I’m lucky enough that most years, when I review my personal profit and loss statement, the numbers are in the black. After paying my taxes, covering the roof over my head, the food on my table, and saving for the future, there’s usually something left over to give away. I donate to charities sporadically throughout the year, but the bulk of my giving happens around yuletide.

In my family, we’ve decided not to exchange Christmas gifts, so having this extra money to donate is a nice way to get into the spirit of giving during the holidays.

I’ve struggled with whether I should share this or not, worried of coming off as a virtue-signaling asshat. But then, with perfect timing, Lu posted:

“Oh but I don’t like virtue signalling”
Oh fuck off
I’d rather be an annoying virtue-signaling influencer than a tight-pocketed snob

So, fuck it. Inspired by Lu’s thread, here are the organizations I sent money to in 2024.

Nine Charities

  • Gemenskap i jul provides support and companionship for those who might be alone during the holiday season in Jönköping, organizing events and meals.
  • GiveWell identifies the charities that save or improve lives the most per dollar. The money goes to causes like malaria prevention, among others. It’s a data-driven approach, but not without criticism.
  • Hug (Help Ukraine in Gothenburg) sends medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, alongside long-term support like helping refugees integrate into Swedish society.
  • Internet Archive offers free access to books, movies, music, software, and the invaluable Wayback Machine.
  • Kvinno- & tjejjouren supports and protects women and girls facing violence and abuse in close relationships. This is a local initiative here in Jönköping.
  • The Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund raises money for research into childhood cancers, improving treatments, and supporting affected families and childhood cancer survivors.
  • The Swedish Brain Foundation funds research into neurological and mental health conditions like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, depression, and ADHD, with the aim of improving treatments and understanding of brain diseases.
  • Wikipedia is the free, user-contributed online encyclopedia we all love and use.
  • Williams Syndromförening i Sverige supports individuals with Williams Syndrome and their families, offering information, advocacy, and a community for those affected by this rare genetic condition.

Free Money to Give Away

Many countries offer tax relief for people who donate money. You need to check what applies where you live, but here in Sweden, the tax deduction is 25% of the donated amount, capped at 3,000 SEK per year.

So, to maximize the leverage effect, donate 12,000 SEK annually, and it will “only” cost you 9,000 SEK. Pretty neat! That said, some countries have even more favorable deductions, so be sure to check with your local tax agency.

Lots of talk about donating money, which is great, but donating time is equally impactful — we always need more editors, and it’s these volunteers who create and curate our content!

– sf

Even if you have no money to spare, giving away your time and energy to a good cause makes a huge difference. And in my experience, it’s usually highly rewarding. This year, I didn’t volunteer for any charities, but I did give my time to internet friends, family, and my local community.

I maintained a website for a community association, developed Faviconique (a free Micro.blog plug-in), helped folks over at the Micro.blog Help Center, contributed to open-source projects, found and reported security vulnerabilities, advised a board of directors, assisted in a business sale, helped set up a new business (my wife’s), and evaluated a local AI startup on behalf of an investment fund.

Some years, we have neither the time, energy, nor money to give away, and that’s okay. I’ve been there. Next year might be different.