There is so much to say, I almost don’t know where to start! Part of the backlog is because I was planning to say some of it yesterday, but had forgotten it was Edward’s Remicade day. Those appointments have gotten a LOT shorter (our hospital has switched from the standard infusion, which took two hours and ten minutes, to a rapid one that takes one hour); but with the driving (an hour and a half each way) and the waiting for the pharmacy to send over the medication (usually about an hour, sometimes as long as two), it’s a fairly all-day thing, or at least an all-day-FEELING thing. By the time we get home, I just want to play phone games and perhaps sip something nice.

So let’s see, the FIRST thing I wanted to do was update on the family charity-choosing project, since several of you asked for a follow-up. Elizabeth was the very first to choose a charity, as she’d apparently had one all set to go back when we had a family meeting (via whiteboard, since our schedules are so varied) to decide how to spend some of the stimulus money, since we are in the small and privileged segment of the population that does not need to spend it on survival. (Other options suggested: one big check to a local food pantry; new pet; secret room behind a bookcase; restaurants once it’s safe to go; just chucking it into the FIVE COLLEGE EDUCATIONS fund.) She chose the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Rob too had a charity all set to go: he chose the Against Malaria Foundation. (He is a fan of Give Well, and interested in the whole concept of Effective Altruism.)

The other three kids had more trouble choosing. Henry first narrowed it down to his two most important issues: environmental concerns and world hunger. From there he chose the National Resources Defense Council.

Edward chose polio vaccines, but procrastinated on looking into where he could donate for that. With some prodding, he chose UNICEF, and we did the “choosing a gift” feature that let him say he wanted the money put specifically toward polio vaccines. (We discussed ahead of time how the money still doesn’t necessarily go for exactly what you choose, which on one hand is disappointing but on the other hand is GOOD: if they are FULL UP on polio vaccines, you don’t want them WASTING your money on vaccines they can’t use.)

William was the very last. He got stuck on something I’m familiar with as a sticking point, which is feeling as if no one charity is The Very Best One to give money to, and that that makes it hard to choose among the others: how can a person donate to environmental causes, when people are starving? How can a person donate to vaccinations, when our habitat is in such crisis? How can a person donate to U.S. poverty when there is world poverty? How can a person donate to malaria/polio when there are SO MANY OTHER DISEASES?? Etc.

I’d said on the whiteboard that it was fine to just choose a CATEGORY rather than a particular charity, and William finally chose “United States homelessness,” which I asked for your help researching, and that was EXTREMELY HELPFUL, not only for the specific charities suggested but also in giving a better picture of the TYPES of charities. I was then able to go back to him and say that the primary choice seemed to be between NATIONAL (advocacy/laws/policy) and LOCAL (food/blankets/shelter). I also specifically mentioned Covenant House to him, since it seems to have both national and local impact, and since they specifically help youth, and I thought that might appeal. If I’d had to GUESS, I would have guessed he’d choose Covenant House, and that his second pick would be local/shelter/food—but instead he chose national/advocacy/policy. So we donated to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. (Coincidentally, one of my acquaintances recently participated in a Covenant House Sleep Out fundraiser, so we’d ALSO ended up donating there, separate from this project.)

It was a very satisfying project, and I recommend it. It was fun for me to see what the kids chose, and to discuss options with them, and to show them how to use Charity Navigator, and so on.

Okay, that seems like it’s long enough for a post to be, so I will save the other topics for other days!