Do you remember the old days of authors suing fan fiction authors into oblivion? The Organization for Transformative Works does, and they want to make sure it never happens again.
Category: Charities
My favorite charities 2017: Part Two
As much as I wanted to spend the weekend watching John Green cover his face in a variety of face-inappropriate substances (like peanut butter and sharpie), I had thoughtlessly planned not one but TWO parties this weekend. Still, substituting forty-eight hours of partying for forty-eight hours of livestream watching wasn’t all bad. Except maybe in the eyes of our foster cat, who doesn’t like crowds.
Anyway, here’s another charity recommendation!
Gerald Durrell’s books about his childhood in Corfu (now a TV series, thanks BBC!) and his adult life collecting animals for zoos, then starting his own zoo, were a cornerstone of my childhood reading. After he began his zoo, which is dedicated to rehabilitating endangered populations, he began the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
A donation to the Durrell Trust is always on my Christmas wishlist- and you don’t just get a warm, fuzzy feeling for your money! Over the years family members have surprised me with books from the Durrell Trust store and an “adopted” pied tamarin named Dobby. (A perfect overlap of my passions.)
Money given to the Durrell Trust goes to their training of people around the world in conservation programs (50 programs in 18 countries, according to their website) as well as the Jersey Zoo, where they manage their breeding programs.
An interesting fact- Henry Cavill was named their celebrity ambassador the year before I had any idea who he was. Only this month did I ever actually see him in a movie.
My favorite charities 2017: Part One
With Project for Awesome coming up, I realized I haven’t told you my favorite programs to throw money at yet! Here’s number one:
The Harry Potter Alliance takes all of that fan power and puts it to real-world use. They’ve successfully campaigned for slavery-free chocolate in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter parks, run a woman-led leadership program, and donate hundreds (thousands?) of books to areas in need. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Conveniently, they’ll be part of the Project for Awesome this weekend, you- and I- will have lots of ways to donate to them, from “liking” the videos that people made to support the HPA to giving directly to the organization.
Bess Carnan 