I know that charities have to have fund raisers. They have to have drives to try to get the funding they so desperately need to help whoever they are helping, but the thing is I like supporting causes that I care about. Duh, we all do, right? So how many people donate money out of the blue to their favorite causes?

I mean all the causes don't get money from Bill Gates or your local millionaire, now do they? (and believe me there are local millionaires anywhere you live, it just may surprise you who they are)

So when we get calls we donate...if it's local. Maybe not a lot of money, we're not rich yet. But we try to do 5, 10, 20 bucks. Hey it adds up when you do that on a regular basis, but so what? someone has to do it and those 5 dollar pledges/donations add up.

But when we have an unexpected source of funds show up on our door, we tithe to the Berks Women in Crisis. They suddenly get a check for four hundred dollars or whatever ten percent is. I sold my Harley.  They got ten percent. We get a tax refund, they get ten percent. They must really scratch their heads and say WTF? why did this check come now? Out of the blue. But I guess it's like pennies from heaven (more accurately dollars from heathen)

They never return the checks we send, so I know they need it. I mean, they give shelter to women and children who are fleeing an abusive spouse. Is there a better cause? I can't think of one. 

We don't identify with the women and children especially. I have never been an abuser, my wife has never had to flee from an abuser. Somehow when we decided to start donating, we just went down a United Way list and both of us thought, yeah, that's something we can get behind. 

We don't donate huge chunks. I mean, they are large to us (and sometimes slightly painful) but we decided to do it, so we tighten the belt, or put on another sweater and write the checks - maybe once a year, maybe twice. And it does hurt more lately, as I am unemployed and have been for a while. 

My Harley? We sold that to help pay for our bills. But BWIC got their share. You have to have heart and I truly think that the love you take is equal to the love you make.