Which Charity?

My company is kind of funny. The Red Cross is not usually on its approved charity list, however due to the recent disasters in China and Myanmar, they’ve approved donations to several relief organizations like the Red Cross and World Vision.

I live within blocks of the Red Cross and boyfriend lives within blocks of World Vision. It’s funny that way in DC. There’s a lot of non-profits around here. I could choose simply on the basis of who as offices closest to me.

Right now, my company will allow me to assign a one-time or ongoing paycheck deduction. I’m not sure what to do here. I could take my tax refund and send the money upfront. Or I could send a sustaining ongoing paycheck deduction for the rest of 2008.

The other thing is that the codes are divided between China and Myanmar, instead of general relief funds. I am torn. I don’t identify with south Asians at all. Being Korean, and actually KNOWING people from Sichuan, I’m inclined to give all my money to the China fund. But because of the political situation in Myanmar, I am afraid they will be forgotten if I don’t send money to them now. (Plus a friend of mine who serves on an international g33k charity has actually met Aung San Suu Kyi with only good things to say about her, and I admire her greatly for her efforts to bring freedom to Myanmar.)

Right now I am quietly giving $25 a month to a US charity doing local work. That won’t change. But the questions for me now are:

1. One country relief fund or two?

2. One-time donation or ongoing?

3. How much?

4. Which organization?

I’m spolied and I’m not inclined to give till it hurts. But I did get my federal tax refund last Friday and eventually a stimulus payment will arrive. I’m trying to balance out my desires to give with my desire to pay for the remodel and pay off a credit card. But then again, since this is coming out of a paycheck yet to come, it’s not even money I’ll see if I let them take it from me before I get paid.

I know I can talk myself into anything. In the process of writing this post, I answered question #1. Definitely two country relief funds. But now I need to decide between Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross. If I do the MSF one, can I enter into Yarn Harlot’s Knitters Without Borders annual donation drive? (Terriblly selfish thought, I know.)