I believe that it is very important to do what we can to help those less fortunate than us in the world. Often we think that even though there are those suffering out there that we "must we worry about our lives first." It is true that we cannot help others if we cannot help ourselves, however, most of us posting here are doing a lot better than millions in the world.

I would suggest that anyone who has a job or has any kind of an income to set a percentage goal to donate so much percent of their income to charity. You could start out at 1% and work your way up to 10% or even more. I used to never donate but now I see a vast need in the world for aid. There is only so much that each one of us can do, but if every single person did *something* to help others in the world, it would make the world so much of a better place. Here are some basic figures you could use:

1% charity: $100 charity per $10,000 income
5% charity: $500 charity per $10,000 income
10% charity: $1,000 charity per $10,000 income

Obviously the more money you have, the higher the percentage you should set. Someone who is actually poor themselves but not starving or otherwise "below the world poverty line" could set their goal at 1%. Likewise, a millionaire should set a percentage of a bare minimum of 50%. A billionaire like Gates should set it at 99% because they would still have tens of millions left over anyway.

This is very important everyone. There are people as we speak right now who are dying of starvation and yet I have a fridge full of food, some of which will probably be thrown out. There are people today who will die of curable diseases simply because they cannot afford the medicine. Here in America, there is a surplus of medicine but it is not distributed fairly.

Do whatever you can to make the world a better place. Namaste. CC

Thank you CC for your kind words of help and support.

HTGC, has many projects that require funds and many hindu temples never have a "basket after each service, like they have after mass in catholic churches". they have something called "HUNDI" (sp?) and you are not mandated to give any money at all each time when you visit.

If you feel rich and charitable sometimes, you donate. Otherwise, they don't get fussy about it at all.

But right now, I am asking our honorable hindu folks here and all over USA to donate some money to our great HTGC immediately as there are several projects pending for want of funds esp for our hindu kids. Thank you all.

MAY SAIRAM BLESS YOU ALL TODAY!

Hi-
I am a magazine editor, and I edit a section on faith...of all different types. I am working on an article for our December issue telling teenaged girls where they can donate time, supplies, or money to different faith-based charities. would either of you have any suggestions on
Hindi charities that are doing good work and might have creative ways
that girls could donate? we have a very large readership, so the outpouring of support would be large, I believe.

if you do, you can contact me at this email: csloan@hearst.com

thanks. namaste.
Carrie