ESC . . . Tis the season

[BillESC]

ESC normally runs a contest at this time of the year where we make a donation to the winners favorite charitable organization.

This year we are not going to do it.

In the United States: (latest statistics available)

38.2 million people were living in poverty (11.9%) in 2004.
11.9 million households were food insecure, up from 9.9 million in 2003.
19% of children living in the U.S, under 18 were living in poverty equal to 13.9 million children.

This year we have donated $ 1000.00 to our local food bank. For those of you not familiar with food banks, they enjoy buying power. EVERY DOLLAR THEY SPEND BUYS $ 12.00 WORTH OF FOOD. It is a warm feeling knowing that our contribution will provide $ 12,000.00 worth of food to those who would otherwise be hungry. Many local food banks can not meet the demand and turn clients away.

If every one of the 2,949 members of Control Booth were to donate just $ 10.00 to their local food bank . . . Our community would deliver $ 353.880.00 worth of food to the hungry.

Tis the season.

[icewolf08]

The cast and crew of our current production "The Foreigner" are raising money for a family in need as a gift for the holidays. So far we have raised approximately $500 which will go to clothing, food and basic living supplies. The theatre is also participating in a "Sub for Santa" for families in need around the Salt Lake area.

[Logos]

As well as working for money as Santa I volunteer for the local Salvation Army as Santa distributing gifts collected by the Salvo's for Children in need. I donate $1.00 in every $10 I earn as Santa and my agent donates the suit use.
I do not mention this in order to gain your approval but to show that one individual can help.

[Hughesie]

Outlook Communications, the company that i have been working with sets up for charity events and crew volenteer their time to help with events. but more can be done, most of our members are american so here i go

New Orlens is still in a third world country condition now im not here to say whether more should have been done, infact im not going to let my views enter into this in anyway, all i want you to see is 2 pictures


These Landsat 7 images show the damage that New Orleans, Louisiana received as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The image on the left shows New Orleans and the surrounding area on April 24th, 2005. The image on the right shows New Orleans on the morning of August 30th, 2005, just one day after Katrina made landfall.

sorry to people will slow internet but these pictures have to be shown in full size for people to properly see the impact

[gafftaper]

I also want to point out the many "Toys for Tot's" sorts of charities and fund raisers for kids who won't get a Christmas gift. We just got a cool Tonka 3 pack of a dump truck, fork lift, and back hoe for a little guy who is in foster care while his Dad is in prison. If you've got little ones like we do, try to find a child the same age to donate to and have your little one help pick out the gift. It's a powerful way to teach your kids to care about others.

There are too many hurting people out there in the world... do what you can. As Bill pointed out if everyone does a little, it doesn't take much to change the world.

[jonhirsh]

Fantastic Bill,

I just finished a Gala that raised over $8000.00 for an African orphanage. We know every penny is getting to the right people as the group will take it down there personally.

It's a good feeling, as you know.
JH

[sloop]

I belong to a local mens club(about 60 members). We do a lot of charity work--here comes the patting on my own back..

this year we raised $2500 for a group that helps handicapped kids and we raised $11,000 for a our local charity "We Care" where all the money stays in the county to help out with local charitable causes.

That is $13,500. That is $225 per member, of which only about 20 are actually active. So in reality, it's $675 per person... Good for us!!!

We do at least this much every year.....

[BillESC]

The point of posting as I did was to inform the members here how far money donated to your local food bank can go, not to pat myself on the back.

Most certainly any monies given to charities is a worthwhile and laudable act. I myself am a rotarian and our club raises in excess of 30K a year that is distributed to local charities. However, those dollars only work one for one as apposed to the food bank where one dollar begets twelve dollars.