Donating to 40

One In 7 Billion Update

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

Ah…where does the time and days go.  I am still donating money in place of spending things, but my computer doesn’t let me online at work (I upgraded to Lion and well–my work network isn’t ready for Lion so, I’m limited in my internet access at work and therefore, my time to blog has disappeared).

I have donated another 20 dollars to a great cause Tenth Life.  I have decided to save up the money I would donate on a daily basis and make one to two donations per week to worthy causes.  This will allow me to maximize donations and takes the pressure off of posting each and every day.  Part of that is because it has become apparent that there are some days that I just don’t spend any money.

So this brings the total for the first week up to $45 dollars donated this week.  It makes me feel good to be doing little things.  And to be honest I haven’t really missed anything I would have bought.  This has certainly made me much more aware of what I am spending and what is really important.

One In 7 Billion–Days 4 and 5

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

Well this isn’t going to be a very moving post, but it will be an honest one and something I didn’t really think about when I started this challenge.  I hadn’t realized how much I had cut back on my own personal spending over the last year or so.  Yesterday, I didn’t spend any money and well today, I didn’t spend any either.  I planned to donate a default $5 on days I didn’t spend any money–but then today my little princess hit her chin at the pool and I had to pay a copay at the urgent care.

So, instead of beating myself up about it, I am going to allow myself to be honest on the days that I don’t spend any money.  There are going to be those days and there are going to be those days when an emergency comes up that requires me to spend money that would have been extra.

We live on a tight budget and all the money that I am donating on days instead of buying something frivolous–is from my monthly spending money.  I do believe that the smallest amount can make a difference and I am committed to being that difference.  I will keep working towards giving what I can each and every day.

 

One In 7 Billion Day 3

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 1 Comment

The giving up of little things continue (Day 1 and Day 2). Today I am giving up two things I would spend money on.  Breakfast and snacks at the pool.  My husband is out of town on business this week and has been since Sunday.  This means I am tired and there is never enough time in the morning to get everything done I should–like make my morning smoothie.  But today I will manage my time as best I can to make my shake so I am not tempted to stop and just buy breakfast when I get my coffee.

It’s going to be 100 today and we are hitting the pool this afternoon for a little bit to be able to play outside without melting.  The kids always want snack in the afternoon when I pick them up for school and head to the pool.  So, today I will make sure I pack a snack so as to not waste money buying snacks at the pool when I have a cupboard full of snacks.

So, by my calculations that will free up about $10 I might normally spend on something frivolous today.  Today’s charity is Help the Children. They do work locally and around the world.  With the economic situation in our own country there are many children who go without food and things they need here at home.  Help the Children has been working in Joplin, which is really close to home here.

Please consider leaving a comment about a charity you would like to see receive one of my donations.  Giving any little bit helps.  In 3 days, I have been able to donate $25 to three charities by just not buying something I would.  It only takes a little bit to make a difference.

 

One In 7 Billion Day 2

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

So, today is Day 2 in my 45 day countdown to turning forty.  Day 1 and and explanation of what I am doing and why can be found here.  Today’s donation is $10 to Free the Children and their clean water projects.  This $10 is donated instead of buying lunch out.  I made a sandwich at home instead.  I will not go hungry and that money that would have bought me a sandwich and iced tea can now be used to help bring clean water, one of the most basic necessities to a village and help save lives.  It seems so simple.

I choose Free the Children, not just because they do good work, but because part of their mission is to get youth to do good work for others in need.  I believe in raising activists and children who become adults who give back.  I want my children to have good values and to believe in helping others who have less.

Please consider making a donation today instead of purchasing something you don’t really need.  Also, if you have a charity you would like me to donate to please leave a comment.  I need 43 more charities.  If I donate to your charity, I will do so in your name.

 

One In 7 Billion: I’m Donating My Way to 40

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

Last night I was at the U2 concert and was inspired.  Okay, maybe inspired isn’t the right word.  I was humbled by my own inaction.  After the opening act, the jumbo screen ticked off statistics and some of them were staggering.  Like the fact that yesterday alone over $61 million dollars was spent on video games alone.  Are you kidding me?  On top of that people in the US spent over $151 million on weight loss alone yesterday.  So we spent over $200 million yesterday in the US on video games and weight loss–I see a bit of irony in that.

It made me sad to think about all the waste and gratuitous consumption.  All of which I am a willing participant in.  It really hit me yesterday.  I had been talking to someone about Noah’s beginning and how he almost died before we could bring him home.  About how he would have died if he hadn’t been in our adoption agencies care center.  Dehydration from diarrhea is the most common cause of death in children under 5 in Ethiopia and much of the undeveloped/developing world.  Much of this is caused from lack of clean drinking water.  Something so simple–Water.  Clean Water.  Clean. Water.

It blows my mind.  I dumped out half a bottle of perfectly fine water yesterday because it had gotten to hot in my car.  Just thinking about how the most precious resource in so many places–gets wasted here and in other industrial nations each minute.  Each second.  That water we waste could save the lives of so many children.

I often think, well what can I really do?  I am one person.  One in a world of 7 billion.  But I was reminded that night that one person can make a difference.  I am the writer of my own history.  I am changing my history.  Just like with anything else it only takes a little change.

I am going to 40 in 45 days.  40–wow.  It is an age that the birth mothers of my children may or may not see.  It is barely considered middle-aged here.  So, over the next 45 days I am going to make a donation every day to a charity working to bring the most basic needs to those who don’t have them–water, school, food, water, etc.  I am going to simply take the money I would have spent on something frivolous and completely unnecessary and donate it.

Today, instead of buying a coffee (I can make coffee at work myself), I donated $5 to Save the Children.  I know it doesn’t seem like much–but $5 is $5 and it will help it can help.

What would you buy today that you don’t need?  Can you donate too? ONE can make a difference.