Replies to post #131096 on Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

[OT]—Macula Vision Research Foundation (http://www.mvrf.org/page.php?pid=3#board ) is one of the few medical charities that spends 100% of donated money on research. I.e., administrative expenses are privately funded by MVRF’s founders and therefore do not eat up a portion of public donations.

Disclosure: I have no relationship with MVRF other than as a donor.

[Preciouslife1]

Response: Hello PGS // my name is Mark and I am an outreach Pastor to the "homeless", disenfranchised population of Southwest Florida, Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, St Pete etc .. I am not asking you or anyone else for anything, but rather just informing about what I GET to do on a zero budgeted ministry that since 2007, has given away for free, 7 million lbs of clothing, supplies and food to anyone in need for FREE, regardless of beliefs, race, religion or nationality .. This year alone almost 2 million lbs will go out, for free to those in need, and we just facilitated a 110,000 lbs clothing giveaway, plus 30,000 lbs of supplies on 150 sorted and organized tables to over 3200 families right before school started ... releasing seed from your storehouse to help and bless others, into prepared and tilled soil, produces a bountiful harvest for all involved .. have picture and info if you want/need to see the efforts to help give a hand up vs a hand out ... Sincerely, Pastor Mark ...

PS .. you can contact Ken Goodrich from the Stock Seasonality board for verification ..

[kgoodrich]

poorgradstudent
May I recommend that you think of Preciouslife1 in your donations. He has the biggest outreach church in Sarasota, Florida and gives out annually about 2,000,000 lbs on a zero budget. I know of few places in America that are worthy of it. This info is real in defense of gifting to a place rather then an organization.

For those considering donations --- 
 You might find this very interesting. 
 As you open your pockets for the next natural disaster, please keep these facts in mind: 
 The American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans salary for the year was $651,957 plus expenses 
 The United Way President Brian Gallagher receives a $375,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits. 
 UNICEF CEO Carol M. Stern receives $1,200,000 per year (100k per month) plus all expenses including a ROLLS-ROYCE. Less than 5 cents of your donated dollar goes to the cause 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
 The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of 
 only$13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause. 
 The American Legion National Commander receives a $0.00 zero 
 salary.  Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! 
 The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.  Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! 
 The Disabled American Veterans National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.  Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! 
 The Military Order of Purple Hearts National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.  Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! 
  
 The Vietnam Veterans Association National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.  Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

[linhdtu]

PGS, try Givewell.org. eom

[oldberkeley]

OT: We give half of our charitable donations to the numerous fund-raising projects connected with our local schools. The other half goes directly to the largest, and most in need, local food bank.

[biomaven0]

Rick on SI won the Charity Portfolio competition some years back and nominated an organization devoted to pediatric AIDS work in Zimbabwe:

http://www.jfkapnektrust.org/index.htm

Since then I have donated annually to them and I continue to be impressed with their work. On a bang for the buck measure I think they do very well.

Peter

[apljack]

OT: Small local charities

I am on the board of the Almost Home Ranch in Lincoln, AR. This small operation is a relatively new non-profit that serves active military and veterans in the following manner through the Warrior's Horse Project:

The ranch takes in and boards horses for active military personnel who have been called to duty overseas. These are often non-com's who have horses because of the love for the animals and make economic sacrifices to have the horse to begin with. These warriors do not have the money to board their horses while overseas and without the program would have to face the prospect of selling their horse.

While the horses are at the Almost Home Ranch, they are cared for by Vets with PTSD. The ranch is run by the retired Executive Director of the AR Crisis Ctr, Shelby Rowe, who is well versed in horses, PTSD, and the therapeutic nature of the human/horse relationship.

When the warrior has completed their tour, they are invited to the ranch to spend as much time as it takes to "decompress" and re-adjust to civilian life, get the support from the vets who are staffing the ranch caring for the horses, and can use the time to re-integrate into family and community.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Almost-Home-Ranch/120366584697633

Shelby will be grateful for any and all donations. She is currently caring for 6 horses in the program and we are starting our first capital campaign after Thanksgiving.

We have plans to expand the program to allow 10 vets to stay in residence at the ranch for a 10-week program (50 vets per year) and a maximum of 10 horses of active personnel at a time. If we can reach some lofty money raising goals, we are looking at bying out a "dude ranch" facility in Hot Springs where we can further expand and start an equine therapy program (Physical therapy based) for veterans with traumatic brain injury (which I will run as a volunteer.)

The address is: 20971 West HWY 62, Lincoln, AR 72744

aj

[oc631]

PGS it appears you are looking for a local charity which is understandable. There's a developing crisis in Thailand which I would like to bring to everyone's attention while we are on the subject. If you love animals I can assure you every donated dollar gets put to good use here


http://www.carefordogs.org/



No six figure salaries at this charity. Just lots and lots of unmet need.

[ilpapa]

Thanks for bringing that up, PGS. The responses have given me a lot of new ideas for charitable giving this year.

My suggestion is:
Rev. Robert Gutleben
Covenant Connection
410 Murphy Ave.,
Sebastopol, CA 95472

(Reintegration of recently released convicts into society.)

[acgood]

[OT]
I wasn't going to chime in, but I will mention this cool new initiative that a classmate of mine (he trained in Vogelstein-Kinzler lab at Johns Hopkins) started - crowd-sourced nonprofit for rare disease genomic research:
http://www.raregenomics.org/

[Robert C Jonson]

This is a good one:

http://www.spiritofamerica.net/

[hmpa]

PGS, may I recommend The Seeing Eye http://www.seeingeye.org/ . The only mission the group has is to train guide dogs and give them to the blind.

[haysaw]

Nonprofit helps those with severe disabilities become independent


By KEVIN D. THOMPSON
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011

PALM BEACH GARDENS — Two years ago, when Eric Moore joined Pathways to Independence, he wasn't accustomed to making decisions on his own.

"He was used to the classroom setting where he was being told what to do," said Sue Buechele, founder and executive director of Pathways, a day camp for people with severe developmental disabilities.

But Pathways encourages participants to take an active role in their lives . For instance, they help decide who enters the program, who's hired and what kind of services are offered .

Moore, who has cerebral palsy, was a little overwhelmed by all the newfound responsibility. Not anymore.

"This program helped me grow," said Moore, 24, of Boynton Beach. "I used to fly off the handle at the drop of a hat about anything. I don't do it as much now."

While there are many programs in Palm Beach County for disabled persons, Buechele said Pathways, which she founded 11 years ago, is a bit unusual, tailoring its program to each person.

"You don't have to come in and fit into what we do," said Tina Bate, an occupational therapist at Pathways.

"When you come in, we ask, 'What do you want to get out of this experience? What are your personal goals?' We look at you as an individual."

Pathways' goal: to help participants live as independently as possible after they leave for the day and return home.

Pathways has 13 participants and eight staffers, including three physical therapists. The staffers play roles as diverse as matchmaker, entrepreneurial advisor, amateur psychiatrist and political activist.

Pathways helped one member start a balloon business. Another was given dating advice when he was considering a relationship with a woman he was living with at a group home. All participants are encouraged to be politically active.

"They have to have a voice," Buechele said. "You have your disability population, which is small compared with the population at large, then you have this segment of disability. We have to make their voices really loud."

Buechele said she got the idea to start Pathways while she was working as a program director at The Arc of Palm Beach County, an advocacy group for children and adults with severe developmental disabilities.

Over time, Buechele, who worked at The Arc for nine years, said people with severe physical disabilities were starting to feel neglected in the program. So several participants encouraged Buechele to start her own program, one that would deal specifically with disabilities such as autism and cerebral palsy.

"I was nervous," Buechele said . "I had to start from scratch and hope that people would come."

It helped that nine participants from The Arc joined her.

Running a nonprofit is fraught with challenges, especially during economic turmoil. At the top of the list: raising money.

Buechele said Pathways' goal this year is $450,000. So far, the group is about $100,000 short.

More bad news: Medicaid funding was cut 4 percent in April, with another cut expected in December. That's why Buechele, who isn't comfortable asking for money, has become more visible in trying to raise it.

"I always feel like I'm asking for a handout," Buechele said. "It's my worst skill."

But Caryn St. John, a board member, disagreed.

"She really is a good fundraiser," St. John said. "She just doesn't realize it."

Pathways was recently one of four recipient charities named in a golf tournament sponsored by Rooney's Golf Foundation. The group will also have a presence next month at an event for the Palm Beach County Justice Association, a countywide group of more than 450 trial attorneys and paralegals.

To attract more participants who don't depend on Medicaid, Buechele said Pathways will expand its therapy services so it is not catering only to people with severe disabilities.

"We can't afford to just limit ourselves to that population," Buechele said. "I was joking with a caseworker that we're going to start offering haircuts in here. We'll do whatever we have to do."

In mid-September, Pathways moved from its 2,220-square-foot office on Northlake Boulevard to a 4,000-square-foot space on North Military Trail.

"We've always operated quiet, small, little," Buechele said. "But now that our funds keep getting cut, we don't have the luxury of thinking just inside this little box anymore."