If you know of a group acting charitably under the freethought/atheist banner, post it here! I'll try to keep the OP updated with new listings (you might have to remind me if I overlook one).
Foundation Beyond Belief: http://foundationbeyondbelief.org/ (http://foundationbeyondbelief.org/)
Fellowship of Freethought: http://fellowshipoffreethought.org/ (http://fellowshipoffreethought.org/) and http://www.meetup.com/FoFDallas/ (http://www.meetup.com/FoFDallas/)
Camp Quest: http://www.camp-quest.org/ (http://www.camp-quest.org/)
Atheists Helping the Homeless: http://www.atheistvolunteers.org/Austin (http://www.atheistvolunteers.org/Austin)
Kiva: http://www.kiva.org/team/atheists (http://www.kiva.org/team/atheists)
Secular Center: http://www.secularcenterusa.org/ (http://www.secularcenterusa.org/)
AOK-Oklahoma Atheists: http://meetup.oklahomaatheists.com/ (http://meetup.oklahomaatheists.com/)
S.H.A.R.E. Skeptics and Humanists Aid and Relief Effort: http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/sh ... ake_relief (http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/share_opens_fund_for_haiti_quake_relief)
The Fred Hollows Foundation: http://www.hollows.org.au/ (http://www.hollows.org.au/)
My favourite secular charity is Kiva. I'm a member of the Atheist team there, that has already raised more than a million dollars to help people in need
QuoteWhat is Kiva
Kiva's mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending.
Kiva was born of the following beliefs:
* People are by nature generous, and will help others if given the opportunity to do so in a transparent, accountable way.
* The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity.
* By connecting people we can create relationships beyond financial transactions, and build a global community expressing support and encouragement of one another.
http://www.kiva.org/team/atheists (http://www.kiva.org/team/atheists)
I'm also a member of Kiva! I love that the Atheist lending team is the largest one on the site.
Secular Center: http://www.secularcenterusa.org/ (http://www.secularcenterusa.org/)
AOK-Oklahoma Atheists: http://meetup.oklahomaatheists.com/ (http://meetup.oklahomaatheists.com/)
S.H.A.R.E. Skeptics and Humanists Aid and Relief Effort: http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/sh ... ake_relief (http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/share_opens_fund_for_haiti_quake_relief)
The Freedom from Religion Foundation assists people with First Ammendment Issues, mostly church and state issues, but they do it pro bono, they are a non-profit organization and they put out a really cool monthly newsletter and their website has some cool stuff on it. Not sure if this fits what you are asking, but they are a good group of folks who are willing to help.
I love the Fred Hollows story, he could save the sight of someone for just a few dollars, he developed a public profile and used this to help many thousands. http://www.hollows.org.au/ (http://www.hollows.org.au/)
Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"I love the Fred Hollows story, he could save the sight of someone for just a few dollars, he developed a public profile and used this to help many thousands. http://www.hollows.org.au/ (http://www.hollows.org.au/)
That sounds like a wonderful charity. But for the purpose of the OP I was trying to get a list of only those that are flying the atheist/freethought banner so that it is obvious that such people are out there doing good. Do you happen to know if he is openly nontheistic? Perhaps we should start a separate thread that covers all secular charities (or did someone start one a while back...sometimes i forget)?
Quote from: "Whitney"Do you happen to know if he is openly nontheistic? Perhaps we should start a separate thread that covers all secular charities (or did someone start one a while back...sometimes i forget)?
QuoteTHE glorious hymn Amazing Grace declares: "Was blind but now I see." Fred Hollows put it another way: "Sight is life."
And like the divine grace of the song, Hollows brought sight to, ultimately, millions of people in Australia and across the world.
And accordingly he has been almost deified since his death 15 years ago yesterday. Indeed, his name is substituted for God's in his own foundation's slogan "For Fred's sake".
It's the sort of joke he would appreciate. Fred Hollows, who once studied for the priesthood, died an atheist. In the end he cared too much about humans to devote his life to God.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw-act/a-vision-well-remembered/story-e6freuzi-1111115519873
somehow I missed your reply, op list is updated.
My wife and I have been very active participants with SHARE. We give money when we have something left over and we volunteer our time for some of their projects.
I'm not sure if there is a way to quantify it, but I was just wondering what the charity ratio is of secular organizations versus the Catholic church? Specifically, what is the dollar amount donated by secular organizations when equally compared with the donations by religious organizations, specifically the catholic church?
Secular charities help people because people need help and it is the right thing to do. Catholic charities help people in order to convince them to become Catholic. Catholic and for that matter Christian charities are really a cover for proselytizing. True charity would be helping people anonymously.
Quote from: "DropLogic"I'm not sure if there is a way to quantify it, but I was just wondering what the charity ratio is of secular organizations versus the Catholic church? Specifically, what is the dollar amount donated by secular organizations when equally compared with the donations by religious organizations, specifically the catholic church?
Considering that churches do not have to disclose how much money they take in nor what they do with it there is no way to come close to getting an accurate number.
But, especially considering that the Red Cross is a secular charity, I would not be hesitant to say that the amount of actual charity being given by secular organizations exceeds that of religious organizations (passing out bibles and anti-condom 'education' isn't charity).
http://www.freethoughtpedia.com/wiki/Charities
Found this link. Yeah I'd venture a guess that god does not hold the moral high ground on charity.
Screw that- start posting charitable organizations under the name of Satanism!
On that note gay rights is also acceptable (excuse the double post)
Quote from: "Bubblepot"Screw that- start posting charitable organizations under the name of Satanism!
Um..ya...I don't think they are that into charity.
Well as I said it doesn't have to be Satanists if you, ah, can't really be bothered finding any links. <_<
Gay rights is also acceptable.
gay rights is not an atheist based charity; it's just a cause ...the whole point of this thread is to collect lists of people doing good in the name of being an atheist or freethinker.
I wouldn't even put satanists on the list even if they had a charity...don't' want to be associated with it.
Why not? I hope this isn't the whole "Satanists are evil and will eat your children" stereotype, because I have many friends who are Satanists who are actually shy, polite people and would be hurt and offended if that were the case, and there are many friendly Satanist online communities.
This hardly counts, but I frequently wear one of my FSM T-shirts or my FSM pullover when working with adults with learning difficulties! (I'm a volunteer for a charity.) It's not ethical to talk religion with these people, but they all know and smile at the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Best I can do. ;D
Quote from: Whitney on December 24, 2010, 06:51:43 AM
Quote from: BubblepotScrew that- start posting charitable organizations under the name of Satanism!
Um..ya...I don't think they are that into charity.
We are. It's just that Satanism is such an individual religion, we are individual in who we choose to give charity to. We also tend not to advertize. I personally give charity to actual individuals who I come in contact with in my neighborhood. I also gave to a music program through my work at Hot Topic, since music in school for me is very important.
I would actually be quietly outraged if someone postulated charities to be in the same boat as Satanists >:(
The whole concept of LaVeyanism is against hypocrisy and the herd mentality.
I give to charities, as and when it suits me and to those charities I personally approve of.
QuoteI give to charities, as and when it suits me and to those charities I personally approve of.
Exactly! :)
I know this is an old thread, but hey, charity never goes out of style.
A few interesting ones you may never have heard of:
The Atheist Centre of India. http://www.atheistcentre.in/default.html
QuoteAtheist Centre provides many services such as a Working Women's Hostel and a home for women with social problems. One of their programs, Vasavya Centre for Social Development, provides outreach services for more than 50 villages. The outreach program includes education, health care, advanced medical care including eye banks and corneal transplants, social programs, training for women, counseling and career guidance, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, sanitation facilities, drinking water facilities, sex education and contraception education, youth programs, and crèches for children along with many other humanitarian services.
Atheist Volunteers, started up by the Rational Response Squad. http://www.atheistvolunteers.org/
QuoteHere are some things we're thinking about:
* We'll have shirts for our activities in public like "Atheist Volunteer" and "I do good things, and I don't believe in a God"
* Donation drives to assist in helping victims of natural disasters
* Engaging in environmental cleanups
* Hands on assistance for natural disasters.
* Clothing drives and toy drives for the needy
* Assistance at homeless shelters
* As we grow in size and find the right people, we want to go to impoverished nations to assist (hands on).
* All of our charity work will be tracked, records kept, pictures taken and available permanently for viewing.
Earthward, Inc. http://earthward.org/mission.shtml
QuoteEarth's Atheist Resistance To Holy Wars And Religious Devastation
EARTHWARD is a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonmembership public-benefit charity organization that provides humanitarian relief aid to civilian victims of religiously motivated violence ranging from acts of violence by individual extremists or terrorist organizations that claim religious justification for their actions to full-scale holy wars waged by religiously dominated governments.
Typically, aid is provided in a form dictated by the particular needs of the victims. Some examples are food, water, temporary shelter and medical supplies.