A worthy cause?

Question

Help!

Our school has a Stop Genocide in Darfur Club, Amnesty International, Political Science Club, and more, but all those do is fundraisers. They raise money and give it somebody else. Is there something we can do that's actually worthwhile? A new club? A new idea? SOMETHING!

Answer 1

tutoring is a great idea!

Answer 2

the unfortunate fact of the matter is is that nobody cares about Darfur

Answer 3

I admire and support you dedication to effective service.

It isn't very lovely to consider, but what actually *does* feed orphans, provide clothing, and even weapons for just revolutions or defense against genocide, is money.  Money is the best way of mailing effort far away that exists, short of learning the language and going there to live a life of service to a single cause - which is more commitment than most people feel on most issues.

If you do not want to give away your money, or ask other people for their money, then what you have to give is usually *time*.  Now time is also very useful stuff to address problems, but it is hard to ship.

Groups like Amnesty International actually do ship off your time - when you pay attention and write letters, that time is shipped off to perhaps sway someone in light of the opinions of others.  Usually not the bad guy himself, but governments and agencies that may support the bad guy may reduce their support for him - all because you put in the *time*.

Most time has to be applied more locally, and there are endless opportunities to improve lives using your time close to home.  

1. Many people in old folks homes and hospitals cannot read the paper themselves.  Reading the morning paper out loud onto cassettes would allow you to get copies of them to people unable to read it themselves by the end of the day.  If you found other people to help you do it, you might get the whole paper read in an hour, and be able to get it out there before lunch.  Maybe you could do a couple popular magazines too.

2. Many are just plain lonely, and 20 minutes of a friendly voice that fetches water or asks about their lives is a truly blessed thing.

3. Pay attention locally:  Monitor the courts, or the prisons, or the police.  Montitor your local government, or the area service boards to see what they are up to.  Talk about what you see, keep them all accountable.  This is one of those odd things that teens can do better than adults:  there is retaliation aganst adults who point out flaws in these areas - but admiration for teens who do.

4. Improve the lives of children in your area:

  Start a volunteer babysitting or car pool bunch for overwhelmed moms.

  Coach or lead in a youth activity group that gives kids someplace to go, instead of a couch in front of a TV in a locked house.

5. Improve the lives of the elderly and disabled:

  Clean houses for them

  Shop for them

  Just VISIT them.

If you do not have money, but you want to use money to address a problem, you don't have to beg for it - you can work for it.  Have a regular event, like a car wash, to raise money for a food bank or shelter.  Believe me, you never know who has been driven to need one, and someday it could be you.

I guess that is the basis for service:  There but for the grace of God go I.  Do your best to make sure where the less blessed must go is as tolerable as you can make it.

Answer 4

Here is an idea for you. Many children cannot have pets because they live in apatments, and the landlord who owns the building or complex where the apartment is located does not allow pets. It has been found that children and students that have pets do better in school. It has also been found that there are health benifits from having pets. People who have pets tend to be healthier.This may be due in part to the fact that pets tend to be the family dipolats, especially dogs and cat, thereby reducing stress and making everyone happier and healthier.

I digressed a bit....The project I suggest you pursue, is passage of a local ordiance or bylaw that gives all tenants in your city or town the right to keep pets.

Here is a possible definition of a pet that you might want to use:

A pet shall be considered to be a dog, cat, fish or bird or turtle ( that are commonly kept as pets) and any other creature that may be found in a pet store in MYSTATE with  the permission of the landlord.

Answer 5

How about tutoring the grade levels below you.  An educated society is a better society.

Answer 6

Raise money for Habitat for Humanity, then actually help build a house in your community