Joy

[thefourthvine]

It's More Joy Day! And you all bring me more joy than I could possibly describe or repay; I'm like a giant joy sponge in fandom, really. Except, wow - "giant joy sponge" sounds like a seriously unfortunate euphemism from an even worse story ("His lover caressed his pendulous spheroids, and his giant joy sponge swelled impossibly"), and I apologize for that, but you get my point. I hope.

Anyway. Today, I'd like to borrow an idea from fan_eunice and give to the causes that bring you joy, or that you think are important. I'll donate ten dollars to the first fifteen charities someone links to in the comments. And if we hit that number, feel free to keep on commenting with links and descriptions; I'd really love to know what causes all of you support. (And it will be useful for, um, later.)

Comments

[miss-porcupine.livejournal.com]

Soldiers' Angels (http://www.soldiersangels.com/) and especially Valour-IT (http://soldiersangels.org/index.php?page=project-valour-it) I've posted a drabble to solicit donations for the Valour-IT fundraiser the last two years. SA is a civilian-run organization that works toward making the lives of deployed personnel and their families nicer as well as easier. The Valour-IT program donates laptops with voice-activated software to wounded personnel who would not otherwise be able to communicate with friends and family, both at home and the buddies they left behind at the front. The laptops do wonders for morale, which in turn does wonders for the healing process.

Wounded Warrior Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/), especially the Backpack fund (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/index.php/WWP-Packs.html) Because life does not stop when you lose a limb. The backpack project gets essentials and not-quite-essentials to wounded personnel -- you don't get to go pack your clean pairs of undies when you're getting airlifted to a hospital out of theater.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (http://www.nmcrs.org/) Sometimes a simple hand is all that's needed. Interest-free loans, scholarships, and financial services of various stripes for Navy and Marine Corps personnel and their families.

Michael Yon (http://michaelyon-online.com/) and Michael Totten (http://www.michaeltotten.com/). Not charities, but men who are independent journalists running around and showing things that the mainstream media doesn't want to show.

CCFA (http://www.ccfa.org/) For personal reasons, but also because Crohn's and Colitis are diseases that are unglamorous and unfashionable and you're not going to get a fancy celebrity to help raise awareness and cash for a disease that's all about bowel movements.

Catholic Charities (http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/) Because they are an extremely efficient charity with a wide reach. I gave to them in the wake of Katrina and have been impressed by them.

American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org/) I refuse to give to the International version, but have only the highest respect for the American branch.

Salvation Army (http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/) Not so much anymore because they are too aggressive with the paper mailings once you're on their lists, but an eminently worthy cause.

[medalline]

Along with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, the Air Force Aid Society, Army Emergency Relief, and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.

The NMCRS will help all branches in emergency situations but in other instances, such as budget counseling, the newborn packages and classes (Junior Seabag and Budget for Baby), and other community support, we'll generally refer them to their branch aid society. As miss_porcupine said, sometimes a simple hand is all that is needed, and the Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard personnel and dependents sometimes need that help as well. :)