If you were a millionaire

[WishIKnew]

I just got a thing in the mail asking for a donation to an organization which I would love to donate to, but I can't afford it.  So, if you had so much money that you were looking for charitable organizations to donate to, where would you give your money?

I would create a scholarship to Lawrence School - a fantastic school for bright kids who do not thrive in a typical classroom.  Their motto is "Great minds DON'T think alike!"  My son attended there for three years and it made all the difference in his academic future and his self esteem!

I would create a scholarship for a new school to participate in Ohio Thespian State Conference.  I was on the board for this organization for years and took my theater students to conference for many years as well.  It is a GREAT organization which encourages excellence in high school theater programs and provides quality theater experiences for kids.   

So, how about you?  Where would you money go??

[sparklelady]

My daughter goes to a non profit theater school that also provides free classes for special needs kids. ( she is not  a special needs student) They are absolutely wonderful, very nuturing and caring environment. She is graduating this year, so I am very sad as my husband and I did a lot of volunteering for them. They are The Center For Theater Arts. I would also donate to the juvenile diabetes assoc ( I am diabetic, type 1) and the AKF.

[cattlekid]

I would donate to three organizatons:

1.  Childrens Memorial Hospital  in Chicago - they saved my husband's life when he was a very small child.
2.  Crohn's & Coliits Foundation of America - I've had ulcerative colitis for over 20 years
3.  American Kidney Foundation - 'nuff said

[jbeany]

Gilda's Club
The Humane Society
Juv. Diabetes Foundation
Etta's Gift
and I'd fund IHD to make sure it sticks around for a long, long time!

[galvo]

I rather think that "The Galvo Foundation For Old Reprobates" would get a look in.

[Stoday]

When I worked in Ankera (Turkey) in 2001 I was a millionaire, several times over. 

There were over 1,500,000 TL to the $. 

[texasstyle]

Wow, that's hard to deceide on! There's soooooo many. Honestly, my family needs it. Can I consider them charity? My sister is a teacher but she very ill. My bro-in law laid off from his job he had 16 years. Even relocated across country for. My dad is elderly. They go from pay check to pay checks and being such a great guy, he could use a vacation. My children sure could use the money for college. One is already in and we do pretty much nothing all month so the tution gets paid. College sacrafice lol. My other one really needs clothing. She's growing so fast at 14. She suddenly sprouted up.  This is probably everyone's story. How nice to give all to charity if you can. I can see giving some of it. We give to charity often to be honest. Not major bucks, but something of worth. If I had to donate the entire thing, I would give to the Cancer Treatment Centers Of America and feel mighty good about it too.

[MooseMom]

There is an organization here in this part of Illinois called AID (Association for Individual Development).  They help fund housing and employment opportunities for adults with disabilities.  My own son is autistic, but he is high functioning and will probably end up being fine, especially as he lives in the UK and has already been through "the system" over there.  But here in IL, support funds have been cut by more than half, and just in our local area, houses that accomodate these adults are having to shut down, and they have no place to go.  Their own parents are either elderly or dead.  We tend to fall over ourselves to help these poor autistic children, but we're not terribly interested once they become adults.

I would give to the Northern Illinois Food Bank.  No one in this country should EVER go hungry.  That's an abomination.

I would give to CASA, which is a county organization that supplies guardians ad litem for children in troubled households.

There is a man in our area who builds special bicycles for people who have mobility issues.  I'd give some money to his organization.

I'd find a classroom project proposed by a special needs teacher and fund it via DonorsChoose.org.

These are all charities that I give to every year, but with more money, I'd love to give them more.

[paris]

A few years ago, in the chat room, we were talking about this same thing. If it were me, I would love to build a place, maybe by the ocean or in the mountains, that was completely dialysis and kidney friendly.  Have cottages that families could use to take a worry free vacation. It would have it's own small clinic. My daughter in law (nurse) said she could take the job of running the clinic! By daughter Beth, said she would be the chef!  My family is all on board, just wish we had the money!!   And it would have sponsers and donations so no one had to pay for a vacation.  Too many can't afford to get away or don't want to worry about dialysis at a different center.    Canada has a program and when I read about it, it seemed like a no brainer.   They have camps for cancer patients, why not kidney patients?    Cottages for families, rooms for singles or a couple.  Dining room, pool ----  I can dream!    First I need to win!!

[Riki]

There's a dialysis camp in Ontario. I forget what it's called.  It's for kids and adults.  They do all the same stuff that you'd do at a normal camp, like hiking and canoeing and all that neat stuff, but they have a dailysis unit on site, and can do both hemo and pd.  I'd give to them, for sure, even though I've never actually been there.  I'm not the camping type.. *G*

I'd have to give to the IWK Children's hospital in Halifax, NS.  It was my second home for most of my teenage life.  I made a lot of friends there that I still have now

The Kidney Foundation of PEI would get some too.  They've done a lot for me over the years, and I do as much as I can now to give back, from fundraising to running their facebook page, to counseling new patients.  I don't think that any amount of money would ever pay back what they've done for me.

And the Children's Wish Foundation would get a bit too.  They gave me my first computer when I was 15.  I bet they didn't know then that I'd make a 10 year career out of computers, using what I learned on that first computer on the job.

[rsudock]

Charities....

 American Kidney Fund
 National Kidney Foundation in Cleveland - won 2 scholarships from them each year I applied!
 I would pay for my dialysis unit to have heat and vibrating chairs for all patients.
 Make a Wish Foundation
 Ronald McDonald House
 Dr. Roy Shuvo's research for artificial kidneys