6 Ways to Help Local Charities in 5 Minutes

6 Ways to Help Local Charities in 5 Minutes

It's never been easier to do a bit of good. Here are six ways to spread some holiday cheer in just a few minutes (and without leaving your desk).

1. Order holiday cards today from Riverzedge

This catchy assortment of holiday cards are silk-screened by at-risk youth in Woonsocket's nationally recognized arts education and entrepreneurship program. The cards are also designed by Riverzedge youth, so you're also promoting local desigers-in-the-making. Order them today and you'll be spreading cheer within the week.

2. Shop online and support the Samaritans of RI

This is a win-win. Go to Goodsearch.com to do some online shopping, and a percentage of your purchases will benefit the Samaritans of RI Suicide Prevention and Resource Center. It's easy. Once on the site, you'll be asked "Who do you GoodShop for?" Choose the Samaritans, and you'll help support work on behalf of one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States.

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3. Support Edesia, an innovative local non-profit targeting global hunger

It's a click heard 'round the world. Go directly to Edesia, the Providence-based non-profit whose life-saving Ready-to-Use Foods are making headway against childhood hunger in Haiti, Guatemala, and Tanzania, and you can target a gift to one of these high-risk areas of the world. $10 can provide a one-month supply of peanut-based supplement to a child in Haiti, $15 can feed a child for two months with enriched porridge in a cancer ward in Tanzania.

4. Join Amos House's 20X20 Project

Look for the banner at GoLocalProv, or go to the 20X20 Web site, here, to support the broad, important work done at Amos House changing RIers' lives every day. Your donation can be made in honor of or in memory of anyone, and consider becoming a recurring donor, where you can keep work going in the community in the quiet months away from the holidays. For more on 20X20, go here.

5. Use Crowdrise to get behind RI's Girl Scouts

If you haven't explored this social networking site for all things charitable, it's an incredible resource for the coolest

opportunities for volunteerism, giving, and general feeling good. And you can jump directly to the Girl Scouts page, here, to support a incredible variety of programming empowering local girls.

6. Register To Save a Life as a Marrow Donor

It's the easiest thing going to see if you qualify for the National Marrow Donor Program, and with the Be The Match Registry a few minutes online could end up saving a life. Start here, which covers RI, fill out a quick questionnaire and you'll be sent the rest of the testing materials. For more information, go here.