We aren't the only ones feeling the affects of a bad economy - our furry friends are feeling the strain as well.  More animals are finding themselves abandoned, neglected - even abused, as they pose an easy target for taking out stress.

That's where The Humane Society of United States steps in.  They run campaigns and programs to stop animal cruelty.  They also encourage each of us to do our part.  

Partner with The Humane Society of the United States - partner with your local Humane Society.  Give a little of your time, give a little of your finances.  Maybe even provide a home for a shelter animal.  After all, animals give us so much, isn't it about time we return the love?             

Interested in this charity? 

The Humane Society of the United States received four stars from Charity Navigator.  Click here to read the full report. 

Or, visit their website at http://www.hsus.org - learn more about their work and how you can help them celebrate animals and confront cruelty. 

Note:  Magpie and Muttonfly is in no way affiliated with The Humane Society of the United States. 

Bell ringers are a Christmas tradition. They may be found, every year, outside shops and grocers, collecting money for the poor. When my brother and I were little, my mom would always give us money to put in the pot. It usually wasn’t much – whatever stray coins she happen to have in her purse. And it couldn’t be all her coins, for she knew her supply had to last throughout the holiday season. Oh how we loved to run up and hear the coins clank to the bottom of the pot.

Now that we’re grown, we’re often much too busy. We’re juggling too many parcels to dig for money. Or we simply have no cash to give.

I’ve also noticed a concerning trend – people behave as though the bell ringers do not exist. They rush past. They refuse eye contact. They fake deafness if they must. Perhaps they too remember how they use to give, and feel guilty for not doing so now; perhaps their hearts have hardened to what is truly right and good about Christmas.

This year, let us try to find the same joy as we had as children. If we simply do not have the money, let us at least off a smile, a cheerful nod, or an encouraging word. If we do have money, let us whisper a prayer of thanks and drop a coin or two in the pot.

Interested in this charity?

You’ve seen the pots and heard the bells, but want to know more about the work? Check out their website at http://www.salvationarmyusa.org.

It’s October. And I see Christmas trees everywhere.

Granted, it may seem a tad early to be thinking of such, but no doubt some have already begun their Christmas lists. Perhaps you included. So, what have you listed? A goat? A dairy cow? Maybe a freshwater well? Wait … I know … a sleeping net! No?

While many of us would never consider giving such items, for those living in impoverished countries they may be the greatest gift of all. And Samaritan’s Purse provides a one stop shop. Visit their website to view their Christmas gift catalog – 40 Gifts of Hope for a Hurting World. Select what you wish to give; name the person you wish to give on behalf.

So this year, don’t forget to add something extra to your Christmas list. Give the gift of life; give the gift of hope. After all, that’s what Jesus gave you …

Interested in this charity?

Samaritan’s Purse received an overall rating of four stars on Charity Navigator. Click here to review the full report.

There are an estimated 27 million slaves alive today. They include male, female, young, old, domestic, and sex slaves. They have been tricked, kidnapped, and sold by members of their own family. While most reside in India or Africa, you may find them anywhere. They may be in your own backyard – even if you reside in a magnificent home in the United States. That’s right. The United States of America is far from immune; each year at least 14,500 slaves are trafficked into the U.S. Each year …

We like to think slavery has been abolished. In reality, it’s merely changed.

Due to economic and social trends, there has been a resurgence of human trafficking throughout the world. Thankfully, Free the Slaves – a 501(c) 3 organization – is determined to fight it. Working with businesses, fellow organizations, and concerned individuals, they work the front lines – working to free those currently enslaved. They seek to inform all people of the slave trade. They research. They take action to add, change, and enforce policies that will ultimately eradicate the slave trade. But they cannot do it alone.

Partner with them today. For everyone deserves the right to live free.

Interested in this charity?

Free the Slaves received four (4) stars on Charity Navigator. To check out the full report, click here.

To learn more about modern-day-slavery and what you can do to end it, visit Free the Slaves website at http://www.freetheslaves.net

Or click here to purchase the book that started it all.

Well, the 4^th of July has come and gone. For many of us, we kicked back and enjoyed a nice, long weekend. We gorged ourselves on hot dogs and potato salad, apple pie and rootbeer floats. We enjoyed the company of friends and family, witnessed patriotic parades, and stood in awe as the night sky alit with fireworks. We even whispered a prayer or two for those who have fought, and continue to fight, for our freedom.

Perhaps now is a good time to give back...

Throughout the world men and women give their lives in Special Operations. For most, we do not know their name or from whence they came. We do not know their mission, or the terror they fought. That’s why they do it; so we will never have to. They pay the highest price. And, in many ways, so do the families they leave behind.

Special Operations Warrior Fund is committed to “work diligently and unselfishly to preserve the legacy of our fallen Warriors …“ How do they accomplish this mission? By offering college scholarships to the children of fallen heroes in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corp SpecOps.

Interested in this charity?

SOWF received an overall rating of four stars on Charity Navigator. Click here to learn more.

Or visit the Special Operations Warrior Fund website at http://www.specialops.org.

Well, I have to say, Freerice.com was a big hit.  As it should be.  And a big ol' shout out to the anonymous commenter who suggested another great charity:

AidtoChildren works in collaboration with World Vision.  Money raised goes to help children in the most impoverished countries of the world.  As their website site states: One billion children in developing countries suffer from at least one form of severe deprivation. The seven forms of deprivation are lack of adequate food, safe drinking water, sanitation, health, shelter, education and access to information.  This charity seeks to help these children.   

And, it helps you too!  Much like Freerice, Aidtochildren provides you a vocabulary word.  Select one of the four meaning options; if your answer is correct, you just donated 25 cents.  You even have the ability to see where the money is going.

Now I have supplied you with two INSANELY easy ways to get involved in a charity.  As a matter of fact, they are so easy and so fun it's almost embarrassing.  So, seriously, I don't want to hear that you're not doing a thing to help those in need. 

Visit AidtoChildren today!

Either click on their banner, above, or visit http://www.aidtochildren.com/

If you could play and help feed the hungry, would you do it? If you said no, you need therapy; if you said yes, visit freerice.com today!

FreeRice is basically one big vocabulary game (so yes, it also gives you the ability to become much more impressive with your verbiage - it's a win-win). FreeRice gives you one word and four definitions. Select the correct definition and 20 grains of rice will be donated. 20 grains – what good could that do? Sure, 20 grains alone is a measly amount. But what if we ALL donated 20 grains? And I’m telling you now … it’s addicting (the more words you get correct, the harder the words get). So chances are you’ll be donating a helluva more than 20 grains. I wonder who counts the grains? Okay, that was a totally random thought. I have no clue, but check ‘em out anyway:

Don’t believe it?

Yeah, I wasn’t so very convinced either. So I looked it up on Snopes.com and Snopes says it’s true. Click here to see for yourself.

There’s something magical in the way a child’s smile can light up a room. A child laughs and you can’t help but do the same. Yet for millions of impoverished children living in developing countries – children born with cleft lip and palate – laughter is not an option. Not only are they physically unable, their deformity gives them little to smile about. Eating and drinking are the least of their problems. Many of these precious little ones are viewed as a curse, leaving them and their families shunned and destitute. Partnering with Smile Train helps give them the ability – and therefore, a reason – to smile.

Interested in this charity?

The Smile Train is not currently evaluated by Charity Navigator. The reason, in their words: The Smile Train had been considered a private foundation. The IRS requires that private foundations file a form 990-PF which differs from the document public charities file. This makes it impossible for us to compare the financial performance of private foundations to public charities. The Smile Train recently began filing the Form 990 as a public charity. However, we require 4 years of Forms 990 to complete the evaluation and The Smile Train has not yet completed this many filings as a public charity. Please check back at a later date for an evaluation.

Since March 2000 The Smile Train has provided free cleft surgery to some 303,944 children. 100% of your donations will go toward programs that will help even more. So there’s no time like the present to get aboard – visit their website at http://www.smiletrain.org to learn how...