Concrete Ways to Help Suggestion Thread

[Lalaith]

Stop! You are allowed to delete, and you are even allowed to edit. I honestly thought your post had gotten lost because I couldn't find the thread itself for awhile.

Also, I don't think you need links to verify your statements. You're not under oath here. I was encouraged to hear that "your" church is doing something to help. I like that very much! And I think it's the kind of thing that many of us need to hear more of in order to not lose hope.

[Primula Baggins]

Anthriel! Don't you make me come down there!

[Sunsilver]

LOL! When Mom...er, Prim...calls you by your full name, you KNOW you're in trouble!

I've been supporting a girl child through Plan Canada, my country's branch of Plan International, for many years. They also have a program called "Because I'm a Girl" which fights child marriage and sponsors girls to stay in school.

http://plancanada.ca/childsponsorship?g ... lsrc=aw.ds

They also have an actual catalogue that they mail out around Christmas time where you can choose to give something important and tangible to families in need: like a goat, or a bicycle, or a wellness checkup for for a newborn baby and its mom. You can do the same thing through their website. Their latest addition (scroll to the bottom) is a donation to help refugees. Some of these gifts have a green sticker beside them, meaning a government or other organization will match the gift, thus increasing the impact of your donation. The refugee donation is one of these. If you give $65, a total of $520 will go to refugees!

http://plancanada.ca/giftsofhope/category/1/all-gifts

On a Canadian website that grades charities, they get an overall grade of A- for their efficiency and ethics. Same grade as our beloved Timmy's (Tim Horton's Children's Foundation) FWIW...

[Frelga]

ACLU is promoting an effort to give local governments control over the invasive surveillance technologies that currently are available directly to police departments. The concern is that the technology will be provided on the condition of sharing data with federal agencies and without informing the local governments and community.

The technology in question is the stuff of dystopian nightmares that stop just short of Insight Helicarriers. For example, LED streetlights equipped with cameras and microphones, such as those deployed at Newark Airport.

This effort predates the current administration (thanks, Obama). In retrospect, we are years too late with protesting.

[Frelga]

It is my considerate opinion that contacting one's Senator or Representative is one of the most effective tools to influence the events. Especially if one is represented by a Republican, even more if the seat is contestable in 2018, and even more more if one is oneself affiliated with a Republican party. If you are also in a swing state, you've got the Powah!

To make that super easy:

https://5calls.org/ provides phone numbers and a sample script for specific issues

https://faxzero.com/fax_congress.php sends a fax for free from their web page

I believe in you, halloffirians.

[Lalaith]

Thank you. I have been doing things like this, and I am still technically a registered Republican. So.

I haven't had much effect on Portman, though. (I did send him a thank you for opposing Trump Care.)

[Frelga]

Portman is your Senator, right? ACLU says he is one of the four key Republicans to prevent the passing of the CRA that would remove the FCC rules that prevent your ISP from selling information about their customers.

Eta: this is SJ Res 34.

Introduced by Senator Flake of Arizona, which may be relevant to anthy's interests.

[Frelga]

Too late, it passed. Straight party lines.