When I am on the road, I get to check in with cable. The other night’s late, late show featured the movie called “The Year of Living Dangerously.” In one scene, two characters, Billy Kwan and Guy Hamilton are speaking about the overwhelming needs of the poor in Indonesia. Hamilton grows disenchanted and overwhelmed by the enormity of what he sees. As a response to his frustration, Billy Kwan entreats, “Add your light to the sum of light.”
Gosh, I love that line! Do what you can, the character of Kwan says. Reignite your desire to make a difference. Add your light to the sum of light. I have collected some websites and possibilities to Reignite your good intentions and Recycle them to good actions. This is not a finite list. Send me more ways to add light and I will include them in an immediate future post.
Review: Analyze your Christmas list. Match every listed item with a way to donate your time, your money, or your energy.
Re-Search: GoodSearch, http://www.goodsearch.com/ donates money from every search to charity. Just enter the charity of your choice and search. GoodSearch, powered by Yahoo, donates money to your charity of choice every time you search - at no cost to you. We’ve even added the GoodSearch link to the OOPS webpage.
Retail: After choosing your charity and finding the perfect doo-dad for pops, shop online at Good Shop and iGive. You can even add your child’s school. A recent shopping excursion at Good Shop (solely for the benefit of research!) found donation amounts between .5% and 35% of total sales. Remember, you do not pay, retailers do! (Please don’t Grinch it up for me and say the retailers are raising prices to cover their donations…Believe in the power of social capital.)
Rethink: Gifts without lead or tiny, choke-able pieces by shopping at Learning Express. In Dallas or online @ Learning Express.
Regift: Give your old cell phone away. One old phone generates two new phone cards. Online @ Cellphones for Soldiers http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/
Remember: A Million Thanks, forwards thank you emails and text messages and Let’s Say Thanks, sends free printed postcards to service personnel. Visit both websites today or with your children and grandchildren during the holidays.
Renew: Renew an acquaintance with someone who is alone this year. The holidays find many people alone: the family or spouse of an active duty serviceperson, a newly single neighbor or friend, a single parent. Offer to watch the kids, drive their carpool one day, take their kids to a movie, buy tickets to a local event so they may attend, provide yard care one Saturday, babysitting, bring food in, and/or take them out.
Rejoice: Finally, a real reason to buy shoes! Visit TOMS Shoes (no relation to my brother). For every pair of TOMS purchased a pair of shoes will be donated to a child in need.
Respond: Family Promise help low-income families nationwide achieve lasting independence link those in need with those who want to help through four program areas. Visit Family Promise to learn more. Christian Homes dot org http://www.christianhomes.org/ provides elderly care, hospice care, respite care, and assisted living care. Christian Homes dot com http://www.christianhomes.com/ provides maternity care, adoption services, and foster care. World Wide Youth Camps conducts summer camps for the youth of Russia.
Replant: San Francisco’s Friends of the Urban Forest will deliver; pick up; and then replant your tree. Through December 19th @ sfenvironment.org Not in SF? Search for a local alternative at, you guessed it, GoodSearch
Remember: Send me more ways to “add your light to the sum of light” and I will include them in an immediate future post.
