Philanthropedia

Please check out this website for its value in choosing causes. They rank nonprofits based on opinions of networks of experts in appropriate nonprofit sectors.

ONE GOOD DEED: Raise awareness for Philanthropedia.

The Children's Hospital

At the checkout counter of my local CVS, the cashier asked me if I wanted to donate a dollar to the Children's Hospital. I was taken aback, and after a moment replied with a hearty yes.

ONE GOOD DEED: Donate to the Children's Hospital.

Amnesty International - Fighting Human Trafficking

Today I was approached by an Amnesty International worker on the street. She told me that Minnesota is currently one of the biggest cities for human trafficking in the U.S. Duluth, a city up north on Lake Superior, is apparently an international port with relatively lax security, making it attractive to traffickers.

ONE GOOD DEED: Become a member of Amnesty International to work toward their membership goal of one million, which number will be used to lobby for human rights in Congress.

Support my local meditation center

With all the job searching, apartment searching, car searching, university research, and family business that I've been dealing with, I was sooooo ready to get back to the old meditation center I used to visit--Common Ground, in Minneapolis. I attended an all-day retreat today, meditating with a group from 9am to 6pm. At the end of the day, there was a circle where we could all say what we were grateful for. When I mentioned how happy I was that the guiding teacher Mark put his talks on the Internet, so that I could listen to them even in Japan, Mark broke a wide grin. I think it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

ONE GOOD DEED: Support my local meditation center with a donation.

Massive great big pile of PET bottle caps

I just got back from camp. We went through plenty of PET bottles, and guess who managed to save the caps?

ONE GOOD DEED: Recycle the camp's PET caps for charity--goes toward medicine for children in developing nations.

Mad money at the kindergarten fundraiser

Onishika Kindergarten, which I just said goodbye to you yesterday, had a fundraiser tonight. There were games and food for small fees. I was happy to fill up on chicken-on-a-stick, soba noodles, chicken nuggets, and potato mochi, while playing mini-bowling and a superball lottery.

ONE GOOD DEED: Support the kindergarten by spending money at its summer fundraiser.

Help a family adopt Ellie

This request was sent to me by Wendy over at Spread Change, a great site for good deeds. Her friends are trying to raise funds to aid their adoption of Ellie, an Ethiopian girl. You can read all about it here.

Wendy writes: "I'm recommending people do a "give up coffee for one day for Ellie" (and donate their Starbucks money for that day) or "cook dinner for Ellie" (invite 10 friends over for a meal and everyone chip in $5 for an Ellie donation). Just little things. We're all about the budget philanthropy over at Spread Change! Anything you can do to help would be great!"

ONE GOOD DEED: Spread the word about a friend's fundraiser, and donate.

Books for the library

The one vice I have truly indulged in these five years in Hokkaido: books. Amazon has been my drug dealer. I can't believe how many I have to ship home now.

With much pain and whining, I picked out the ones I didn't absolutely need. This ought to double the number of English-language books at the local library!

ONE GOOD DEED: Give books to the library.

Infecting the world with PET cap fever

At last, a disease worth having. Symptoms include the complusive collection of PET caps to donate for medicine in developing countries. Patients may also show signs of frugality and compassion.

ONE GOOD DEED: Get a neighbor to donate her PET bottle caps!

PET bottle caps

80 more caps recycled. 100 is medicine for one child!

ONE GOOD DEED: Recycle bottle caps to fund medicine in developing countries.

Peak Oil Awareness

What happens when the world's oil runs out? Oh... uh... well, heh heh, cross your fingers, I guess.

Nearly everything in our modern society is based on cheap energy provided by oil. The gasoline in your car, plastics in your computer, petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides in our fields-- the list goes on. The ramifications for society when oil production passes its peak will be vast, and we could face a long period of serious economic hardship. Extreme scenarios even predict wars, famines, and other symptoms of civilization in decline.

Peak Oil Awareness is a facebook group that is waking people up to this problem. Donations through it benefit the Association for the Study of Peak Oil (ASPO-USA).

There are many interesting presentations of the issue, including a documentary called A Crude Awakening and a podcast with expert James Kunstler. And while most discussions on the subject are depressing at best, a note of hope can be found in The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil.

ONE GOOD DEED: Raise awareness and donate money toward the problem of peak oil.

Orangutan Outreach

I am moved whenever I contemplate these lumbering cousins, so like us. I was lucky enough to be able to visit the Rehabilitation Center when I was in Sabah (Borneo), while visiting a friend. I feel so calm watching these giant, peaceful orange Buddhas.

ONE GOOD DEED: Raise awareness for the facebook group Orangutan Outreach.

EcologyFund.com

Most of us are familiar with charity click sites -- you click and are shown an ad, and that advertiser pays a certain amount to the relevant charity. EcologyFund.com is like this, but the interesting bit is that it has donation groups. I learned of this from an email list message from Paul Harrison of the World Pantheist Movement. There are many spiritual groups on EcologyFund.com so you can give along with likeminded spiritual fellows.

ONE GOOD DEED: Join EcologyFund.com and start clicking to save rain forest acres.

War Child International

Today I performed my own Genocide Prevention Ritual. After putting so much work into organizing the event, I figured my own ritual would be little more than a formality. But it was quite a rewarding experience. Seeing the flowers before me, the naked cut stems, and the blossoms fallen in the mud was more meaningful than I could have imagined. I don't understand why the senses are so important in this way, but they are. As much intellectualization as I do, it culminates in a sensual experience that brings words to a halt.

After the ritual, I followed through by giving to War Child International, a nonprofit that aids children affected by war, helping them get back on their feet, recover from trauma, and return to education.

ONE GOOD DEED: Donate to War Child International.

PET caps

A hundred PET bottle caps equals medicine for one child on the charity recycling program of my school. I was especially pleased this time that nearly half the caps I brought in were collected from roadside trash.

ONE GOOD DEED: Recycle PET bottle caps for charity.

Binghamton Tragedy Victims

An account has been set up to receive donations for the victims of the recent mass murder at the immigrant center. Here is the info I received:

Broome County Council of Churches

Seeks Donations to Assist Civic Association Tragedy Victims

The Broome County Council of Churches’ prayers go out to all of the
victims and families affected by the tragedy at the American Civic
Association. Lives have been forever changed in an instant.

As we enter this time of mourning and work towards a time of healing.
The Broome County Council of Churches would like to assist these
people by collecting monetary donations on their behalf. Extraneous
expenses that these families may incur could include funeral expenses,
emergency food and medical bills among many others.

If you would prayerfully consider helping out in this most dire time
of need, you can send a donation with your check made out to:

Broome County Council of Churches

Please put: “Civic Assoc. Victims” on the memo line of your check to
ensure that your donation reaches these hurting individuals.

Please mail your donation to:
Broome County Council of Churches
3 Otseningo Street
Binghamton, NY 13903

On behalf of the victims and their families, we thank you for your
prayers and your generosity.

ONE GOOD DEED: Donate to help victims of a mass murder.

Raising awareness for charities

The last month I've worked so hard on the Genocide Prevention Ritual that I've hardly had time to look into other charities. But over time the ones I learn about pile up, and today I posted quite a number of them to Polytheist Charity.

Mercy Corps - a team of 3700 professionals helping turn crisis into opportunity for millions around the world; a vast list of programs addresses nearly all areas of humanitarian concern.

Heifer International - giving livestock as an economic base to struggling families in developing countries; recipients agree to pass on offspring and knowledge to others.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - a worldwide mission to help victims of conflicts and internal violence, whoever they are; efforts help people affected by armed conflict in some 80 countries in 2009; Sudan is currently the organization's largest humanitarian operation, followed by Iraq and Afghanistan.

The American Red Cross - the Red Cross in America

Oxfam International - a confederation of 13 like-minded organizations working together and with partners and allies around the world to bring about lasting change; working in development, emergencies, advocacy, campaigning, and policy research; campaigns in health, education, agriculture, climate change, arms control, and trade.

Best Friends Animal Society - rehabilitates abandoned pets deemed "un-adoptable" and finds them good homes, rescues animals from disasters, and educates about setting up animal shelters and programs

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) - not a crusade against alcohol consumption - MADD's mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) - Founded as Students Against Driving Drunk in 1981, SADD has been committed to empowering young people to lead education and prevention initiatives within their schools and communities. SADD now highlights prevention of all destructive behaviors and attitudes that are harmful to young people, including underage drinking, substance abuse, impaired driving, violence and suicide.

Central Asia Institute - works with local people of remote parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan to promote education and literacy among girls; also awards scholarships

Nike Foundation - works to get girls on the international agenda and drive resources to them; researches the critical importance of girls in the developing world; finds the best programs for girls

The Girl Effect - initiative of the Nike Foundation communicating the importance of girls in the developing world

BRAC - works to fight poverty in the developing world through a broad set of services ranging from education to health care, emphasizes poor rural women as agents of change

Polytheist Charity

Visit this group

ONE GOOD DEED: Raise awareness for important charities.

GPR ADF Ritual completed

And now the ritual script started yesterday is done. It's a Genocide Prevention Ritual script for use by members of Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF), a druidic organization. This serves as one example of incorporating the GPR into a faith tradition's liturgy.

ONE GOOD DEED: Complete a ritual script to promote the Genocide Prevention Ritual.

A GPR ritual for ADF

Much of the support for the Genocide Prevention Ritual is coming from Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF), a druidic organization. Today I worked on a ritual script using ADF's beautiful liturgy. It's half-done. I expect to finish it tomorrow.

ONE GOOD DEED: Write a ritual script to promote the Genocide Prevention Ritual.

Promoting the GPR

I spent time today promoting, promoting, promoting. I sent the Genocide Prevention Ritual details to numerous web sites and high-profile bloggers.

ONE GOOD DEED: Promote the Genocide Prevention Ritual.