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Had the Wright brothers, Henry Ford, or Nicola Tesla fallen to something like "How to live United" propaganda and gone to "help the poor", how much longer would it have taken for the affordable air-travel, mass-produced cars, and the numerous other wonders to appear?

Especially, if they traveled to the Third World and caught something nasty?

Thankfully, such "sacrifice" was not very popular 100 years ago. Unfortunately, it seems to be all the rage nowadays...

Really?!? Wow, and all this time I thought I was the only homeless person in America...

Remember, Junior, never assume; when you do you make an ass of Uma Thurman. As you have no idea what I've been through, whom I've talked to, and how I've lived, you're just blowing more smoke than Happy Harry's House of Hashish...horrendously horridly, at that.

...and you think you're the only person on this mudball that has? Your name wouldn't happen to be Narcissus, would it?

Kid, if your {I'm betting brief} homeless stint gives you the right to lecture, what makes you think anyone else that's been in that situation can't?

If you're on drugs, there're halfway houses and freebie rehabs in many urban areas. Female and pregnant/have kids? LOTS of options there, including financial/housing assistance, food, job placement, etc. Once again, far more common in urban areas with the cash/charities to assist. Nuts, like me? Once again, programs exist all over. If you were homeless and never hit the Salvation Army, or made use of the multitude of services found at the United Way, or any local faith-run food banks, then I'm going to have to wonder just how you're defining "homeless", and for how long you might have been...

Ye gads, it annoys me when people think personal accountability means balancing your checkbook.

You certainly were not there. You might check out the link between Microsoft and the United Way and when it started, and how Bill and his mother were the driving force behind that long before Melinda became Mrs Gates.

I know few people here like or appreciate Gates, but must we make shit up to slime the dude?

American Red Cross

Provides a full spectrum of services to disaster victims, including shelter, medical care, food, clean water and assisting with cleanup efforts.

http://www.redcross.org/

https://www2.redcross.org/donate/donation-form.asp

Salvation Army:

Providing hot meals to displaced disaster victims and emergency personnel working to aid those devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/USNSAHome.htm

https://secure5.salvationarmy.org/donations.nsf/do nate?openform&projectid=USN-hurricane05

United Way

Identifying serious needs of devastated communities and helping not only with front-line disaster relief but with long-term recovery.

http://national.unitedway.org/

https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/hurricane-katri na/donate/

America's Second Harvest

Transports food to victims and secures additional warehouse space to assist member food banks in resuming and maintaining operations.

http://www.secondharvest.org/default.asp

https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Simple/Donor.asp?i event=67898

Feed the Children

Mobilizing and distributing supplies in hurricane devastated areas.

http://www.feedthechildren.org/site/PageServer?pag ename=usw_hurricane_katrina

https://secure2.convio.net/ftc/site/Donation?ACTIO N=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONS&CAMPAIGN_ID=2661

Habitat for Humanity

Helping disaster victims rebuild piece by piece and house by house.

http://www.habitat.org/

https://www.habitat.org/donation/generaldonation/d efault.aspx?media=habitat&lander=MP&sourcecode=10w 39&tg=katrina&keyword=homepage_08302005

Many organizations give to United Way. I don't know if it's still true, but at one time, United Way gave to Planned Parenthood. If you're not familiar with the latter organization, Planned Parenthood offers abortion as an option over adoption. Even if you specify a specific charity when giving through United Way, that will just redirect somebody else's "general fund" money to Planned Parenthood. However, United Way claims that Planned Parenthood money from United Way doesn't go directly toward abortion, but the general fund redistribution principle may apply there as well.

There are some large companies around here that do this sort of Halloween thing; however, it's not just the kids of the employees who are invited in. They bring in special ed classes to trick-or-treat, and throw them a big party, give them 1-on-1 attention, and even send them off with a few company-store items that they can use in their classroom--all for free. The kids (and teachers and parents) love it, of course.

The employees really enjoy it because they not only get to goof around and (optionally) dress silly on a workday afternoon, but they know that they are doing something special and meaningful for somebody else; it's not just one more odious team-building exercise. The companies are behind it because it's a very healthy way for teams to come together, it's on-site so there is little cash or lost-hours cost involved, and it's pretty good publicity.

This sort of public-service, everybody-wins activity is just really great, and I can't recommend it enough. (Or commend those companies enough.) One company had a Habitat for Humanity party and helped build a home for someone in need. A company I used to work for had a competition at Thanksgiving to see which floor could bring in the most food for the community food pantry (with surprisingly little unauthorized movement of cans from one floor to another).

There are lots and lots of opportunities for these sorts of things in each city, and there is always something for every size of organization. (If you don't know where to start looking, try asking your local principal or your local office of the United Way.) I'd encourage you to find one that fits your community and corporate culture and make it one of your annual events.

You can help save intelligent life here on Earth by donating to the World Food Programme. The World Food Programme's donation page is here.

Incidentally, the U.S. Government is the largest donor:

In 2000, the USA was the most substantial donor, with more than US$796 million given to WFP activities. Japan was the second largest contributor, with almost US$260 million donated over the same period, followed by the European Commission with US$118 million.

Oh well, I'm sure we can get the money from the defence piggy-bank... right, guys?

The Department of Health and Human Services received about 501 billion dollars in 2003 compared with the 388 billion that the Department of Defense received. Look here.

If you're in the U.S. and want to do more to help locally right now, try here. Remember, there are people in your local community that are suffering just as much as other people around the world. If we all help locally, we all help globally.

Consider looking into the local branch of the United Way. Here in Minneapolis they run a volunteer needed column in the paper and I just checked they had at least 9 positions open looking for techies in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The cool part about the United Way is that they are a roll up of many different organizations. You can easily find one that you like and work with them. Hmmm...a place needs a database developer...might have to give them a call

Also look for something like this - Volunteer Twin Cities in your neck of the woods.

-Seraphim

The United Way is a charitable organization that raises money for literally thousands of organizations around the world. The money that is raised locally, though, is used locally. If you make a donation to hte United Way chapter in your area, then you will be helping someone in your own town or possibly in your own neighorhood.