really so huge if there's no mortgage and no debt.
16% cash 49% stock 35% bond. Retired, w/d rate 2.5%
Stonebr
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Post by Stonebr »

About 6% of gross. I have my favorite charities, but use Charitynavigator to do some screening. My wife does volunteer work -- about 4 hours a month. After I retire in a few months, I will do some of that too.
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CABob
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Post by CABob »

The major recipient of my charitable contributions is a local organization that provides a number of services to those less fortunate especially seniors. Others that receive less generous amounts include local foundations, my alma mater, Red Cross, and national organizations supporting disease research. I even give to some of the organizations that send me address labels.
Is anyone but me tired of receiving these labels?
Do you get the impression that the major activities of these organizations are soliciting contributions rather than their intended purpose?
Bob
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Sheepdog
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Post by Sheepdog »

Every year I give to the following totalling at least 10 percent of my total yearly retirement spending budget.
Local symphony orchestra
Community theatre
Summer stock theater
Boy Scouts
Girl Scouts
Marine Corp Foundation
3 university foundations.
Community foundation
Public broadcasting
Rotary Foundation
Polio Plus (Rotary)
American Red Cross
United Way
Nature Conversancy
Salvation Army
3 homeless shelters (adult and teen)
Catholic Charities and other food banks
2 Animal rescue groups.
Special school fund raisers.
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isaidit
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Post by isaidit »

10% of gross to local church. I've learned that if you tithe off the gross then you get blessed off the gross :) God is amazing. Probably another 2% throughout the year to various other things (USO, Missions, etc.)
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Post by Khanmots »

Right now, not much personally, although I am starting to shift friends/relatives over to gifting donations to the ACLU or EFF if they feel they need to make a bday/xmas gift.

Once I have retirement goals being met I'll start donations to those same causes.
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Post by rylemdr »

isaidit wrote:10% of gross to local church. I've learned that if you tithe off the gross then you get blessed off the gross :) God is amazing. Probably another 2% throughout the year to various other things (USO, Missions, etc.)
Good for you! I'm sure God only wants us to tithe net, but you will be very blessed for tithing gross. I admire that. I give tithes too, 12% net for me. 12% because it includes my offerings. :)

Thank God my parents taught me to tithe while I was very young.
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dm200
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Post by dm200 »

A few years ago, when I had some money, I gave regularly to my local faith comunity and related outreach organizations, primarily. I plan to do so again, as soon as my financial situation improves.
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Post by rokidtoo »

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NAVigator
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Post by NAVigator »

My church which in turn helps support community charities, JDRF (diabetes research) and American Cancer Society. These are causes close to my heart (or thereabouts).

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Sunny Sarkar
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Post by Sunny Sarkar »

Very poor people in India paid sales taxes when purchasing basic necessities that funded my free education all the way to a masters degree. They made my current lifestyle possible. I owe them big time. Regarding the specific conduits, my choices are easy... my ex-classmate runs a elementary school for tribal children in a remote village (needs to travel to nearest town to read/send emails), and my ex-roommate runs a charity focused on improving reproductive health of poor village women - both of these extraordinary guys gave up quite well paying careers in their mid-30s to do this - so that's where my charity dollars go. I also have quite a bit of time commitment to a cultural organization and another charity (both based in Dallas-Fort Worth) focused on educating children from impoverished families. Also, small amounts to NPR, World Wildlife Fund, and a few such.
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Post by Robert44 »

I am volunteer director of my local Meals on Wheels program, which takes up a couple days a week. donate clothing and household goods to VietNam Vets. Try to help the homeless and employ out of work people for any work I need around the house. Try to give back to the community and at the same time help people that are less fortunate than we are.
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Post by exeunt »

VillageReach, rated the best charity by GiveWell. No other charity assessor is as rigorous. Frankly, I'm comfortable enough directing most of my future donations to top charities as determined by GiveWell.
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Langkawi
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Post by Langkawi »

exeunt wrote:VillageReach, rated the best charity by GiveWell. No other charity assessor is as rigorous. Frankly, I'm comfortable enough directing most of my future donations to top charities as determined by GiveWell.
GiveWell has a very bad reputation on this forum :evil:
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Qtman
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Post by Qtman »

Smile Train, 100% of your donation goes to actual operations on children with cleft palate. Admin costs are covered by other donors.
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Post by HongKonger »

I provide a foster home for rescued cats and I volunteer to staff the charity's adoption days and help out with the admin. Currently, my personal donations are going to animal rescue in Japan. I chop and change where I donate money whether its sponsoring children in Cambodia to study English and computing, or buying goats and chickens for families in other 3rd world countries.
ginyah
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charitable contributions

Post by ginyah »

I give 5% of my gross income to the following: USO, Make It Right Foundation, Catholic Charities, local public library, local volunteer fire department, Toys for Tots, Bob Woodruff Foundation, Elderhostel, and local senior center.
marylandcrab
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Post by marylandcrab »

I donate about 15% of my income - not always technically "charitable" organizations, but needs that would otherwise go unmet

I financially supported a friend going through chemo and radiation that wasn't fully covered by insurance

Local food bank

Local state delegate and other political causes/candidates

Lots to my kids school for things they wouldn't have if not for donations and tuition assistance

Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth - to help pay for underpriveleged gifted children to attend camps


If you don't make a habit of giving when younger and with less money, it is not likely when you reach some magic income number that you'll begin to be a giver.
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hand
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Post by hand »

Local urban charter school which provides a mix of vocational and academic opportunities to "out of school youth" and has a good record of post-graduation success and some truly inspirational staff.

I feel good that most of these students go from being dropouts to college or productive jobs. Intellectually, I prefer investing in opportunity vs. subsidizing failure and am happy to support alternatives to our broken public school monopoly.
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HomerJ
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Post by HomerJ »

Qtman wrote:Smile Train, 100% of your donation goes to actual operations on children with cleft palate. Admin costs are covered by other donors.
Yes, I give to SmileTrain too each year.

I really like charities that have focused goals with concrete results... For me, it's not as satisfying giving $1000 to the Red Cross. I like knowing there are four kids in this world that have their cleft palates fixed thanks to me each year.

(oh I guess the doctors helped too) :) :)
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HomerJ
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Post by HomerJ »

isaidit wrote:10% of gross to local church. I've learned that if you tithe off the gross then you get blessed off the gross :) God is amazing. Probably another 2% throughout the year to various other things (USO, Missions, etc.)
I have friends who tithe 10% to their church, and they have to occasionally borrow money from me to pay for emergencies. I wonder sometimes why their church doesn't help them out. Their pastor drives a nice car though.
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HomerJ
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Post by HomerJ »

Langkawi wrote:GiveWell has a very bad reputation on this forum :evil:
How come?
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Post by HomerJ »

marylandcrab wrote:If you don't make a habit of giving when younger and with less money, it is not likely when you reach some magic income number that you'll begin to be a giver.
This is probably true... I'm not much of a giver... It's only recently that I started giving to charities, and it's not much (usually 10%-15% of my BONUSES, not my salary).

I always thought "Someday when I retire, and I'm rich, I'll give more and volunteer too!"

I still hope that will be true, but I really should be giving more now. But when you're saving 20%-30%, giving away 10% is HUGE...

My Dad says I should start with 2% this year and add 1% every year until I get to 10%.... That's pretty wise advice I think.
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Post by NYCPete »

I'm at about 3% of income after taxes and retirement savings. Not a big percentage of gross, but I feel strongly that I need to take care of my own finances before helping institutions with theirs. Hoping to increase it in the future.

Here are mine:

Hill Murray School (My high school alma matter)
WNYC
The Natural Resources Defense Council
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
Farm Sanctuary
AIDS Walk
New York Cares
Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin
Consumers Union (non profit publisher of Consumer Reports Magazine)

Best,
Peter
To the extent that a fool knows his foolishness, | He may be deemed wise | A fool who considers himself wise | Is indeed a fool. | | Buddha
porcupine
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Post by porcupine »

Sunny:
Sunny Sarkar wrote:Very poor people in India paid sales taxes when purchasing basic necessities that funded my free education all the way to a masters degree. They made my current lifestyle possible. I owe them big time.
+1 (though only up to a Bachelor's for me).
Sunny Sarkar wrote:Regarding the specific conduits, my choices are easy... my ex-classmate runs a elementary school for tribal children in a remote village (needs to travel to nearest town to read/send emails), and my ex-roommate runs a charity focused on improving reproductive health of poor village women - both of these extraordinary guys gave up quite well paying careers in their mid-30s to do this - so that's where my charity dollars go.
How about some more information about these folks?

If you have charity dollars left over [smile] and are unaware of these, you might want to check out Ekal Vidyalaya and Akshaya Patra (here are some photos of the kitchen) as well.

- Porcupine
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Post by porcupine »

rrosenkoetter wrote:
Langkawi wrote:GiveWell has a very bad reputation on this forum :evil:
How come?
Because it has not one but two four-letter words?:wink:

- Porcupine
DeGrief
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Post by DeGrief »

rrosenkoetter wrote:
Langkawi wrote:GiveWell has a very bad reputation on this forum :evil:
How come?
This seems to refer to a member here whose username is 'givewell'--perhaps he has rubbed some people the wrong way.

In any case, I want to second the praise for Givewell (http://www.givewell.org). If any of you can find another organization that does more careful, rigorous analysis to find the most effective charities I would love to hear about it. Their emphasis on transparency, and on what one might call evidence-based donation, is refreshing. Have a look at their website and make your own judgment.

(By the way, I have no connection to givewell.org, other than contributing to their recommended charities.)
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Post by benh »

isaidit wrote:10% of gross to local church. I've learned that if you tithe off the gross then you get blessed off the gross :) God is amazing. Probably another 2% throughout the year to various other things (USO, Missions, etc.)
Pretty much word for word what I was going to say. Thanks.
rylemdr wrote:
isaidit wrote:10% of gross to local church. I've learned that if you tithe off the gross then you get blessed off the gross :) God is amazing. Probably another 2% throughout the year to various other things (USO, Missions, etc.)
Good for you! I'm sure God only wants us to tithe net, but you will be very blessed for tithing gross. I admire that. I give tithes too, 12% net for me. 12% because it includes my offerings. :)

Thank God my parents taught me to tithe while I was very young.
My parents taught me well when I was young as well. It's a habit now. I choose to tithe off of my gross but the Lord knows the heart.

-Ben
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Post by deathb4disco »

isaidit wrote:10% of gross to local church. I've learned that if you tithe off the gross then you get blessed off the gross :) God is amazing. Probably another 2% throughout the year to various other things (USO, Missions, etc.)
Same here. Besides church, I also make donations to Goodwill, Salvation Army, and a few medical charities.
deathb4disco
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Post by deathb4disco »

rrosenkoetter wrote:
Qtman wrote:Smile Train, 100% of your donation goes to actual operations on children with cleft palate. Admin costs are covered by other donors.
Yes, I give to SmileTrain too each year.
I have given to Operation Smile in the past. (They also treat cleft lip/palate.)

Do you know how the two charities compare?
investor
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Post by investor »

Salvation Army...... I always donate anonymously and if anyone ever calls me then they are removed from any future contributions.

investor
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Post by Manbaerpig »

World Wildlife Foundation
Conservation International
Apalachian Mountain Club
ASPCA
Marine Mammal Center of Monterey
Loaves & Fishes (local charity feeding homeless/other services)
whichever disaster I hear on the news (flooding/tornado/volcano/nuclear armageddon)
salvation army (mostly for the tax writeoff, donation of old clothes)

I donate 5% of net, conservation internation is my largest contribution


I secretly wish that NY professor guy was around to debate how the only possible charity I should donate to is the one that he determined to have the max utility/payback on alleviating human suffering.
:twisted:
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thechoson
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Post by thechoson »

Thanks everyone.

I wanted to get a feel for the type of organizations everyone here supports, as I want to also start supporting some organizations I believe in.

At this point I think I'd like to start off by contributing to the schools I've attended, especially my elementary school.

But right now I can't afford much, probably $200. Is such a small amount too tacky, and should I just hold off and donate when I am able to contribute a larger sum?
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Sheepdog
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Post by Sheepdog »

thechoson wrote:Thanks everyone.

I wanted to get a feel for the type of organizations everyone here supports, as I want to also start supporting some organizations I believe in.

At this point I think I'd like to start off by contributing to the schools I've attended, especially my elementary school.

But right now I can't afford much, probably $200. Is such a small amount too tacky, and should I just hold off and donate when I am able to contribute a larger sum?
No, don't hold off. The group of your choice can't hold off. Your elementary school? They need supplies for the classes. There are kids in the schools who can't afford to buy their school needs. $200 will go a long way to fill their needs. $50 will. Even $5.
My giving goal for an organization is to increase it annually by inflation at least, but usually by 3 to 5%. Can you give $200 this year and maybe, if you can, give that or more next year?
Thank you for helping whatever your cause is.
Jim
Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered you will never grow. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
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soaring
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Post by soaring »

rrosenkoetter wrote:
Christine_NM wrote:I give 8% of gross income to 2 local charities, 1 national, and 1 international (diversification, I guess). It doesn't seem like that much, I was surprised at the %.
8% of gross is huge.
It sure is. My retired brother grossing $28K gives 25% cash and uses his vehicle to collect donated food giving another 500 hrs of his time annually. A bit excessive but it makes him happy and makes up for our 1%.
Desiderata
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soaring
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Post by soaring »

thechoson wrote:Thanks everyone.

I wanted to get a feel for the type of organizations everyone here supports, as I want to also start supporting some organizations I believe in.

At this point I think I'd like to start off by contributing to the schools I've attended, especially my elementary school.

But right now I can't afford much, probably $200. Is such a small amount too tacky, and should I just hold off and donate when I am able to contribute a larger sum?
Don't hold off. Do what you can where you can and be proud.
Desiderata
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Post by nwrolla »

isaidit wrote:10% of gross to local church. I've learned that if you tithe off the gross then you get blessed off the gross :) God is amazing. Probably another 2% throughout the year to various other things (USO, Missions, etc.)
Same here, parents raised me very young in the church to tithe 10% of gross it is nice knowing your money is going to something you fully support and believe in.
garg33
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Post by garg33 »

+1 for http://www.givewell.org, they are awesome.

I have given a fairly substantial amount (substantial for me, five figures) to them for regranting and to their recommended charities over the past 2-3 years.

ETA: but since op has only a relatively small amount to give let me point out that GiveWell's research is specifically focused on how to be effective as a small donor. (Even five figures is still small next to foundation grants, etc.)
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Post by HardKnocker »

I'm not big on charities.

I buy girl scout cookies and things from school related fund raisers.

After working on many not-for-profit type organizations I found too much of the donated money goes into someone's pocket.

Charity begins at home.

Excessive donations to religious organizations are for fools.
“Gold gets dug out of the ground, then we melt it down, dig another hole, bury it again and pay people to stand around guarding it. It has no utility.”--Warren Buffett
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Post by drh »

rylemdr wrote:
isaidit wrote:10% of gross to local church. I've learned that if you tithe off the gross then you get blessed off the gross :) God is amazing. Probably another 2% throughout the year to various other things (USO, Missions, etc.)
Good for you! I'm sure God only wants us to tithe net, but you will be very blessed for tithing gross. I admire that. I give tithes too, 12% net for me. 12% because it includes my offerings. :)

Thank God my parents taught me to tithe while I was very young.
I hope you don't mind me asking, but I don't follow your net vs. gross logic. I thought the idea was 10% of what you make. That would be gross pay. A tax bill is just like any other bill. Why not 10% of net pay after some of my other bills, like my mortgage payment or car insurance?

Just because the money is withheld from your paycheck doesn't mean it wasn't/isn't money you earned.
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Post by ncaraway »

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CABob
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Post by CABob »

ncaraway wrote:I've worked in nonprofits for over 25 years so I've had an opportunity to "see how the sausage is made" as the saying goes. It's not always a pretty sight but it's better than doing nothing. Humans after all, are imperfect. I've been contemplating blogging about my experiences - once I'm safely retired.
Based on your experience do you have any thoughts on the charity evaluation organizations such as Charity Navigator, Give Well, Charity Watchdog, Guidestar, etc.?
Bob
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Post by Helloeeze »

I give to church and support a child through Compassion International and I support a missionary through Campus Crusade...all monthly. I give to City Team, a homeless shelter in my city, Doctors Without Borders. I donate blood every eight weeks. My husband is even more generous. He's always giving money away to hurting people recovering from addiction (which actually has been an issue with me), he gives 10 percent to his church of choice out of his income. We know one family that live sacrificially and give more than 50% percent of their income to charities. There are a lot of amazing people out there.

ETA: A lot of amazing people don't give to charities. They are just amazing in other ways.
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