Okay, my turn. The major charity I support is
Free Wheelchair Mission. If you click the link and watch the video on their home page you can see why. 3 years ago in China I banged my head against walls, ceilings, and every other roadblock trying to get a wheelchair for a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who had spent her entire life in a baby's crib. I manipulated, I connived, I offered money, and I finally got one. The major sticking point for most chairities was that they thought the wheelchair had to be "FITTED" and they couldn't spare anyone with expertise, and they didn't want to just give me a chair. WTF did that little girl care about fitted? She'd never sat up, never been outside the single room she was confined to. About a year ago I discovered Free Wheelchair Mission. The guy who started it truly understands the practical necessities involved in getting wheels for someone who really needs it. He's an engineer, and he designed a basic, rugged, all-purpose wheelchair that can be manufactured for under $50. They have now grown so much that they are distributing wheelchairs all over the world to the poorest of the poor.
We also try to support a local organization that gives shelter, education, and support to single moms in need.
And then there's
Child's Play, which is just for fun.
(They raise money to buy gaming equipment for children in hospitals... My husband is a game programmer, so this one's sort of his.)
