Rainy Christmas

There has been recent news coverage of landslides in the southern part of the Philippines. If anyone's looking to donate, speak to someone with relatives in the area. (Not me. If I've any relatives there, I don't know them.) Donating through someone who knows people there makes it more likely that more of your donation actually gets to the people it's meant to help. (Money is always helpful, but clothes and canned food are good at all times, not just in emergencies.)

If, however, you'd rather donate through an established organization, try Oxfam. Charity Navigator shows the organization's percentage of donations used to fund aid programs at 77.8%, and there's an option to donate cash for livestock. (Pigs are important livestock in the Philippines, but chickens and ducks are good options too, considering the Muslim population in Mindanao.) Whether that money is actually used for livestock or put into a general pool is another question.

(2/13/18 - Read an article that erodes my faith in humanity just that much more. Thanks, Oxfam UK. Oxfam America, what are you doing?)