Charities Donations Solve Problems

Who was it that said: "I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions they will be moved to act. " You might be surprised to learn that it was Bill Gates

Think about it and I know you'll agree that Bill's statement is true. Charities have used tv and film to make sure that we know the problems. They also show us how we can make the lives of the people who need help better. It may not be just money either. For example, charities donations can be tinned foods or warm clothes for bitterly cold nights, or spectacles to help people see. You can even make a charity car donation to be used or sold by the charity. Things we don't have a use for any more but are still too good to throw away. This way we can make a difference easily and feel that we are helping in a way that doesn't mean we have to give money.

Cash is of course a good thing to donate and if this is how you make your charities donations then please continue to do so. If you give cash then how do you make your donations? Do you give regularly or only after a disaster has occurred? If you are one of the many people that make regular charities donations then you probably have a good idea which charities are the most important to you, such as AIDS or homelessness. You are probably also aware of the tax benefits open to you too. Charities can often reclaim the tax that you have already paid on the value of your charities donation. The basic rate of tax in the UK is 22% and that can make a significant difference to the charity you are donating to. Make sure that you have filled in the appropriate forms to say that you are a taxpayer and allow the charity to reclaim the tax.

If, like me, you don't have a 'favourite' charity, it is a good idea to plan your budget for the year and then decide who to help. Charities like the Red Cross, Oxfam, Cafod, etc. are known worldwide and are often first at disaster scenes. Then there is the charities set up as 'one offs' to help rebuild communities after disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami. Searching the Internet will help find details of those. The support in charities donations for these last two areas means that the people who have lost everything can receive help to start again.

Charity begins at home they say and I think that they are right. If you are in an aircraft that decompresses you must always put on your own oxygen mask first before you think about anyone else. Why? well you can't help anyone when you have just suffocated can you. It might not be easy to see at first how this situation compares to charities donations but if you think about it there are definite similarities. If you neglect your family and friends when they are in need then how will they ever be able to help others in the future. When our family was young we would help at fund raising events for the school. Not only was this helpful to the school but we also made a lot of new friends in the process.

My children are all grown up now and we have moved away from the village they grew up in. I haven't stopped helping though; I just do it differently now. Working full time doesn't leave much time to help fund raising events. In recent years I have supported charities in two main areas. Cancer research is one as it affects my family. Children's charities are another and I like to support local, national and international charities. I get the satisfaction of seeing my financial help in charities donations going to make a better future for us all.

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