Causes

I think many of us are thinking extra actively these days about what social causes we want to support. There are so many incredibly important causes, it is hard to know where best to put your resources. I think the best one can do is identify a couple that feel especially essential or close to your heart, and give them time or money regularly (such as a monthly donation) so that they can count on what you are contributing. For myself I am feeling pretty darn good about our subscription to the New York Times; we need the free press more than ever right now. I also care very much about civil liberties, and Dad was a passionate member of the ACLU for decades; I feel very good about "renewing" his membership in our own name. (Did you know that they not only sell pocket constitutions in packs of 10, but also a Pocket Constitution T-Shirt that says "I'll gladly lend you mine"? Awesome.)

As my picks might suggest, I prefer to support strong, well-established organizations that have proven they can do what they set out to do. But I can also understand wanting to contribute to more grassroots efforts. Honestly I feel like there are so many urgent needs, I get overwhelmed thinking about all the things I could be supporting; no way am I going to say what choices someone else should make.

The other thing that feels crucially important to me is to build a strong local community, because when and if the shit really hits the fan, you want people who are physically nearby who can pull together with you. We have this in abundance, thanks to our energetic engagement with both of the kids' schools and with our temple.