{"id":16422,"date":"2011-08-08T20:00:36","date_gmt":"2011-08-09T01:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/?p=16422"},"modified":"2011-08-08T18:56:28","modified_gmt":"2011-08-08T23:56:28","slug":"affiliation-and-the-good-cause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/2011\/08\/affiliation-and-the-good-cause\/","title":{"rendered":"Affiliation and the Good Cause"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"LDS-Charities-logo\"<\/a>Earlier this year I decided I wanted to put together a list of charities and other “good causes” that were either founded or run by Mormons. Of course, it shouldn’t matter at all the religious background of a charity’s founder or management. If they are doing good work, then they deserve support regardless. But in reality affiliation matters to many people.<\/p>\n

And I believe that many Mormons care about affiliation of those they support. Probably the most successful and most widely supported charities among LDS Church members are those that are run by the Church. If you doubt this, read the paid obituaries in Utah newspapers, where Church-owned charities like the missionary fund and the perpetual education fund appear to be the most frequent suggested donations in lieu of flowers.<\/p>\n

Regardless of what they think logically, most people do care about some kind of affiliation, usually without any logical basis. The Olympics, popular sports teams, even patriotism are all about affiliation on some basis rather than any clear logical decision.<\/p>\n

So, I am publishing here the list of charities and “good causes” that I’ve found. I am NOT trying to get anyone to donate to these organizations by doing this\u2014I haven’t done enough research into these organizations to know. I believe they are likely OK, but I don’t know for sure; not enough to give my personal seal of approval (as if that is worth anything).<\/p>\n

Instead, my interest is simply in the charitable impulses of Mormons and how they have chosen to institutionalize those impulses. I’m pleased to see that at least these few Mormons have taken steps to help others, and I hope that there are many others that I’ve missed.<\/p>\n

I should add a couple of things:<\/p>\n