The White Elephant in the Room

I recently had a heated discussion with a friend about charitable giving.

Bryanboy outside the Opening Ceremony Los Angeles store

Part of the problem with "giving" is that in most cases, it is what it is: hand-to-mouth. Although it's good for the short term, in my opinion, it's NOT sustainable in the long run.

I admire institutions such as Trickle Up (who I've been supporting for years) and Kiva. They both provide tools and resources to the less fortunate to start microenterprises which, in return, enable them to stand on their own two feet, thus eliminating the endless (and unnecessary) cycle of relying on handouts.

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, call it whatever you want. I'm sure many of you have been shopping like crazy the past few days. But please take time to check out those two sites I mentioned and  donate any amount.