This is my first entry into this but I have read many contributions that are amazing and shows the goodness that exist in the real estate industry. Over the years I have tried to show a pay back for the privileges afforded me, and I wanted to share a way to do that in a different way and that is Kiva.org.
For my wedding anniversary a leadership trainer gave us $100 donated to kiva.org which I had never heard of. Going to the website I found that it was a US based 501(c)3 that now lends to the underprivileged in 82 countries with a 97.2% repayment rate. They give you a lot of confidence that this is well vetted out. So far 1.6 million people have joined and donated. I decided that I would give $100 a year to start after the original gift and I have been tracking the paybacks. So far I have only 2 outstanding loans still not fully paid back and they are on time. One was for a poor woman in Cambodia who I know will take care of our loans.
The loans you give can be specified buy all sorts of categories like places in the world, gender, types of loans like with agriculture so you have a lot of choice. I will get emails where large nonprofits will match you donations so it can go twice as far. I normally do $25 gifts and also contribute to Kiva to help pay theri expenses. These people are like us, entrepreneurs who are trying to make a living but without us, cannot. I think about the people who helped me along the way so we should never forget to help those in need. A loan I made today was for a woman in Cincinnati so we have poverty and want here too.
Check out the site, and I am posting one of the loans I have done in Nicaragua. Thank you for creating a contest that allows us to share so many ways we help others and I wish all of you a healthy and happy holiday season.
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