It's interesting how easy it is to donate to packaged causes we see on TV. The media is extremely good helping us to understand tragedy as it happens both in our country and abroad. Seeing that pain and suffering can't help but inspire an urge to help, or to donate.

But, as you point out there is a great deal of suffering in all of our communities. It's just not packaged as well and to understand it you often need to meet the people who are suffering. That's not nearly as easy as watching television and texting donations.

Every community has worthwhile causes and people needing help. They say charity begins at home. Perhaps we need to extend the definition of home beyond the TV in the living room to the local community.

Thanks a for a great post.

“They say charity begins at home. Perhaps we need to extend the definition of home beyond the TV in the living room to the local community.” – Thanks for that, Steve…

These are the kinds of posts I can imagine are the easiest to write because they're ALL HEART — EMOTION — LOVE.

When charged with writing “content” sometimes it's easy to forget the heart, emotion and love. Or maybe you don't forget, but it takes a back seat to “Meaty Strategies & Tactics.” And in some instances, people don't allow themselves to let emotion and content make sweet love to each other and give birth to something beautiful… as you've done here.

Yep, I woke up this morning somewhat concerned about the $500+ dollars I owe to Verizon and peeved about this blemish on my face that isn't quite kissable but then you come knocking and remind me that I don't have any problems.

I have challenges I can overcome. And I should be grateful for these challenges because the only people who don't have 'em, are dead.

Thank you Erika for reminding me of this. I am certain the prose you've written here will have a positive effect which will have a ripple effect that will extend much further than any check you wrote to the foundation. And maybe the effect won't be that you've raised a jillion dollars but that you've helped at least one person see life in a different frame and that new frame allows that person to focus on what they can be grateful for, which is what I believe, is a key trait of being successful.

As I've heard it said, “Any man that knows more about his liabilities than his assets will NEVER be a winner!”

Once again Erika thanks for the bitch slap upside my head that reminds me of this.

Talk soon,
Mariano Franco

Good post. I am definitely a fan of your writing. And it is good to stop and think about what is really important. I agree with most of what you have to say however I don't see the harm in donating overseas as well as at home. I donated to Haiti as well as New Orleans – yes those packaged donations make it easy. I also am active in my local MS Society, my mother is the main driving force for that. There are also a few other local causes that I support. I think there is room to support those at home as well as abroad. We are very lucky to be Americans and we can share. I am pretty sure the Pennsylvania diocese does quite a bit for the local community.

Tons of pointless shit wandering around in our lives, no? And yes – how can we forget Mark? Be sure to check out http://www.invisiblepeople.tv, all – a VERY worthwhile click of your mouse.

DO. SOMETHING. Yes, please. Well said, Tyler. Thanks for letting me know about the FB connect issue. I'll ping Disqus.

Great post (as always). Here's an interesting fact about acting globally:

“Because aid agencies are forced to buy from U.S. companies at inflated prices, historically America has effectively taken back 70% of the aid it donated.”*

Something to think about when one's thinking globally.

Donate locally and your dollar goes a hell of a lot further to actually helping people.

*http://motherjones.com/politics/2005/12/who-gives-t

No, Leon – thank you.

I don't know if I agree. I'm one of those pediatric cancer patients (just barely, I was 17). And I think I need(ed) your dollar a lot less than some of the billions of people outside our country that weren't lucky enough to be born in a country like the US where polio has been eradicated, for just one example.

Thank you for writing this. I was there too. The moment that hit me the hardest was the young mother who survived brain cancer and who spoke about the pain of not having a single friend be there for her when she was diagnosed in 6th grade. Her pain felt very raw and still present after well more than a decade has passed.

It reminded me that the kids in Morgan Adams' class with Sharon Messinger at Cory Elementary School all wore scarves so you couldn't tell which kid had cancer. They rallied around her, befriended her, loved her always.

I told this story today to a mom with a thirteen year old. She plans to tell her daughter so that maybe she will understand how much compassion can stick with a kid. Maybe then isolation will not have to.

I don't disagree with funding for research and treatment. In fact I donate to those causes significantly myself.

I just don't think it's an us vs. them thing. I would guess that people who contribute to causes that help people outside the country are more likely to also contribute to causes that help people in this country (this is what else Catholic Social Services does in Philadelphia: http://www.catholicsocialservicesphilly.org/).

Also, the national debt seems to me to be kind of a red herring when it comes to considering how to allocate charitable donations. It's like saying I shouldn't contribute anything to charity because I have a mortgage. Like it or not (and sometimes I think it is something to worry about), our economy — businesses and individuals, runs on debt, and the government is no exception.

Basically, I don't think it helps to be PISSED when people support causes like earthquake relief in Haiti. I think the world needs more generosity, not less.

Erika, first, let me say that I'm a relative newcomer to your blog and I really love where you're coming from and how you express yourself.

Second, as you can see from my twitter avatar, I'm from the Nashville area where, as I am sure you are aware, we recently had what the Army Corps of Engineers is classifying as a a 500 year flood that devastated 1000s of homes and businesses in Tennessee. What you may not have heard is that a local organization, Hands On Nashville (HON.org) has coordinated relief efforts which include logging well over 44000 hours of volunteer labor in the first week after the flooding started to subside. This equates to over five years of volunteer time in roughly seven days! This does not even begin to count the hours donated thru many of the loocal churches, the countless thousands of dollars donated to local charitires and local offices of national charities.

My point? Well, while I agree that it's angering how we can give to far off charities when folks need help at home, I have seen first hand that there are some in this country that put America first when it matters close at hand. And, I also would suggest that there are a crap ton of organizations, situations, foundations, etc. that all need a helping hand both locally and globally. It can be difficult to know where your donation will be best used at that moment. Lastly, I would suggest that sometimes, donating your time and physical presence is better than simply sending a check or texting 'donate' on your cellphone.

I had the fortune in the last year to work with Joan and MAF through MGA – we helped them with earned media, media planning and messaging. Throughout the process, all here that worked on the project were truly touched by their mission. What those kids and their parents go through – it's heartbreaking, and the work that Joan and MAF do is amazing. On the one hand, it's hard to process what it's all about until you've actually seen or experienced it. On the other, it's inspiring to see that they are making a difference – but so much more is needed.

You go, girl