NAPTIME ACTIVISM
HOLIDAY PEACE THROUGH GIVING The holiday season has so individuals to solicit funding much getting that it can for creative projects or personmake us yearn for gival needs. Even Facebook now ing. After the presents are offers a Donate Button and a wrapped and we settle in birthday donation option. for the warmth of the sea—gofundme.com, kickstarter. son, we may want to do com, indiegogo.com, something to help others. crowdfunder.com. It makes us happy when we make a charitable donation HOW TO EVALUATE A CHARITY of time or money, especially BY PEGGY O’MARA when our giving builds social peggyomara.com If you’re interested in donating connections. Don’t forget to a charity, check out Charity though, that the watchword Navigator, where you can find the charity’s of naptime activism is giving only in a way that works for your particular family circum- overall rating on finances, accountability and transparency. A non-profit, for example, stances and the ages of your children. should spend less than 30% of its revenue on management expenses. Or, go to Charity SOCIAL GIVING Watch for a detailed report card of over 600 companies. —charitynavigator.org, Fortunately, we live in a golden age of social charitywatch.org giving. Technology has allowed us to get to know thousands of non-profit organizations GIVING TUESDAY and given us the ability to donate money easily and securely. In addition, many for profit There’s a day once a year that makes it easy companies embrace social entrepreneurship to give back. Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday and combine business with a social purpose. They fund and implement social, cultural and after Thanksgiving (December 3rd this year), environmental solutions through a non-prof- partners with registered non-profits and with businesses that organize events to benefit it arm or from a percentage of profits. non-profits. The day encourages us to give time, money or the power of our voices along Websites like GoFundMe, Kickstarter, Indiwith our families, our community, our comegogo and Crowdfunder offer opportunities pany, or our organization. for businesses, books, films, albums and —givingtuesday.org
