Hey Lady, Can You Spare a Dime?

Like the majority of the people and families I know, I’m working class American, stretching my dollars as far as I can to accommodate higher fuel, food and utility costs with a paycheck that isn’t growing at all, let alone at a rate to keep pace with the increases.  I’m not complaining – I consider myself tremendously blessed to have a home in this country and the good health to work to make the money to pay for these things.  

            Like my friends and neighbors, I donate time and energy, goods and money to causes like my church and street kids, fighting cancer, feeding families in Appalachia (that is in the United States), helping military families and supporting two American Indian schools that are located in regions not desirable for lucrative casino revenues.

            In June, I decided to determine who was asking for what, beside the five charities I send monthly support.  I collected the donation requests in a box.  Here are the 1-month totals: sixteen military and veteran organizations, nine animal and environmental organizations and twenty-one organizations dedicated to helping children and families in our country.  Toss in a whopping thirty-two illness-research outfits.  And, another eleven organizations wanted my help in other countries.   In total, that’s 39 donation requests received in my mailbox during a 30 day period.  I decided not to include the email requests. My husband says he is going to apply for a charitable non-profit tax status and start sending me stuff in the mail.  This from a man who spends a third of his pay buying animal food for homeless animals.  Mr. Tough Guy.

           We would like to save everyone, but cannot. Family medical and prescription costs now exceed twenty percent of what I net and insurance premiums and taxes get another twenty-eight percent.  So, while I may not be able to donate more time or money to care for those in the world who need help, I keep looking to make sure I’m doing all I can.  And, I’ll say an extra prayer for the world while I’m at it.  

            I urge you strongly to do the same.  Plan to give all you responsibly can of your money, yourself, your love and your gently used items. The return on this investment is better than the stock market will ever be!

            And it won’t hurt to keep us all in your prayers.

            I wish you good health, light and blessings.

Diva Nancy