Happy Holidays

by Michael Bear · 2008-11-27 09:18:00 UTC
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Just a quick Thanksgiving-morning post – as the blog Patronus Analytical points out, people become more interested in charity and in giving as the holidays approach. (See here for a graph.)

Which definitely goes some way towards redeeming my faith in our fellow man. Some of our fellow man. (Even if he does give this holiday season, I still think Omar Bashir remains far, far beyond the pale. Though I do love the idea of Bashir playing secret Santa – “Who got me this assault rifle? I absolutely love it.”)

If you are feeling philanthropic , there are any number of sites to help you evaluate which NGOs and charities are most deserving. Patronus Analytical recommends Charity Navigator, which also includes useful tips and resources. A more comprehensive list of sites measuring the effectiveness of different NGOs and charities is available at the blog Philanthropy 2173.

When it comes to addressing large-scale humanitarian emergencies, I personally believe that you can’t go wrong donating to the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, or larger, well-established NGOs. Of course, I worked for a large NGO, so I’m most definitely biased.

And to those celebrating Thanksgiving – or at least using it as an excuse to eat, drink and be merry – in Afghanistan or Iraq, Kenya or Sudan or any other place that sometimes lacks peace and quiet and hot running water, all my love.

[Photo of a long-ago party in Kabul]

Michael Bear
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