Charitable Giving

[CrawfordCentury]

Well, with the end of the year in sight, I've been finding more and more appeals in my mailbox from many worthy charitable organizations seeking year-end donations.

Some local, some statewide, others national in scope.

With Thanksgiving still fresh in my memory, I try to be as generous as possible to support local organizations that enhance the quality of life we all enjoy in this area.

I enjoy public radio and tv, so we support them. Also too, I love history and support the NH Historical Society, the Wright Museum, and the Farm Museum in Milton. We also make small donations to a couple of local food pantries - small cash amounts and in-kind donations of food.

Which Lakes Region non-profits do you support?

[BroadHopper]

is a great organization that makes sure the money goes to those who deserves it. Administration cost is very low and gets my vote. er money.

I would steer clear of NH Easter Seals. Extremely high administrative costs. Google the name and you will read. :(

[winniplayhouse]

In the spirit of giving, I wanted to let you know that the Winni Playhouse will be collecting non-perishable food donations which will be donated to a local food pantry at all performances of our Youth Ensemble production of Charlotte's Web. Performances are this Friday and Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm and the same next weekend (Dec. 4-6 and 11-3). However, even if you aren't interested in seeing the show (27 great local kids performing!) you are welcome to drop off food donations anytime during that time period and we'll be happy to deliver them along with the rest of the donations. We're generally open 10:30-4:30 - in the Alpenrose Plaza at the Weirs.

[Argie's Wife]

The local food pantry (Alton), hospice (Wolfeboro), and a church (Laconia).

I second Broadhopper's comments. Each year we have a shopping list of non-profits that solicit our town for money. Their requests are placed on the warrant article for voters to approve or reject (Alton is SB-2). Our Budget Committee always asks what the administrative costs run and discuss the overhead vs. the value of service. Some of the costs are amazingly high, while others are low (or none!).

[SteveA]

We donate time and money.

Our list:

NH Humane Society
Gilford Community Church and Youth Center
The Carey House
The Boys and Girls Club
Saint Vincent DePaul
Salvation Army

Often the time you can give to any "charity" is as important as any money you send.
Plus, sometimes charity pays off. We won a "raffle" prize at a NH Humane Society event... a spectacular "Quilt Lady" quilt! ;)
In good times and bad, charity has always been a budget item for us.

[angela4design]

A lot of the people in the community come together with time and money for the WLNH Children's Auction. I like knowing that my donations stay in the Lakes Region and help struggling families.

I went to the Auction the year that the elementary school kids brought in the Gingerbread house, "for kids who can't afford things". It was enough to bring tears to my eyes, and I've been a contributor ever since!

[jmen24]

Couple of the locals that we support, even though not technically in the Lakes Region, but the Sunapee/Dartmouth Region.

Our towns newly started food pantry.

We also support CHaD.

[ishoot308]

This year my wife and I found a wonderful charity sponsored by the Salvation Army and JC Penney It's called "Angel Tree". Basically you are purchasing Christmas presents for those in need in any area of the state you want.

You pick the area of where the person you want to help lives, you then pick the age of the person you want to help, it can be from an infant to a retired person. You buy the presents anywhere you want, then wrap and deliver them to the local Salvation Army in the area you selected.

I selected a 74 year old retired woman in Laconia who only asked for a warm blanket and some pots and pans... Needless to say, this lovely lady will be quite warm under her new blanket/s this Christmas with lots of pots and pans and a many other goodies we bought for her.

It's a great feeling to know you can help the many deserving people in need who are having a hard time making ends meet. Many of these people do not have the basic living necessities.

Here is a link to Angel Tree... http://angel.jcpenney.com/

Dan

[Pine Island Guy]

We also support CHaD.

I can't say enough about what a gem we have in NH with CHaD (Children's Hospital at Dartmouth). Spend some time there as a volunteer and you can see the incredible and compassionate work they do for children and their families. They got some great national exposure and recognition on this past Sunday's "Extreme Home Makeover" too!!

More info here - CHaD (http://chad.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/index.html)

Thank you CC for starting this thread, timely topic and there are so many worthy causes that really need peoples support this time of year!!

PIG

[Argie's Wife]

CHaD is a great program - they helped us when our first baby was a preemie and they're helping us now with our second child with special needs. Excellent program and very professional. Can't say enough good things about CHaD!

[ITD]

Hmmm, I've sent money to the Center Harbor Food pantry in the past, but from comments on other threads I think I may have been had.......

[twoplustwo]

The Lakes Region Humane Society is always first on our list. There are others, but they are tops.

http://www.lrhs.net/

[Capt Bart]

During the summer when Capt'n Bart's is open we do what we can for the soup kitchen. However, I'm also the president of Winnipesaukee Sportsmen's Club and along with Buckeys Resturant (the drop off point) we are doing a food drive for the many needy Moultonboro families . I'm not proud and will take any opportunity to try and support the food pantry. No matter how SMALL any contributions will be greatly appriciated . Happy Holidays to all,Bart

[Capt Bart]

The food pantry we are dealing with is run by the Methodist church of Moultonboro. Food helps our friends and neighbors.

[WinnDixie]

I guess my favorite has always been a food pantry. We still support St. Vincent de Paul in Laconia. We also have supported the NH Humane Society...you know they have a pet food pantry now, which is great. Dr. McDonald, the vet in Laconia, also has a fund to help defray the cost of treating injured strays that make their way there. He is excellent, as many of you know.

Another worthy one, IMO, is Project Share through (up there) Public Service. We supported that up there, and continue to do it here through Huntsville Utilities. Adding a few $$ to your light bill to help people who cannot pay theirs is a big help to some who need it desperately.

[SAMIAM]

Glad to see people like Capt Bart stepping up. Those of us in business have an obligation to do a little more .....and we prefer to keep our giving local. The Belknap and Carroll co. hospice's and county nurses do wonderful work. The Sandwich Children's Center gives working mom's a break with day care, and, of couse, the Humane Society.......and many other worthwhile charities.
Who can walk by a Salvation Army santa without dropping a buck or a little change in the pot?

[fatlazyless]

Before jumping to a bad conclusion about the Centre Harbor food pantry such as the good pastor was rededicating donated canned tomato soup & saltines by exchanging them at the State Liquor Store for his personal caviar and champaign, as he wined & dined financial clients on his 37' Formula deluxe, while slowly cruising & gawking the beautifull Lake Winnipesaukee Clay Point area ........ is there a witness on-board this forum?

Is there an elderly Centre Harbor individual, or couple, living for neigh on thirty years or so, in their little, comfy Centre Harbor ranch house who has suffered the financial pain of ever-increasing home assessments and higher & higher property tax bills while their fixed social security income remains.....well....fixed? While under the gun of increasing oil, gasoline, car repair, electricity, telephone, satellite tv, health insurance co-pays & everything else, has it been necessary to go to the Centre Harbor Food Pantry to stay afloat in this stormy sea of raging expenses? Wanting to keep your long time, little house, has the donated food from the Centre Harbor Food Pantry been a welcome help?

Please step up to the forum and share your pain...! How has the Centre Harbor Food Pantry helped you?:patriot::patriot::patriot:

[Slickcraft]

Alton Community Services provides general assistance in coordination with the Town Welfare office. They also operate a food pantry. This is a good local charity.
Mail address:
PO Box 43
Alton, NH 03809

[LadyJane]

I got a request from the Center Harbor Food Pantry too, and I am here in Ct. but recently bought land in Sandwich. I did send a small donation. I frequently support my local food pantry. The grocery store has bins set up at the end of the registers so that people can donate canned goods, etc. and it's good to know the food goes directly to those in need. Sadly, there are a lot more people needing assistance these days.

[upthesaukee]

Another thing to consider is that if you belong to an organization or group, pick a charity or organization that mirrors your group's ideals, find a fundraising event to sponsor to raise money for that group, and then donate that money to the charity / group. A small group of volunteers as a group can often make far more for that charity than they could as individuals.
As an example, the Masonic Lodge in Alton is having a Ham & Bean supper this Saturday night from 5-7 at the Alton Masonic Lodge just south of the Alton Circle on Route 28. The beneficiary of this dinner will be the food pantries in Alton and New Durham, with each pantry getting an equal split of the proceeds.
We did a dinner in August without much advertising and were able to donate $200 to each food pantry. At this time of year when needs are very high, we are hoping that we can double our contributions from this dinner.
Use the power of your group and you will be surprised what you can do with your volunteerism for your favorite charity (ies).

[AB_Monterey]

Catholic Charities of NH
NH Food Bank

[ghfromaltonbay]

[QUOTE=upthesaukee;113475] A small group of volunteers as a group can often make far more for that charity than they could as individuals.

At the company where I work the 35 employees picked the Interfaith Food Pantry nearby as the charity. HR made a contest out of the food drive -- We were broken up into 5 teams and challenged over the 3 weeks prior to Thanksgiving to donate non-perishable foods and baby supplies. Each week a coin toss was done to see if we would weigh our donations or do a count of items. (checks donated counted as 1 point per dollar). At the end of the 3rd week the winning team got $100 to go out for lunch. Our team won and donated the $100 back to the charity - none of us would suffer by missing a lunch out if you know what I mean. In the 3 weeks, our company collected 1405 pounds of food, and the checks given totalled $880. The company President surprised us with another check for $500 and someone put in $20 cash to make it an even $1400. In order not to overwhelm the center, we brought the donations each week and pre-sorted boxes by types of food. Not bad for a small office and everyone really had a lot of fun shopping and decorating their team's donation boxes. I have to say that there was a lot of team spirit given that this past year no one here got raises or bonuses and there was a small layoff (4 people) in Nov. 2008. I think everyone was just thankful that they still have their jobs and know that a lot of people are not as fortunate this year.

[Lakesrider]

Every year I put together 20 care packages for the troops. I include 2 pair of white or gray socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant (Gel type), soap, disposable razors, shave creme ( the kind in a toothpaste tube) 4 aa batteries, baby wipe packets, lip balm (Chapstick gel, (not the wax kind, it melts) Visine to get the sand out, etc. I pack everything in small plastic bags so they don't leak. In 2008 I included Rat 3 knives. Last year I did the small Swiss army knives. This year I did $20 phone cards. I always include a small thank you note, and include pictures of the Lake. I'm sure they miss seeing water...All in all about $50 each. Small price to pay for what they do. I then deliver them to the NG armory in Concord.

[captbart]

Well done Lakesrider ! Many are in need but we can never forget our troops!!!