My have I been out of the loop. The damage done by Hurricane Katrina is much worse than I had thought. I don’t like to preach, so here are some links to learn more if you wish:

– FreeMoneyFinance is matching donations up to $1,000. You can donate anywhere you’d like, just e-mail him where and how much.
– If you are a blogger, you can join the Hurricane Katrina: Blog for Relief Day. If not, try the Katrina Help Wiki.
– My charity of choice is ModestNeeds.org.

ModestNeeds.org is a non-profit 501(c) charity, operating predominanlty online, with a goal of helping people who live paycheck to paycheck survive past life’s unexpected speed-bumps and perhaps save them from a slippery slope to financial ruin or even homelessness. Most of their “grants” are less than $300 and go for things like unexpected medical bills. Much of it is based on the honor system, and all the money flow is very transparent and shown online. The neat thing is that it started (and continues) with a teacher giving 10% of his salary to others in need.

Instead of the $5 suggested monthly pledge, I only gave a one-time $20, but I thought I’d spread the word a bit as well. Happy Holidays!