Others Before Self

Giving to friends and family is an inherent part of the Christmas season, but so is giving to those in need. We’ve chosen three outstanding Atlanta-based charities to feature here; they have a convenient “giving” button on each of their home pages, as well as excellent websites detailing their services and outreach.

The Salvation Army kettles paired with spirited bell ringers are as iconic to the American tradition as Norman Rockwell paintings. The charity, whose Southern headquarters is in Atlanta, provides relief to a number of causes, including offering aid to victims of natural disasters, building hospitals and providing quality health care internationally, fighting human trafficking, and reaching all who have need.

The Good Samaritan Center, a clinic built with the working poor in mind, offers essential health services to low-income families who are unable to afford health insurance. In 1995, Atlanta native Dr. Bill Warren left his private pediatric practice to serve patients who he would otherwise never have had the opportunity to see. Good Samaritan offers medical, dental, counseling, health education and social services to its patients, and while “regular” visits are often the norm, many specialists, including cardiologists, obstetricians, radiographers and orthopedists volunteer their time here. In 2008, the rapidly growing center saw more than 19,000 patients, who pay nominal fees for the services they receive – a Good Samaritan initiative that instills confidence and responsibility.

The Atlanta Union Mission has a historic place in the life of this city. Established in 1938 as a refuge for those whose lives had crumbled in the Great Depression, the AUM has grown to encompass six facilities that offer men, women and children emergency food and shelter, residential recovery programs and transitional housing. Guests at the shelters receive hot showers, a well-rounded meal, clean clothing and a safe, warm place to sleep. The Union Mission’s addiction recovery programs include housing and a six to twelve month curriculum of counseling, life skills training, work therapy and spiritual guidance. Following graduation from the recovery program, residents live in transitional housing for eighteen months before heading out on their own.

Categories: Charity

Ugandan-American Charity

Started by Atlanta native Brittany Merrill when she was just 19, the Ugandan American Partnership Organization (UAPO) has worked for five years to build global partnerships in the hopes of addressing Ugandan poverty and promoting sustainable development. The charity, which began after a chance meeting with a Ugandan named Sarah during one of Brittany’s college trips, has brought new life to villages crippled by a lack of clean water, AIDS, and other challenges associated with rural Africa. Get involved with the UAPO by learning about its newly opened orphanage (The Mutungo Project), its clean water sourcing (The Amaazi Project), its economic development work (The Akola Project), and its holistic outreach programs (The Mukisa Community Village Project). Americans are needed not only for the funds they might contribute, but also for volunteer work in the U.S. and abroad.

Categories: Charity

Toms Shoes

TOMS creates distinctive shoes with a simple concept: buy a pair and they will give one away to a child in need. The company was founded by Blake Mycoskie, who after traveling overseas was inspired to create shoes with style that would also help poverty stricken children in the developing world. Many children in impoverished nations walk barefoot as their primary means of transportation, which is why the leading cause of disease in these countries is soil-transmitted parasites. Also, schools require shoes which means these children aren’t able to get an education. As TOMS shoes grows, so do the number of children around the world that have a better chance to live a healthier and more equipped life. Most shoes are about $50 and come in wide variety of patterns and colors. TOMS

Categories: Attire, Charity

KIVA

Kiva, the world’s first person-to-person microfinance web site, connects lenders in developed countries with entrepreneurs in underdeveloped countries for the sake of alleviating poverty. Choose a venture worth your hard-earned money via Kiva’s profiles of entrepreneurs – candidates range in location from Peru to Pakistan – by reading extensive profiles, which include repayment terms, risk ratings, loan use details and default and delinquency ratings (many are 0.0%). Although Kiva can’t guarantee that entrepreneurs will pay back their benefactors’ loans, regional field partners offer groups and individuals support and guidance as they work to create viable businesses. With as little as $25 US Dollars, an impact can be made a world away. www.Kiva.org

Categories: Charity