For consumers looking to build emergency money funds, giving to charity can help. Taxpayers can either donate cash or goods, but each one comes along with some rules via the IRS. For example, if a consumer donates money, they have to have paperwork and documentation to prove it. On the other hand, donating household goods has even more legwork attached. It’s important to know the rules and then use them, but wise consumers who do can, find considerable savings by donating to charity.

Using an IRA direct rollover

For consumers who are 70 ½ or older, they can have money directly moved from an IRA to the charity of their choice. Both traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs allow the move, but it is more beneficial to do it via a traditional type. The reason is that the money in these accounts is taxable, and lowering the balance lowers the tax liability. Money that goes straight to the charity is not considered taxable income when it comes to the IRA owner. The only drawback is that when money is moved directly to a charity from an IRA, it is not deductible by the consumer. It’s a small drawback though, and the difference may be negligible. In order to take advantage of the charitable donations, taxpayers have to itemize their filing. If a taxpayer does a rollover to the charity, the standard deduction still applies.

Household goods donations and taxes

Many charities accept household goods donations and taxpayers are allowed to claim the market value of donations on their taxes. In 2006, a new law was set in motion that requires items to be in “good or better” condition. The reason for the new law was to dissuade consumers from donating their junk and then trying to claim it on their taxes. The other reason is that too many consumers were valuing their items at too high a value and filing for a higher tax break than rightfully they should have. Finding emergency money to pay taxes is possible with the donating goods option, but the goods have to be valuable or the IRS can deem them “minimal monetary value” items and deny the claim.

Another rule to remember when it comes to donating goods is that when the donated amount exceeds $500, taxpayers have to file Form 8283 with their tax return. It is the Noncash Charitable Contributions document that details the item. Sure taxpayers can still increase the value of the item, but the IRS is hoping the extra paperwork discourages people from doing it. There may be additional follow-up questions to get through to avoid bulking up values.

Calculating a tax deduction

Taking the standard deduction, as opposed to itemizing, is a personal call. The first thing to look at is what amount of a standard deduction applies. For example, the standard deductions for 2010 are:

• Single taxpayers or married filing separately — $5,700
• Heads of households — $8,350
• Married couples filing jointly — $11,400

If a consumer has enough deductions to exceed the standard amounts, then he or she should itemize to get the bigger deduction.

Using charity to help limit tax liability

Emergency money to pay taxes is difficult to find, but charitable donations are one way to lower tax liabilities. Remember that there are some rules, though. Consumers need to remember that contributions only count when they are given to qualified organizations. This is especially important to remember during times of disaster when “charities” crop up asking for donations. They may not be qualified and donations may not be tax deductible at all. Consumers should check with the organization to make sure it is considered a qualified charity and then use the donations to bring down taxes. It’s a great way to save money and in today’s difficult economy, that’s crucial to staying within a budget.

Need emergency money? Apply HERE!

(Image via keiya, Flickr.com

Just a few years ago, twitter was something people did with their thumbs when bored. Today, it still involves using your fingers, but engaging in Twitter connects you to a world of people with similar interests. For those in debt or who are involved in a charitable effort and frantically searching for ways of making fast cash, why not consider the opportunities literally at your fingertips via social networking?

The following are a few possible ways of making fast cash on Twitter:

Promote a Business or Service

This one is obvious, but if you haven’t tried it yet, it’s time to start. Everyone from your neighborhood Avon lady to Bill Gates is using Twitter to promote their business. People engage in social networking with others based on their common interests. Now, we all know that, in business, what you’re selling first to the public is yourself. So, since you’ve already been successful in selling yourself, making friends and building a following, why not take the next step in inviting your online networks to do business with you?

Sell Your Stuff

Look around your house and consider that any gently used items you’re not using anymore can be sold to someone else. When you find yourself in debt and in need of fast cash, think of Twitter as your own personal garage sale site and offer these useful wares to your followers.

Get Paid to Tweet

A lot of business owners would like to advertise on Twitter, but don’t have the time to engage in social networking. Therefore, smart entrepreneurs have taken to paying others, who are savvy at social networking, to tweet about their special sales, discounts, new products, special events, etc. Rates for this service may vary according to the amount of people following you or if you have to establish a separate account and build a following for each particular client, but the payoff can be big if you work hard at it. While having one client pay for this service may not produce enough fast cash to get you out of debt, if you extend this service to multiple clients, you just may be able to get the cash you need while building a new business niche.

Sponsored Tweets

It is rumored that Kim Kardashian charges up to $10,000 for sponsored tweets running in her timeline. Now, while you probably don’t have the following that Ms. Kardashian does and, therefore, cannot charge nearly what she and other celebrities do for sponsored tweets, you can still benefit from sponsored tweets. Internet companies, like Ad.ly exist for the sole purpose of connecting you with businesses willing to pay you for the opportunity to advertise to your followers.

In part two of How to Make Money on Twitter, you will learn more on how to use social networking to make fast cash, but you’ll also learn how to use sites like Twitter to save money when you need to tighten your budget or raise money for charity. Individuals who are serious about making fast cash on the Internet to get out of debt can do so with these tips and other creative social networking ideas that are applied with serious effort.

For Fast Cash, apply HERE!

Many organizations make helping people easy by allowing you to donate online.

I have recently come across several cases of people shaming others for doing good things. For example, shortly after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Rush Limbaugh famously said “You already give to Haitian relief – it’s called the income tax.” While many were spreading the word and encouraging others to help fellow humans in a desperate situation, Limbaugh basically said that doing so was dumb.

Today on Facebook, a friend of mine from Idaho posted that she “is sick of seeing the status about being upset that people donate to Haiti because we have needy people in America.” I haven’t seen any status updates containing that sentiment in my Live Feed, but even knowing that it’s out there makes me sad. Really sad — and it’s not just because people in Haiti need money now for medical care, shelter, water and food. The general attitude of finding the negative in something so positive is frustrating.

More examples of damaging do-gooders

Unlike Rush Limbaugh, a lot of the people who discourage others from doing good do it in the name of doing something else good. The Facebookers say that people should stop donating to Haiti because they should be donating domestically. Similarly, a couple in Washington decided to help the environment and fund their wedding by paying for it by recycling aluminum cans. Sure enough, someone so focused on her own agenda that she failed to see how positive the project is wrote:

“If you used the energy you are putting into your one day event for something more socially conscious, your press would be better. Why not convert your idea and donate the money to a local homeless shelter?”

This, of course, was in the midst of a much longer post, part of which openly shamed them for what they were doing, calling them “incredibly selfish” for spending the money on their wedding. Never mind the fact that they’re having an extremely inexpensive wedding. Never mind that they are encouraging and facilitating recycling, which is great for the planet.

Stick to your agenda, but don’t criticize others

I applaud the Facebookers for wanting to help needy people within the U.S., and I encourage them to do so. I think it’s great that the Wedding Cans commenter wants to help the homeless. I say go do it. Do everything you can for the causes you believe in. While you’re at it, don’t discourage others from doing the same with causes they believe in.

In a world where there are so many problems that need to be fixed and so many people in need, people shouldn’t waste their energy criticizing others for their efforts to give or to help. There are a whole lot of people and causes who need help. Criticizing other people for who they have chosen to help is at best useless and at worst hypocritical. If you ever feel the need to criticize other people for the way they have chosen to make the world a better place, I suggest you spend your time making the world a better place yourself instead.

In the US there are over 1.2 million charities and other nonprofits hoping to reach their financial goals this year. Unfortunately, due to the recession many are predicted to fall short. More than 93% of nonprofits are experiencing notable declines in charitable donations. According to The Bridgespan Group, a consulting organization for nonprofits, not only is funding from citizens getting smaller, but other forms of funding are being cut drastically.

The Salvation Army suffers

Everyone has seen them on street corners and in front of businesses. The jolly worker rings the Salvation Army bell, hoping for donations from passersby. This year even the famed Salvation Army is planning on a shortfall. Normally Thanksgiving through Christmas is the peak season for the charity to raise funds. Major George Hood, Chief Communications Officer for the Salvation Army, said, “Fundraising is very difficult in this economy, yet we know that there are people suffering in all 50 states.”

Since the recession, spending has declined drastically. A shortage of people traveling the streets to buy, means a shortage of people passing by the red-kettle ringers. Hood added, “That impulsive giving can be jeopardized if there is no foot traffic in malls. The reality is that we are in a tough economic period. We have to be prepared for it. All we can do it get out there and do what we do and know that the American public has never let us down.”

Service organizations suffer

Another sector braced for a lack of funding is service organizations. Karen Pushaw, director of a soup kitchen in Philadelphia, said, “More people are seeking services at the same time as fewer people are able to contribute.” Service organizations are expecting a decline in funding along with an increased demand for help from the needy. One facility in New York City called Nazareth Housing, a 58-bed homeless shelter, has been operating at full capacity since June of this year.

The organization does not expect to meet its budget, but has a “no one turned away” policy that presses them to stay open until there is no room available. Executive Director Michael Callaghan said, “There are a variety of fiscal stresses on nonprofits. Many small not-for-profits are failing, or they are so reduced that they are unable to do their missions. We are going to see more people go out of business, which will add to unemployment and leave gaps in services.”

When will charities and service organizations mend?

Industry experts are looking to the past as a gauge on how the charitable market will recover. In the Great Depression it took three to four years for charitable giving to return to normal. Experts have good news though—they say that due to the income level per capita being much higher than in the 40s, recovery could happen much quicker. The recession hampered businesses and organizations drastically, but hope in a recovery is much stronger than it was in previous economic downturns. Most likely, charities and service organizations will mend and see the same numbers they once did when the economic turnaround is complete.

Don't let your fellow Americans end up on the streets.

I’m sure, at some time or another, everyone has felt badly for a person on the street asking for money. Maybe you even gave that person the change in your pocket. Usually, though, when handing out money to strangers, the person who gives the money is left wondering what the stranger will do with it. That’s where the Modest Needs Foundation comes in.

What if you knew your spare change was going toward someone who really needed it? Someone who would use it for something important? If a trusted neighbor told you he just needed $5 in order to get by, would you help him? The Modest Needs Foundation collects applications from people who just need a little extra cash to get through a rough time. The Modest Needs Foundation web site promises that “Client Advocacy Specialists have performed extensive due diligence” on every application for short-term financial help.

Examples of Modest Needs Foundation clients

Almost anyone who has a job can qualify for no credit check payday loans and get short-term financial help. But not everyone has the means to pay it back with so many people unemployed. Many of the applicants at Modest Needs Foundation need help with medical expenses, a month’s rent or car repairs.

Modest Needs Foundation applicants can only get one-time help. One applicant, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, is asking for help to buy a bed. Another says he is out of money after paying for his son’s surgery and now doesn’t have any cash to fix his truck. Though there are just a few sentences about each applicant, Modest Needs Foundation requires documentation showing the applicant needs money, so donors can be reassured that their donations are going to a good cause.

Small donations are a big help

Many people believe that unless they give hundreds of dollars to charity, it won’t make a difference. However, Modest Needs Foundation has story after story about families and individuals who have received help through several small donations. Most Modest Needs Foundation applicants need less than $1,000, and when people start to give, donations add up fast.

You might not have enough to fulfill a person’s application or donate hundreds of dollars, but if you have money to go out for coffee, that money could be put to better use. If you’ve got enough to pay your rent and buy groceries and heat your home, you probably have just a few dollars left over after that. Even $5 can make a difference.

Inspiring stories at Modest Needs Foundation

At modestneeds.org you can read through stories of people who have received help already through Modest Needs Foundation. You can also read about the approved applicants who are seeking help and could use your extra pocket change for shelter, medical bills, beds and other short-term expenses. Make sure you check out the Modest Needs Foundation web site. Here’s an excerpt:

Because Modest Needs has earned the highest possible charity ratings from both Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, you can give with confidence, knowing that we won’t abuse your kindness.

But more importantly, together, we can make sure that no hard-working person is ever forced to choose between taking a child to the doctor and putting food on the table.

Marriage can be romantic – but have you considered your financial plan?

If you go back a century or so, you’ll see how different marriage was than it is today. Recall the dowry? A dowry was the gift of money or property a woman had to bring to her husband in marriage. In essence the marriage was a financial exchange and the amount of the dowry told a man how much “value” his new bride had. Somewhere along the line marriage changed. Throughout the 20th century, people began marrying for love. Though that may sound romantic, it also brought about heightened divorce rates that skyrocketed throughout the later part of the century. People are getting wise to the potential deceptions of love and once again turning to the idea of a marriage being a business transaction.

Marriage is a Business

It may not sound romantic, but marriage is a business. There are a few things to be aware of these days when it comes to nuptials:

• How does each spouse feel about saving?
• How does each spouse feel about spending?
• Will there be a joint account or separate accounts?
• Will there be a house account in addition to separate accounts?
• How much should be given to charity?
• How much should be put into retirement?
• How much should be put into college funds?
• How much should be in the emergency fund? When should it be tapped into?

These are just some of the questions every couple on the verge of marriage needs to address. It’s imperative that there is some commonality in the answers, even if they don’t match. Can you live with a spouse who wants to save 12 percent of your paychecks when you want to save 10 percent? Probably. But if your spouse is accustomed to only saving three percent, you may have a problem.

The Prenuptial Agreement

Should you get a prenup or not? Granted, this is another “unromantic” issue, but if marriage is to be looked at as a business, it’s a necessary one to discuss. The trend today is for couples to wait until they’re older to wed. That means, in general, that there are more assets between each to distribute if the marriage doesn’t work out. Having a plan set in place before problems arise is the perfect idea for any couple. Remember that calm, rational and fair discussions between couples who are on the verge of breaking up are rarely had. Emotions fuel difficulties.

Preparing Your Financial Marriage Agreement

To prepare a financial marriage agreement, look at the following list:

1. Find out your financial starting point as a couple. As painful as it may be, pull up your credit reports and discuss them. Figure out a strategy to fix any problems and pay off debts.
2. Create a savings plan to reach financial goals. For example, if a couple wants to buy a starter home in three years, then they need to figure out how much to save starting now. A good financial calculator can estimate how much needs to be put away into savings.
3. Figure out who is going to be in charge of everyday finances. In every marriage there is one person who pays bills and expenses and oversees the monthly bills. Of course major decisions are done together, but there is no reason for both partners to pay the electricity bill together.
4. Learn to work out conflicts with finances. Inevitably there will be issues that arise that create differing opinions. Be committed to listening and compromising when it comes to money.

In the end, marriage is a financial blending of two entities. Knowing what the strategy is to move into the future is an important one. All couples should sit down and have an honest discussion about what their goals are and then find ways to reach them together.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chadmiller/ / CC BY-SA 2.0)

Just how much of a cash advance could you give someone in need? (Photo: flickr.com)

As I was walking downtown after finishing a few errands, I spotted an older man standing near the entrance of a cash advance store. The guy looked like your typical homeless man, seemingly underfed, sloppy and weary-looking as he held up a sign that read: “Homeless. Whatever you can spare will help.” So, I placed one dollar and some change in his hand, and said, “I wish I could give more. Just be careful.” To my comment, he replied, “God bless you.”

Just then, a cherry red two-door Expedition revved up, the sunroof open, letting the pale sunlight reflect off of his male pattern baldness. With a pair of sunglasses on, I couldn’t get a good glimpse of his eyes. I could certainly hear him shout, “Sucker!” as he drove pass me.

I Meant Well…

I guess I could be labeled as a sucker. Yes, it’s true that I knew nothing of the man’s back story, and I offered him a dollar and some change. Yes, it’s true that for all I know he could be a drug addict, homicidal maniac, or a Level 3 sex offender roaming the streets.

If you’re wondering where you should give, check this out:

Who’s the Sucker?

When I got home, I told this story to my niece. With a wrinkled brow she observed, “You’re the sucker and he was driving an SUV with gas at almost $5 a gallon? He probably took out a cash advance to get that hunk of liability.”

Her comment made me laugh, but I contemplated over the incident many times over the rest of the day. While waiting for the bus, I’ve heard many people speak about a dude who regularly “works” a corner in my neighborhood. The general comments or remarks people make about the guy has been, “What a scam!”

What People are Saying

I read a thread on the talk-show host Michael Baisden’s message board (See: http://www.michaelbaisden.com/). Some respondents over there were harsh, titling beggars as “bums” or assuming that “most panhandlers are just lazy. They are a little too lazy to get a job.”

It discourages me when I hear generalizations like “most panhandlers.” There is no way we can know what “most” of a group thinks, feels, is or is not.

Hardened Hearts

Of course the notion is that some of these people panhandle instead of a “square” job. This story is often ludicrous. You might have even heard a story or two about “affluent beggars.” However, I’m extremely skeptical that people would choose to stand around outside in all types of weather with no possible guarantees of any financial gain.

It isn’t impossible that some beggars are alcoholics or drug addicts who reject treatment. You might not want to in good conscience help a person kill himself – right? I have a few family members battling alcoholism, like lots of other people’s family members.

Remember, His Shoes Could Fit Your Feet

The man or woman holding the beggar’s sign might not be very different from you or me. Could be that he/she was laid off or had no other place to go after being evicted. She could have gone flat broke while beating cancer, only to be left high and dry because no one will hire her now.

Maybe because these same circumstances can happen to us, we harden our hearts. The reality of the situation hits too close to home.

Harming or Helping?

Sure, there is a likelihood that the money I have given could be spent on either Dollar Menu items or junk to feed an addiction. Truth is, I have no real way of knowing.

What I do know is that the guy in the SUV stayed in the comfy confines of his pricey vehicle. He didn’t even slow down long enough to humanize himself and look me or the beggar (someone “beneath” him) in the eye. It seemed to me that the SUV man forgot that he was a human being at some point and time in his life.

What’s Can I Afford to Give?

The uncomfortable recession we’re in might affect how much extra money we can spare, sure. Lots of Michael Baisden audience members spoke about barely making ends meet themselves, saying, “We can’t afford to give.”

I suppose I shouldn’t be giving away cents, let alone dollars, technically. I have no car, bills due and I make a living freelancing (unpredictable income). I should be tending my own yard, sort-to-say, rather than someone else’s. Truth be told, I do tend my own. I barely need cash advance loans at times. However, once my basic needs are met and I’ve put something up for a rainy day, there is money left over. Whatever IS left over goes to family and friends… oh, and strangers on the street.

Apply for Payday Loans HERE!

Charitable giving is easier than ever, thanks to the Internet, and a little bit of money can make a huge difference. Plus, it's guaranteed to make you feel good!

The holiday season has a way of pushing the generous, charitable side of people into action. Of course, fighting hunger and poverty are year-round battles, as is providing developing countries with access to education and health care.

But if the holiday season is what it takes to get people into a giving mood, so be it. Giving to charity helps families in the U.S. and all over world, and I recently found out just how far small donations go toward fighting hunger and aiding education, gender equality, health care and infrastructure. You might think juggling debt management and donating money to charity is impossible, but it only takes a little bit of money to make a big difference.

Book recommendation

I learned about what charities do with small donations from a book I read recently, “Give a Little,” by Wendy Smith. Much like the author of this book, I had always thought that I had to make huge sacrifices in order to help the less fortunate. However, from “Give a Little” I learned that donations as small as $3 can make a huge difference in feeding the hungry, fighting disease or helping those who don’t have access to clean water.

“Give a Little” details what different organizations do with small amounts of money, from about $3 to $60. Even just a $5 or $10 donation can lift a whole family permanently out of poverty in some cases. Who doesn’t have $5 to give to sick or starving fellow humans?

Making every dollar count

Of course, I paid $15 for “Give a Little” and then felt very silly knowing how much good that $15 could have done to help people. But I gave the book to my sister and asked her to give it to someone else when she is done, hoping that a chain reaction of giving will follow. This is an example of ripple effect giving, which is talked about at length in “Give a Little.”

However, I recommend you use your $15 to help poor families in developing countries or right here in the U.S. I have compiled a short list of organizations that can do a whole lot of good for a little money. My family agreed to give to these charities this year rather than buying each other more unnecessary stuff, so if you’re struggling to come up with a way to draw more meaning out of the holidays, perhaps this will help.

Heifer International

One of the most inspiring stories in “Give a Little” is about Heifer International, an organization that has been around since World War II. Heifer International provides individuals and families living in poverty in developing countries with the tools they need to feed themselves and their loved ones and make a living.

Donations as small as $20 can help lift a family permanently out of poverty. For instance, $20 buys a flock of chicks. When the chicks are old enough to lay eggs, they provide food for the family, and extra eggs can be sold for substantial income. Once a family escapes poverty and has enough to pay for the children to go to school the cycle stops and the children grow up to be self-sustaiing and entrepreneurial as well. Check out the Heifer International web site for more details on how the organization has helped and does help people all over the world, and find out how as little as $10 can change lives.

More organizations to research

Some of the other organizations I learned about help fight diseases. Nothing But Nets provides insecticide-treated mosquito bed nets to poor people who live in areas where malaria runs rampant. It only costs $10 to help someone avoid this often deadly disease.

Action against Hunger runs feeding centers in Kenya that nurse severely malnourished people back to health. A $50 could save someone’s life. KickStart helps Kenyan farmers by providing inexpensive water pumps to irrigate crops. KickStart says a $60 donation can permanently life a family out of poverty. Maternal and Child Health Product can help 18 mothers have clean, save baby delivies for just $5. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis says if Americans donate $30 a year for three years they’ll have all the funding they need. Go to GreaterGood.org to learn more.

Most importantly, just remember to give whatever you can, even if it’s only a little bit. Thanks to the internet, donating to worthy causes is easier than ever. With so  many people out there living in poverty, just a few dollars can make all the difference in the world. A small amount that won’t make any difference to you could mean all the difference for an unfortunate family.

Trista Joy Lathern: one bad apple.

People have all kinds of excuses for not donating to charity. Most of the people I know and I don’t hand out money to people asking for change on the streets because we all agree that unless we know what they’re going to use it for, we might be hurting instead of helping. We don’t have money to lend for furthering someone’s drug habit.

When it comes to charity organizations, people often have reservations because they worry that they’re being scammed or that the organization won’t use the money responsibly. How do thought patterns like this arise? Because of people like Trista Joy Lathern. For every legitimate charity organization and individual seeking much-needed help, there are despicable scammers like Trista Joy Lathern who ruin things for everybody.

What did Trista Joy Lathern do?

According to Texas authorities, Trista Joy Lathern held benefits in her home state of Texas to raise money to help pay for her medical bills, saying she had breast cancer and had lost her insurance. Her bald head made it appear as though she was going through chemotherapy. The benefits in her honor raised more than $10,000.

Turns out she shaved her head. She even lied to her husband about having cancer. She took the money from donations at the benefit and spent $6,800 on, drumroll please … breast implants for her perfectly healthy breasts.

Why fake breast cancer?

A police affidavit says that “Trista said she and her husband had been (having) marital problems and she thought telling him she had cancer would bring them closer together.” A lot of others are reporting that Trista thought the breast implants themselves would save her marriage.

Trista Joy Lathern is 24 years old and had been married for seven months. In case you’re wondering whether it is illegal to lie about having cancer and collect money from people for said case of fake cancer, yes it is. Trista Joy Lathern has been arrested for doing this. It is called fraud. Also, in case you are wondering whether lying about having cancer and getting breast implants saved her marriage, Zimbio reports that “Lathern’s husband filed for an annulment on the day of her arrest.”

I know, shocking, right?

The plight of the giver

Trista Joy Lathern and all of the other scammers out there who dupe people into donating their hard-earned money to fake causes should be very ashamed of themselves. Because of people like Trista Joy Lathern, there are individuals out there who are really in need of help and can’t get it because others are rightfully untrusting.

What would you do if you donated money to someone in your community and later found out that person used it for totally unnecessary cosmetic surgery? Bearing in mind that two wrongs don’t make a right, I would probably not seek revenge on that person. However, it would take a lot to get me to donate money to a cause again. I have had people lie to me about why they wanted money and refuse food before, and that has caused me to never give handouts to strangers.

People like Trista Joy Lathern don’t just stop at lying about why they want the money. They take it a step further and spend it on things that the donaters could very well be vehemently opposed to. Trista Joy Lathern is no better than a street person who spends his handouts on meth. How can people be generous and giving when they can’t trust others?

The CMT Awards 2009 are here. One great thing about the CMT Awards is that musical artists get recognized for their work. However, I think the best thing about the CMT Awards 2009 (and every other year, for that matter) is that they benefit several deserving charities.

Instead of giving the winning artists, who are no doubt already rich or in some cases Big & Rich, payday cash, the CMT Awards 2009 will make a donation to the charity of the winner’s choice.

Know who to root for

Most viewers of the CMT Awards will simply root for their favorite artists, videos and songs. That’s the most fun part, and no matter who wins, well-deserving charities will still get donations.

But for those of you who’d rather root for the charity organization, I checked out just a few of the organizations that nominees for CMT Awards Video of the Year chose to receive donations in the case they win.

MusiCares

Sugarland was nominated for the music video “All I Want to Do,” and has chosen MusiCares to receive a donation in the event they win the title. The CMT Awards 2009 web site says:

MusiCares provides financial assistance, confidential resources and a safety net of services to music people in times of need. We offer support for a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies.

Any win for Sugarland means a donation for MusiCares. Sugarland also is nominated for Duo of the Year for “Already Gone” and for Collaborative Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year for “Life in a Northern Town.” Donations will also be made to MusiCares if Trey Fanjoy wins CMT Awards 2009 Director of the Year.

CMT One Country

Kid Rock’s video “All Summer Long” is on the list of Video of the Year wannabes, and in the case he wins, the money will go to CMT One Country.

CMT One Country was created to inspire our viewers to take action in their own communities by demonstrating great acts of kindness, civic participation and volunteerism through on-air, on-line and grassroots efforts. CMT One Country gives our viewers an opportunity to have a voice about what’s going on in their lives and those in their community.

Kid Rock’s video is also nominated for CMT Awards 2009 Wide Open Country Video of the Year. CMT One Country will also receive donations if “Bartender Song” wins that category. A donation will be made in Alan Jackson’s name if “Country Boy” wins Performance of the Year.

PlanIt Now

Kenny Chesney has chosen PlanIt Now to get a donation if his video “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven” wins. The CMT Awards 2009 web site says:

PLAN!T NOW provides people, communities and companies who are in high-risk regions the relief information they need to protect their families, homes, businesses, resources and documents from the effects of severe storms and hurricane-related disasters.

Chesney’s video was also nominated for CMT Awards 2009 Best Collaborative Video.

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

Rascal Flatts chose this charity. Rascal Flatts was nominated for Video of the Year for “Every Day.”

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is a nationally ranked provider of pediatric health care with 222 beds dedicated to high-level care, sub-specialty treatment and trauma care. A place to hope and a place to heal, Children’s Hospital includes the family as an essential element of every child’s treatment plan.

Rascal Flatts also was nominated for CMT Awards 2009 Group Video of the Year for “Bob That Head.”  Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt will also receive donations if Brooks & Dunn win Duo of the Year, or if “Country Boy” wins CMT Performance of the Year.

The official CMT Awards 2009 web site has information all nominees and their charities of choice, so check it out if you want to learn more about the charities or find out which stars picked the American Red Cross, The Humane Society and The Elton John AIDS foundation.

Whether you’re hungry or want to help someone who is, the annual Strawberry Festival in Indianapolis is there to help.

Statistics show that  one in 10 people in central Indiana are unemployed, and more than 80,000 children live in poverty, and for 44  years Christ Church Cathedral has been trying to do something about that. The church’s efforts start right at home, asking Indianans to “feed their hungry neighbors,” and extend all the way to Nigeria.

Donate food, and eat some

Offerings at the Strawberry Festival in Indianapolis include strawberry shortcake with ice cream or whipped cream of both for $6. They key for participants, though, is to bring canned food to donate to the cause. They’re not looking for cash now, they’re just asking for food.

Some people are skeptical about donating to charities because they are worried that the organizations won’t use their money for its intended cause. It’s not that they’re cynical, it’s just that they’ve been burned before. The Christ Church Cathedral gathering actual food instead of just taking monetary donations is a good idea. People are hungry, and we can give them food.
Pam Altmeyer of Gleaner’s Food Bank, says:

Collecting canned goods isn’t a solution to the hunger problem, but it is a start. “The real solution to hunger is jobs and ending poverty.”

Food for the masses

A local news source in Indiana reports that the Strawberry Festival in Indianapolis through Christ Church Cathedral benefits hundreds of nonprofit organizations around the world.

This year the canned food donations will go to help people in central Indiana, and profits will be spread among the charities that the Strawberry Festival benefits.

Making a difference

IndyStar.com reports that the annual Strawberry Festival on Monument Circle is:

One of the most successful church fundraisers in Indianapolis: … Last year, it raked in $80,000 that benefited a diverse group of charities.

Of course, locals worry that the economy will have a negative effect on the Strawberry Festival, but the festival chairwoman, Karen Farmer, says she doesn’t think people will be able to resist.

The Cathedral Women have held the line on prices for three consecutive years despite rising costs, Farmer said. And if the $6 works doesn’t fit the budget, there’s always the $2 bowls of the individual ingredients (strawberries, shortcake or a topping). Charities receive about 95 percent of the proceeds.

IndyStar doesn’t report on where the other 5 percent goes, but there are a lot of costs involved in putting on the Strawberry Festival in Indianapolis, and someone has to pay for it.

Thoughts on charity

The blogger who writes “Contemplations of my Notions” on blogspot had this to say about the Strawberry Festival in Indiana:

This festival is a small initiative to clean up hunger and poverty. Many such charity events need to be organized on human grounds so as to eradicate hunger all over the world. I hope this festival provides an inspiration to all the people out there and inspires them to indulge in charity for a good cause. It’s only through the joint effort that all the anomalies in this world can be corrected. So let’s all do our bit for the world and indulge in charity.

If you live near Indianapolis and plan to attend and partake in the Strawberry Festival, you should know that not only does the festival help the hungry and those in poverty, it funds missionary work through Christ Church Cathedral.

Like so many great movements, H2O for life started small. In 2007 a group of students and Highview Middle School in Minnesota decided to raise money to fund a project in Kenya that would bring water to more than 2,000 people.

Now, H2O for Life is a nationwide organization dedicated to pairing United States schools with schools in third-world countries. The U.S. schools raise money to deliver one simple gift to their sister schools: clean water.

Cost of clean H2O

When students at Highview Middle School did their project in2007, they estimated they’d need $10,000 to provide clean water to the 2,000 people in Kenya. They raised $13,000.

The organization’s web site says “H20 for Life connects schools in the United States with schools in developing countries to complete WASH (WAter, Sanitation, and Hygiene) in Schools projects.”

Help wanted

H2O for Life is a nonprofit, all-volunteer operation. It doesn’t get short-term loans for projects or use credit cards. It relies solely on donations, which the students are in charge of raising.

The H2O for life movement is still most prominent in Minnesota, but it is spreading out. One hundred percent of the donations raised by the program go directly to providing clean water and sanitation in countries such as Mozambique, Mali and Nicaragua.

Side curriculum

Besides raising money for their sister schools, students in the United States are educated about the culture and economy surrounding their fellow, yet far-off,  students.

According to the H2O for Life official web site:

U.S. students are studying global water crisis issues, and taking action to raise funds to support their partner schools. Established non-governmental organizations are planning and implementing projects in-country with the help of local communities. Once projects are completed our United States schools will receive photographs of their completed projects. Students have the opportunity to see the difference they have made.

Give money, give life

The H2O for Life web site says every 15 seconds a child dies because he or she does not have access to clean water. Every day because of unsafe water or lack of basic sanitation, 4,500 children die. Individuals can donate through the web site, H2OforLifeSchools.org.

Currently about 100 schools are participating in H2O for Life projects. Other schools that want to sign up can read all about the program at H2OforLifeSchools.org.

Quick Facts | H2O for Life:

• supports WASH (WAter, Sanitation, and Hygiene education) projects in needy schools around the world,
• is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization,
• provides global partnerships for schools in the U.S. to participate in service learning projects,
• gives students the opportunity to become educated about the global water crisis, and about a partner community in another part of the world,
• supports only projects planned and implemented by established non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local communities,
• has an excellent track-record of success—see our successful 2006-7 and 2007-8 partnerships here [link to list of 2006-7 and 2007-8 school partnerships]—and
• helps U.S. teachers and students make a difference one school at a time.