One of my friends wanted to know where she should spend her $30

[conuly]

(And if you don't know, don't ask - it's too late to apply for a gift certificate. Had I known, I'd've posted about it sooner.)

One of the projects I suggested was this one. This teacher needs somewhere over $2000 for a washer and dryer for homeless students.

Believe me - going to school with dirty (smelly) clothes? Not conducive to learning, not in this world. Nor to getting a job, or to doing much else.

Thing is, it's an expensive project. I suspect that most people prefer to donate their money in cheaper projects, because if the project doesn't get all its funding, none of it goes to the teacher. They don't get to say "Well, I asked for a washer and dryer, but I guess I'll just get a washer" or "I wanted $500 worth of yarn, but I can take just %460 worth".

This project has been up for almost a full year, since last December, and it's only gotten $100. I have 233 human friends on LJ. If each of you donated $10, it'd be done. (And some of you have $30 gift certificates still!) If everybody had one friend donate $5 instead, that's even cheaper. For that matter, you've got a full 15 months to donate - even if you can't afford $10 now, $1 10 times is something, isn't it?

I don't know why, but for some reason, this project is really sticking in my mind.

(If you're curious, I read this project after donating. I donated here. I have a soft spot for learning via make believe and pretend play. The friend in question donated here, a program for kids with a parent in prison.)

Comments

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I donated to someone who was known by someone on my flist, a kid who needs a laptop to communicate, but falls between the cracks in the 'not disabled enough' category. I can totally relate, as F sometimes falls into that category. (Did it yesterday before you read this, it's a VERY worthy cause, the $2000 one.)

$2000 is a LOT for a washer and dryer, though. And Best Buy isn't always the Best Buy for them. I wonder if that puts people off?

[conuly]

I agree it's a lot, and honestly I think they'd do better to just ask for the washer and line dry or rack dry the clothes - cheaper, y'know? But they are stuck with only certain distributers, as I understand it, so that might explain some of it.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I'd imagine the dryer would be important for hygenic reasons. Dirty enough and you need the heat to kill any last bit of whatever on the cloth. Like right now I am washing in superhot water, some blankets, and then they will go in the dryer on high, because of FLEAS. Plus you have to worry about things being musty too in some areas. The dryer isn't too much of a problem.

I prefer hanging outside though when it's nice, even if cold. The smell is GLORIOUS.

Even at Best Buy, they could do it for about half and still have decent quality machines.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I donated to someone who was known by someone on my flist, a kid who needs a laptop to communicate, but falls between the cracks in the 'not disabled enough' category. I can totally relate, as F sometimes falls into that category. (Did it yesterday before you read this, it's a VERY worthy cause, the $2000 one.)

$2000 is a LOT for a washer and dryer, though. And Best Buy isn't always the Best Buy for them. I wonder if that puts people off?

[conuly]

I agree it's a lot, and honestly I think they'd do better to just ask for the washer and line dry or rack dry the clothes - cheaper, y'know? But they are stuck with only certain distributers, as I understand it, so that might explain some of it.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I'd imagine the dryer would be important for hygenic reasons. Dirty enough and you need the heat to kill any last bit of whatever on the cloth. Like right now I am washing in superhot water, some blankets, and then they will go in the dryer on high, because of FLEAS. Plus you have to worry about things being musty too in some areas. The dryer isn't too much of a problem.

I prefer hanging outside though when it's nice, even if cold. The smell is GLORIOUS.

Even at Best Buy, they could do it for about half and still have decent quality machines.