Got a few extra coins in your pocket and you want to get some mileage out of you donation? Here are some groups you may not have heard of that could use some help cause they are doing good work

First, locally in Iowa City, we will soon have a new low power FM radio station, KICI 105.3 FM. It will be locally owned with a bunch of locally originated programming. Local radio is a concept that mostly disappeared from the radio dial. Fund raising has just started and you can get in on the ground floor right here. In this case you will be able to see your dollars actually go to work.

From a Cedar Rapids Gazette article a couple of months back:
Holly Hart, who has 30 years of experience in the radio industry, most recently at KSUI/WSUI, said discussions are underway to potentially attach that transmitter to existing infrastructure on top of Old Brick Church and Community Center at 26 E. Market St. Hart said approval from a cellphone company will be needed to proceed, and if it is not granted, officials will build their own tower.

First, officials say they will need to raise between $15,000 and $20,000 to pay for the engineering and equipment necessary to get 105.3 FM on the air. A fundraising page was established earlier this week on gofundme.com.

Hart said programming still is coming together, but added that she hopes to have a structured format with a mix of original local content, national programming and music.

“I didn’t want to play into the old stereotype of community radio which has polka music one hour, French news the next, cooking show the third hour, but have something that’s actually like a real format because people who listen to radio, they listen to format,” Hart said.

Second: Free Speech TV.
Free Speech TV is the lonely liberal corner in the crap fest that is cable and satellite TV. Featuring shows such as simulcasts of Stephanie Miller and Thom Hartmann’s radio shows and Mike Pappantonio’s “Ring of Fire” and documentaries. FSTV is totally dependent on donations from viewers. FSTV can be seen on DISH channel 9415, Direct TV channel 348 and on some cable company stations. FSTV is also carried live online at www.freespeech.org. Donation information can be viewed there also.

Next is a group named Rolling Jubilee. Rolling Jubilee takes money from donations and the buys debt at auction for pennies on a dollar. This is what debt collectors do also. But where debt collectors pursue and badger debtors to get what money they can, Rolling Jubilee then abolishes the debt. Truly a great concept!. Read more on Rolling Jubilee here.

Finally another group very similar to Rolling Jubilee is RIP Medical Debt. This group was founded by a couple of former debt collectors who now buy up medical debt to then forgive it. Considering how crushing and unexpected medical can be, RIP Medical Debt has been a godsend for many. Their home page is here. This will lead you to their donation page.