Well, this article is not my usual career or job search post. Far from it! It’s about spending a little and giving a lot!

The Giving Season is here! I don’t know about you, but since September I have been asked to support a number of causes – marathons, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Cancer Society, Sickle Cell, Child Find, and others. While I could not afford to contribute to all, I made a donation to most.

My daughter, having taken part in the fundraising event for the Juvenile Diabetes through her work, decided that this Christmas she is taking up a cause and chose Canadian Feed the Children.

This brings me to other ways that one can make a contribution that does not take a lot of time or money. Since 2010, I have been a part of Kiva. I started with a $25 donation to a woman business owner in Rwanda. As soon as she repaid the ‘loan’, I loaned the same $25 to a group in the Dominican Republic. Kiva sent me an email this week to say the group has repaid that loan. Now, that $25 is available to be lent to someone else. That one $25 is being recycled!

This week I received an update from Kiva about the first loan I had made:

“Thank you for supporting Providence with your loan. With the loan, she bought general store. Providence says that the loan helped the business because she was increasing her business by buying more quantity of milk, juice, water and so on. With the profits, Providence was able to pay children’s school fees and medical insurance…”

This is one way of spending a little and giving a lot. Join Kiva and help someone realize their entrepreneurial dream. Kiva

For several years I have sponsored a little boy in Haiti through the International Child Care Ministry of the Free Methodist Church. A year or so before my Mom passed away she also chose to sponsor a little girl in Haiti through the church. Since she has passed, I have been soldering on with both of these children, but feel I might have to give up sponsorship of the little girl. Of course, each time I think of it, I get a lump in my throat, but I will see how it goes.

A few weeks ago, a client of mine sent an email telling me (and others) about her son who fell down the stairs, and in one minute, became a paraplegic. She, too, is seeking donations for his care. She gave me permission to mention her story. Although the fundraiser has passed she is still accepting donations online at Gabe’s Back on Track. Here’s their YouTube video: Gabe.

Finally, I was watching MSNBC recently and discovered K.I.N.D. – Kids In Need of Desks – a UNICEF charity supported by Lawrence O’Donnell. It’s amazing what we take for granted when there are kids attending schools without desks. You can help here too. Visit KIND.

My point in mentioning these stories is to say that as you make plans for the holidays, consider how you could spend a little and give a lot. Small donations do matter, and it doesn’t matter which charity you choose. It could be one in your backyard!

All the best,