Small charities begin at home

Small charities begin at home
by Chaplain Kathie
Wounded Times Blog
August 27, 2012

On Friday I put out an urgent request for donations because I was notified I am overdrawn at the bank. I couldn't stop crying. It wasn't just the money that has come out of my family's pocket, but because after all this time, I still couldn't even manage to break even. That was all I ever asked for.

While it would be nice to have a paycheck for the 70 hours a week I work, that is not the reason I do this. I am still looking for a part time job to help make ends meet. I just need enough donations to cover the expenses of what I do. That is all I need the money for.

I sent out the request on this blog, 2 Facebook accounts, Linkedin and by email.

I received one donation on Friday right away and another on Saturday. Yesterday I posted this.

Why am I worth less?

Aside from the stress of wondering how to make it the rest of this week until the 1st of the month comes, I really was feeling as if I just didn't matter enough.

This morning I received two gifts beyond words.

Colleen from Fearless Nation PTSD Support donated even though she is broke. She needs donations as much as I do but can't get enough support to keep her going.

Twenty years ago when I started working online there were a lot of groups working on PTSD. We started long before PTSD was in the news and because of Vietnam Veterans. Most of them are gone now. They didn't need a lot of money simply because they were not in this work for the money. This work is heartbreaking on a daily basis but what keeps me going is when a life is saved, a veteran is on his/her way to healing and when a family is no longer blaming themselves. It was the same way for the groups long gone. They didn't spend their time advertising or asking for money. They spent their time caring and helping.

Having to ask for help has taken time out of tracking reports, answering emails and returning phone calls. I should be posting right now on what has happened over the last couple of days.

This work does not cost a lot of money. On average it costs my family between $1,500 and $2,000 a month, depending on how much traveling I have to do and how many events I film. None of the organizations I film have to pay anything and most of the time if it is an event with a price for a meal, I pay that.

I went to college to be able to make better videos. I've been terrified of the student loans coming in and having to pay them when I am taking so much money out of our bank account already. Top that off with my car is getting really old and you know what kind of stress I've had worrying about how to replace it.

So why is it that people stop helping others? No one supports them no matter how much they do, give or how much time they dedicate. There are no Secret Millionaires rushing to our aid, so we end up being forced to stop doing what we do.

There was another donation that came in last night and it was from Spc. Freddy Hook's Mom.

Crying for you. I will be donating 50.00 withing the next few minutes. I will pledge 50.00 a month because I believe that you cover our soldiers and their struggles and deaths with accuracy, depth, concern, and prayer. May God bless you and carry you through these dark days.
In memory of US Army Airborne Medic SPC. Freddy Hook, 1990 - 2010 In the presence of our Lord and Savior...

What we read about everyday with military suicides is heartbreaking but for the families that pain does not end unless they get help to heal as well. There have been many heroes seeing past their own pain because they know there are others out there just like them and they rise up to expose themselves so other people may find some comfort and support.

This is why I do it and this is why people need to step up and help the small charities only seeking enough to get by without having their lights shut off (happened to me two years ago right before Christmas) or turning someone down because they can't afford to get there to help them.

We've all read about the big charities in trouble because they keep most of their money for themselves and their own bank accounts. They were in it for the money. People like me do it out of love. If people like me help you, then think of helping them so they can still be able to help others.