Posts by courtney

Bill Maher Complains About “Real” Charity

Bill Maher has strong feelings about what should and shouldn’t be tax-deductible contributions. Maher started his thoughts earlier this month by criticizing Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s charitable contributions to the Mormon church.  In Maher’s opinion, “tithing” to the church shouldn’t be considered charity, because philanthropy isn’t...

$100 Million Donated to Charity Scam

It’s enough to make you weep.  A man going by the name Bobby Thompson defrauded donors out of millions of dollars they thought were going to a navy veterans charity.  But the “U.S. Navy Veterans Association” wasn’t a real charity, and Thompson was actually stealing over $100 million dollars of money intended for veterans services.  Only a small amount of the money has...

May nominee – Explore Austin

Posted by courtney on May 7, 2012 in Charity of Choice | 0 comments

Why You’d Want to Vote for Them: With the knowledge that amazing experiences change lives, Explore Austin takes at-risk teenagers on adventure trips of a lifetime.  The kids learn leadership alongside outdoor survival skills during their six years in the program, while sharing experiences with a mentor and a group of peers.  Their trips to remote destinations build self-confidence and a...

May Nominee – Boys and Girls Clubs

Posted by courtney on May 7, 2012 in Charity of Choice | 0 comments

Why You’d Want to Vote for Them: At the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area, kids have a safe place to go during the critical after-school hours.  They get homework done, play games with friends, practice music, build computers, and have a healthy snack waiting for them.  Here in Austin, the Boys and Girls Clubs serve 1,600 children EVERY DAY.  Most of the teenagers who graduated...

May Nominee – Austin Youth River Watch

Posted by courtney on May 7, 2012 in Charity of Choice | 0 comments

Why You’d Want to Vote for Them: Austin Youth River Watch takes at-risk teens and teaches them to be environmental stewards through mentorship and after-school activities.  The students collect, analyze and even publish water-quality data.  AYRW is about more than just giving kids a place to go after school – they learn how to use science in a real-world setting, and do important...