CHARITIES / GIVING

Every year we try to give about $12,000, spread around three, sometimes four charities. These have been our main ones, but we have added new groups in the last couple of years, some of which we've talked about in Blahg posts, and other spots on the site. We will update this list in the future to include more about them. 

(1) The Fistula Foundation, which basically heals African women who've been hurt during childbirth and now constantly leak urine and feces. Their families and villages banish them, thinking it's a curse from god, and the surgeries give them their lives back.

(2) 826 Valencia Founded by author-and-other things Dave Eggers, 826 (named for its address in downtown SF) tutors and mentors public school students in writing and reading, and publishes the books that come of it. Click on the link, learn about it, and you'll be as impressed... as we are.

(3) The Carter Center
The Carter Center tackles the difficult, ugly, and often dangerous causes that other groups ignore. It is solely responsible for nearly wiping out guinea worm disease in Africa; and expects the wipeout to be complete within 3 years. The Carter Center is efficient (using only one staff member per location/cause, and giving the skills and tools and funding so that native groups can wage the fight themselves). There is so much more, too. Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter ride their bicycles four to six days a week when they're home in Georgia. That has nothing to do with anything, but you might find that interesting. cartercenter.org We give The Carter Center $2,000 to $2,500 every year.

There are so many other worthy charities, as well as hundreds of unworthy ones. We're not going to switch. We frequently give $1,000 to $2,500 to charitable causes that aren't official legal charities.

WE'RE RELUCTANT TO FUND YOUR BIKE RIDE TO RAISE AWARENESS. The $ would have to come from these charities. You are free to try to make your case, but we're skeptical from the get-go. We always encourage you to fund your own adventures, as we do ours!