I know from experience that if I wrote an honest title on this thread, most people would ignore it.

[Skinner]

Because feeding the hungry is boring. Even on a website filled with progressives, feeding the hungry is boring.

Maybe you've heard that Democratic Underground is holding our fourth annual year-end charity drive to benefit to Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger-relief charity.

BOR-ING!

But this isn't boring...

DOUBLE YOUR DONATION!!! DUer brooklynite has generously offered a CHALLENGE GRANT to provide a 100% match on the first $7,500 donated through our link! If you donate now, he will match your donation! Please don't leave all that extra money on the table -- Donate today and put it to work feeding America's hungry!

https://secure2.convio.net/a2h/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=1560&1560.donation=form1&s_src=W0912DMU


About Feeding America (Formerly America's Second Harvest)

Feeding America is the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Each year, the Feeding America network provides food assistance to more than 25 million low-income people facing hunger in the United States, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors. Our network of more than 200 food banks serves all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.The Feeding America network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. The Feeding America network supports approximately 63,000 local charitable agencies that distribute food directly to Americans in need. Those agencies operate more than 70,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, Kids Cafes, Community Kitchens and BackPack Programs.

https://secure2.convio.net/a2h/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=1560&1560.donation=form1&s_src=W0912DMU


About your Donation

100% of your donation goes directly to Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest). Democratic Underground is NOT collecting or forwarding the donations, and Democratic Underground does NOT get any part of what you donate.

Donations are tax deductible. You will get a receipt for your donation directly from Feeding America.

Democratic Underground does not have access to any of your personal information, or any information about your donation to Feeding America. We won't know who donates, or how much you donate. All we know is the total value of all the donations made through our link.

https://secure2.convio.net/a2h/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=1560&1560.donation=form1&s_src=W0912DMU


Please kick and recommend this thread so more DUers will see it. Thanks.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. KnR

[Jamastiene]

2. W00t! 5th Rec

I can't afford to donate right now, but I can send this to the Greatest page. :)

[lamp_shade]

3. Done (last week). K&R

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Boring headline or not, my dear Skinner...

I did donate several days ago, and it feels damn good!

And I am especially pleased to see that I made it into the challenge grant window...

K&R

:hi:

[Pharaoh]

5. Not boring

some of us are just treading water as it is.

[shadowknows69]

6. I wish I had two pennies to spare to do this, but thunderous applause for all who did.

And for you Mr. Skinner for helping DU give back to people in need.

[Vinnie From Indy]

7. This is worth everyone's time and attention!

Let's get the matching donation!

[TexasObserver]

8. Recommend

[MrsBrady]

9. kick

[Unca Jim]

10. Annoying!

They don't take Paypal so I have to use a credit card? Lame!

I'll use a credit card for my donation because it's important, but if you're asking for money you ought to take it however it's convenient for the donating.

[Horse with no Name]

31. Paypal has pretty significant charges attached

AND if someone complains, the money gets charged back.
I can thoroughly understand why they DO NOT use Paypal--same reasons that I will not.

[Unca Jim]

78. Sure...

But they take credit cards which charge just as much and are just as subject to a backcharge.

[Horse with no Name]

85. One backcharge is a bummer but isn't a big deal

However, with Paypal, if ONE person complains--they can--and do--hold up EVERYONE'S money.

[Unca Jim]

90. It sounds like you have had bad experiences with Paypal...

However, it seems unlikely to me that there would be a lot of complaints from people who give money to a charitable organization.

I am the chair of a non-profit organization and we take Paypal. We've *never* had even the ghost of a problem and people love that we take Paypal -very convenient for them. It's *much* harder to take credit cards than Paypal and the fees are comparable.

Again, I'm sorry for your bad experiences, but not taking Paypal in 2009/2010 is like refusing to accept quarters in your vending machine.

[Horse with no Name]

96. Two words.

Andy Stephenson.
Do yourself a search and see how evil Paypal can be.

I never have and never will follow conventions.

I don't use Paypal. I don't use credit cards. I have no debt.
If I lost my job tomorrow we would be okay and my family wouldn't be in the street.
Not gloating--I just didn't buy into the ponzi scheme.

I'm a quite rare American. I live within my means.

[Unca Jim]

100. Indeed.

I don't like to use credit cards either. I live within my means as well. I couldn't pay for my home with cash (which apparently you did, congratulations), so I do have a mortgage. What does my fiduciary responsibility have to with a charity not taking Paypal?

Linking your Paypal to an account you really care about *is* indeed stupid.

I have mine linked to a major bank account I funnel $100 from every paycheck to. That way I can donate and buy online without using a credit card and with very little risk.


Again, I get that you hate Paypal. The point of my original post was that *many* people don't and it makes it easier and quicker for them to donate.

[mmonk]

11. I'm ignoring this thread.

;-)








:kick:

[rpannier]

82. I'll raise your ignore

And unrec this thread...:toast: :pals:

[RainDog]

12. I am donating locally, but those who can, do both, please

there are many people who are hurting this year.

[Flatulo]

13. Done!

Thanks for support such a good cause.

[pinto]

14. Kick

:kick:

[Arkansas Granny]

15. Done! Thanks for the reminder, Skinner.

[L0oniX]

16. I appreciate you doing this for the homeless. I already feed the homeless every weekend...

and have been for over 5 years. I am not going to preach at others to do the same only that if you are going to do it ...do it because you know it's the right thing to do for your fellow human being. I consider myself blessed to have found a way to help others and to have the means to do so.

[surrealAmerican]

17. k & r

[zeemike]

18. Well I am a lot closer to needing the help than I am to being able

to help out.
But I am proud to be a member here and grateful for the generous offer from Brooklinknight and for you folks in administration that are willing to help those that do need it.
You people rock.

[Fumesucker]

19. K&R

[Homer Wells]

20. Kicked and Highly Recommended NT

[StarfarerBill]

21. Done and done, last week. K&R

[Scurrilous]

22. K & R

:thumbsup:

[gmoney]

23. Donated, and a question...

Kicked in a few... hope we max out the matching funds!

Thanks Skinner and Brooklynite for the incentive...

Is this like a public radio challenge grant, where if the $7500 threshold is NOT met, the matching funds are TOTALLY lost?

Or is it like an employer match, where whatever we donate will be matched, even if we fall short of the $7500?

[HughMoran]

24. OK! I donated!!

Thanks for keeping the pressure on - the 3rd time was the charm for me ;)

[defendandprotect]

25. Skinner, we need the Obama administration to STOP IGNORING the homeless/impoverished ....

when was the last time any of us heard our President or Democrats talk about this issue?

Meanwhile, I give locally - as often as I can.

Let's hope that in 2010, there will be some more positive help for our impoverished citizens

-- FROM OUR GOVERNMENT!!!

[Forkboy]

26. K&R

And if I had known about this I would have held off on my last donation until this started. I'm too broke to help now. :(

[MilesColtrane]

27. Done, Kicked, and R'ed

[Gregorian]

28. Recommended for those who need help.

You come in to this world with nothing. You leave with nothing but your experiences. Let them be worthy of keeping.

Hey, not bad. :)

[Horse with no Name]

29. For me, this will have to wait until after the holidays

Even though I know that it is needed now.
We have had some financial setbacks recently(nothing major or nothing that can't be worked out), however, I can't even renew my donor star yet.
Nevertheless, I was able to contribute to local food drives by cleaning out my pantry. It wasn't much, but if everyone did what little they could, it could make a huge difference.
Happy Holidays to you and yours.

[bridgit]

30. Are there no prisons, Sir, no work houses?

[Pooka Fey]

88. Kicking your post. ROFL!

[Kermitt Gribble]

32. Wow! K&R for brooklynite and DU!!!

Will donate today!

[tomm2thumbs]

33. kick for moral support

[sense]

34. Done

Income is way down this year, again, but we're not going hungry.

[onenote]

35. but but but..Feeding America accepts - gasp - corporate support!

I'll be donating, of course, but I couldn't resist pointing out to the hard core "anti-everything corporate" types that Feeding AMerica gets a lot of its support from -- corporations. All kinds of corporations. ConAgra, Fox, Bank of America, Kraft, etc etc.

And I don't care. They are a great organization and its great that DU is supporting them.

[MilesColtrane]

44. Feeding America's percent of charitable commitment is down a bit, and their CEO makes too much...

in my opinion, but no other organization does what they do, so I coughed up a little.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

36. KnR

[fascisthunter]

37. Done... just donated to Feeding America

[Cetacea]

38. Kicking.

[Greyhound]

39. K&R.

[LWolf]

40. If I'm ignoring it,

it's not because of the title. It's because I gave what I had to give locally, and don't have the resources to give any more. As a matter of fact, I shouldn't have given what I did. I just had an electrical contractor give me a bid to fix the faulty wiring in my house that has had me in the dark for a week.

Until I figure out where to get an extra $800 from a well that ran dry 2 years ago, there will be no cooking, laundry, dishwashing, or showers at my house, since the connection that runs those things is dead.

I'll give it a kick, if that will help.

[blogslut]

41. kick

recommend

[Nye Bevan]

42. 100% match? Thanks Brooklynite. I just donated.

[AtheistCrusader]

43. Normally I give to the ACLU and several progressive groups

This year, every donate-able dime went to NorthWest Harvest. I just couldn't justify spreading it around.

[Bobbie Jo]

45. Kick

:kick:

[chimpymustgo]

46. Done. Thanks for the reminder and opportunity, Skinner. And thanks Brooklynite for your generosity!

[BrklynLiberal]

48. Ditto

[Goldstein1984]

47. Not boring

My charitable contributions are going to local organizations feeding the needy in Alaska, as well as to family members hit very hard by the Meltdown.

But not boring. Thanks.

Rec

G1984

[omega minimo]

49. .

[Seedersandleechers]

50. I don't where you would know that a DU'er donated.

I want matched funds to go to feeding the homeless.

[NikolaC]

51. K&R

[Jefferson23]

52. K&R, for not boring to feed America now!

[proReality]

53. Not boring

I just donate heavily, locally, where I can see the good my money does. I also volunteer at a food bank and volunteer time at a "soup kitchen".

[JackDragna]

54. I'm in.

I live in an area where so many need this type of help. It pains me to see so many suffer. I hope, someday, this nation does a better job of asking why so many people need such generosity.

[Beaverhausen]

55. K&R

donated last week!

[AllyCat]

56. Not boring, but I already donated a few days ago. Will brooklynite still match?

I also put all my spare change in the bin at work after I pay for dinner.

Please do what you can folks. People are really hurting out there.

[Lil Missy]

57. donated!

:kick:

[WildEyedLiberal]

58. Thanks for the reminder

I've been meaning to donate to Feeding America for weeks now and kept forgetting; your post gave me the kick in the rear I needed. Thanks!!

[LeftishBrit]

59. k&r

[cliffordu]

60. Uh, oh...'Ignored' is posting again.....

kidding!!!! I'm just kidding!!!!

K&R.

[Fresh_Start]

61. Thanks Brooklynite

for doubling my donation

[ThomWV]

62. Pleased to D, K, & R

[Mithreal]

63. kick

[billyoc]

64. K&R

I'm bored.


:hide:

[beac]

65. Thank you, brooklynite, for matching our donations again this year!

My family has been giving to FA in lieu of Xmas presents for a few years now, so I really appreciate the opportunity to double our impact.

:pals:

[mascarax]

66. K&R - already donated!

I know there's great need.

[jillan]

67. Done

[Joe Bacon]

68. KICK

[Usrename]

69. .

:kick:

[Moosepoop]

70. Already donated... but here's a kick!

:kick:

[BlancheSplanchnik]

71. Done, along with a donation to Planned Parenthood

Helping to reduce the numbers straining resources in the first place has always been high priority to me.

[Wardoc]

72. Kicked and Rec'd. (nt)

[JDPriestly]

73. Poverty is one of the central issues.

Unfortunately, many of us are just not doing well enough to give much this year.

[eggplant]

74. Done.

A few bucks for a worthy cause.

[annabanana]

75. Eminently worthwhile! Thank you for the matching funds.

k&r

[Hekate]

76. Thanks Skinner and Brooklynite for doing this. Kicked, Recced, Done. Bingle Jells!

[lonestarnot]

77. K & R!

[Laurab]

79. K&R nt!!

[JustAnotherGen]

80. I will in the a.m.

I spend a lot of time at the Essex County (NJ) food bank when I feel well. Beside - I'm hoping DU'er Brooklynite is a certain Entourage Cast member who has been known to volunteer his time at 2nd Harvest! :rotfl: So let's do it for Grenier! :-)

[silverweb]

81. Done.

K&R

:kick:

[leftstreet]

83. K&R

[Stardust]

84. Done...humbly.

[The Straight Story]

86. All I see is 'ignored'

;) Kick

[Pooka Fey]

87. Done. Thanks Skinner for the Fundraiser and to Brooklynite

for the matching funds. :loveya:

[Rhiannon12866]

89. K&R. And far from boring...

This is really important, especially in today's economy... :toast: :kick:

[tomg]

91. Thanks to Skinner and

thanks to Brooklynite.

[japple]

92. K & R. Thanks Skinner and brooklynite for making it possible

to double my donation.

[shireen]

93. why would you call this 'boring?'

Seriously, do you think we're too callous to care about this issue?

You'll notice from numerous posts in this thread that many DU'ers are already supporting local programs (myself included). Even people who can't afford to donate have found other ways to help.

Surely there's a better way to promote this donation drive.

[Political Heretic]

94. Another chance to reflect on what is likely the predominately white, upper middle class demographic

at DU.

Yes... then hunger does appear "boring" doesn't it?

EDIT - damn insomnia and 5:53am. I realize this could be interpreted wrongly... I'm saying that its possibly difficult to get traction on this issue right now for two reasons. First, the massive attention being focused on a huge policy issue right now. But second, the fact that if DU is anything like other netroots communities that have been researched, including DailyKOS, then they demographic tends to skew toward the white, the male, and the upper middle class.

And I believe there is too much of a disconnect, in many cases, between the upper middle class and poverty and social justice issues. Not in all cases, but in many cases. Enough that its worth discussing.

FWIW I'd donate if I could, but I'm out of work, out of home and have internet because my family whose floor I'm sleeping on pays for it. And believe me I realize how damn blessed I am to even have family that can support me while I can't support myself. Many people don't.

[Solly Mack]

95. Kick

[WeDidIt]

97. WTF is this doing on the second page? n/t

[pinto]

98. I got a Christmas gift and 10% of it goes here.

:kick:

[Pithlet]

99. Kick

:kick:

[pinto]

101. Kick

:kick:

[UrbScotty]

102. Kick ;-)

:kick:

[Crabby Appleton]

103. K&R