How Can An Old Man Help

[Scrappile]

I rarely watch the news, but tonight I saw the devastation caused by the fires in California.  There is the devastation from the storms back east... I ask what can an old man do to help these people?  I do not have money to give, but I am still capable of some work, how does one help?? I can not imagine what they are going through.  I pray for them, but I wish I could be there, helping cleaning up, helping rebuild... What does one do?  I feel so useless.  My son always tells me Dad, you have done your part sit back and relax, but damn, how can one.?  These people need more than my prayers....

[Montserrat]

Could you make a scroll-saw item garage sale and donate the proceeds?  I recently helped the friend of a friend, by selling some puzzles for a fundraiser.  

[WayneMahler]

Paul

Never under estimate the power of prayer. 

[tonylumps]

I have nothing against these Charity Orgs..But when you are on a fixed income and still paying taxes on SS.Things get a little rough.i cut back on a lot of donations.I think the  Goverment should send people already gettig paid who sit in offices in Washington should get out in the field more.25 to 30% of private donations goes to administration fees.i just read that the CEO of the Red Cross makes 750,000 a year.That is crazy. Them people in Texas, Florida,US Virgin islands Need man power. Not a few bucks to buy groceries. There is more money off of the top when they walk in a store.My solution is to get Our troops out of Harms Way and down to these Ravaged areas to help Americans in need. Our military  can keep all the Nastys in check with our Missle carrying subs.surface Vessles and Aircraft if they have to.Take 1 Fleet Marine force with all landing craft. get down to the Islands and give them a hand. Take all military equipment from Camp Lejeune and Fort Bragg Send them down to Florida and Texas They need man Power for clean up before they can rebuild.We are already paying for it.Just my 2 Cents

Edited October 10, 2017 by tonylumps

[Lucky2]

Paul, I agree with Wayne, never underestimate the power of prayer. Keep praying for the poor souls, I doubt that they could ask for much more. 

Len

[amazingkevin]

I'm with Wayne on this.

[fordamir]

your doing way more than most people there is an lot of power behind the prayer. PTL

[RangerJay]

My wife and I have had similar discussion on "what can we do?".   In the past it was easy to be hands on - age and worn out knees and backs have changed that (at least for me).  Regardless, we decided we can still contribute - but maybe in ways that are different than we used to:

• Like others we donate what we can.  Although we have different charitable causes that we contribute to my wife has a really neat way of being able to squeeze a dollar out of a penny.  She does this by contributing directly to a need through the Catholic Church in the country where the need exists.  Through her own network she has been able to work directly through a priest, nun or organization on the ground.  This does a couple really neat things - first is that there are zero overhead or administrative costs meaning 100% of the dollar goes to the need.  Second is that by donating directly to the need then the original dollar goes massively farther than the same dollar spent by our own agencies. 
• If we are going to donate through typical charities we almost always wait till the government announces matching dollars - meaning our donation is now doubled.
• we never donate to designer charities - particularly those that attempt to lure us through paid telemarketers, pens, stamps, "stuff" etc.
• we also seek out charitable causes that are not likely to attract large numbers of other people - i.e. the places or causes that are hurting and will continue to hurt. 
• we both have a strong social conscience and are very free with contributing our own time and capability to those organizations that can make use of it.  My wife is a strong, devout and very active member of the Church.  I served for many years as a regional volunteer and provincial board member to a national charity (not a designer charity).
• More recently we have found places for our hobbies.  My scrollwork is almost always given away as a contribution to some kind of fundraising initiative.  My wife has begun the same with quilts.
• When we feel the need, there is always a place for a political letter or phone call to help our leaders determine appropriate priorities.
• And, of course, there is prayer.

 

Jay