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March 26, 2023
March 26, 2023
Thanks to everyone for a successful March meeting! Six of us met at 3 pm in the covered outdoor space at Heroic Italian in Berkeley. The weather cooperated with us, giving us clear skies and moderate temps. (It did start to get a little chilly as the sun started to set.) We had good food, wonderful conversation, with thoughtful contributions from a longtime LGBTQ Neighbor that joined the Giving Circle for the first time. And we raised $230 for the Dorothy Day House in Berkeley!
February 26, 2023 - CANCELED
February 26, 2023 - CANCELED
For February, we were planning on meeting at 3 pm on Sunday, February 26th, in the covered outdoor space at Heroic Italian in Berkeley (Google Maps, restaurant menu).
The weather forecast shows that it's going to be cold and rainy, which will make for an unpleasant meeting since we generally meet outdoors for Covid safety. We've decided to reschedule and will announce the next meeting once we've chosen a Sunday in March.
At our next meeting, we'll collect optional in-person donations for Dorothy Day House - Berkeley, which is our Charity of the Month for February. If you decide to donate online, please also fill out this tiny form to help us track our group's impact.
February's Charity of the Month:
Dorothy Day House - Berkeley
February's Charity of the Month:
Dorothy Day House - Berkeley
On Charity Navigator, DDH has earned 3 out of 4 stars with an overall rating of 79%. Amazingly, they have an incredibly low overhead, with 97% of donations going to pay for the services they provide, which includes meals, shelter and counseling, as well as other needs for the unhoused community.
“Dorothy Day House Berkeley is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that for over 30 years has provided meals, shelter, and employment for low-income residents and people who experience homelessness in Berkeley, California. They are our guests.
In the ‘Dorothy Day Way,’ we foster an incredibly compassionate and collaborative environment with our guests at all levels. Our staff and group of over 70 regular volunteers are very interested in the individual and collective happiness of everyone who comes through the organization’s doors. We view our guests as people and not just mouths to feed or numbers on a spreadsheet. We take the time to learn people’s history, perspectives, and personalities.”
January Meeting
January Meeting
For January, we'll be meeting at 3 pm on Sunday, January 15th, in the covered outdoor space at El Patio in Berkeley (Google Maps, restaurant menu).
We'll be collecting optional in-person donations for La Casa de las Madres, which is our Charity of the Month for January. If you decide to donate online, please also fill out this tiny form to help us track our group's impact.
January's Charity of the Month
January's Charity of the Month
La Casa de las Madres has a 98% rating on Charity Navigator, earning them the top rating of being a 4-star charity. They were granted their 501(c)(3) status in 1976, and with a reasonable executive salary and fairly low overhead expenses, 88% of your donation goes towards their services.
La Casa de las Madres opened San Francisco's first domestic violence shelter for women and their children. The shelter is now the city's leading voice for abused women, their children and teens - educating, promoting awareness and changing perceptions about domestic violence and its victims.
La Casa provides expert intervention and prevention services to more than 10,000 community members annually, offering emergency residential shelter and community-based services to women, teens and their children while providing advocacy, counseling, family-based services and referrals. All services are free of charge and confidential.
December Meeting
December Meeting
On Sunday, December 18th, we're hosting a holiday cookie exchange! We'll provide hot cider and hot cocoa. Hope to see you there!
Note: We did not collect charitable donations this month. We'll resume charitable giving in January!
November Meeting
November Meeting
Thanks to everyone who came out to the November meeting of the Social Giving Circle. Five of us met in the outdoor patio space of Heroic Italian at 3 PM on Sunday, November 20th in downtown Berkeley. We had food and drinks, and laughed over a mini-game of Match a Pair of Birds. (Previously picked up at the Builders Booksource, one of the Fourth Street Shops in West Berkeley.)
Did you know that the ostrich is the largest bird on the planet? Sorry cassowary!
We also collected some in-person* donations and talked about ideas for the group, as well as a couple of additional charities for the group's future consideration. Thanks to everyone for being a positive part of the community and happy holidays!
*If you donate online, make sure to fill out this teeny tiny form, so that we can track the groups impact.
November's Charity of the Month
November's Charity of the Month
The Berkeley Food Network has been selected as our charity pick for October!
The Berkeley Food Network "seeks to end hunger and poor nutrition by using innovative, community-centered solutions to build a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food system."
We'll be collecting in-person contributions at our November meeting. Let us know if you also made an individual donation online, so that we can track our group's impact!
October Meeting
October Meeting
The October meeting was held on Sunday, October 23rd at 4 PM PDT at El Patio in Berkeley. Two new members joined four returning members. There was a good mix of socializing and "shop talk" (chatting about charities). Two new charities were mentioned: Consider The Homeless! and the Pacific Center for Human Growth. (Check out our charities page for more details on these organizations.)
October's Charity of the Month
October's Charity of the Month
Jewish Family & Community Services - East Bay has been selected as our Charity Pick for October! JFCS "operates within these principal areas: older adult services, parenting and youth services, counseling services, refugee and immigrant services, and volunteer services." They have a 4/4 rating on Charity Navigator! 🎉
The $25 collected at the September meeting was donated on behalf of the Social Giving Circle of the East Bay LGBTQ+ Neighbors. Let us know if you also made an individual donation, so that we can keep track of our impact.
Inaugural Meeting
Inaugural Meeting
The first meeting of the Social Giving Circle was held on Sunday, September 18th, 2022, from 4 pm to 6 pm at El Patio in Berkeley, CA. An earnest $25 was collected from 6 members, and a lively debate about the group's purpose was enjoyed by all, as were drinks and food.
During the September meeting, four charities were mentioned. Prior to the next meeting, those present at the September meeting will discuss and then designate one of the four charities as the recipient of any monies collected at the October meeting. In addition to raising money and awareness for charities, meetings provide opportunities for members of the queer community a chance to get to know others in the neighborhood.
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