Apropos for Thanksgiving

Two ways we can do good.

(1) I just tried a free online game called Free Rice. Its premise is simple: You answer quick, multiple-choice questions (which build your vocabulary), and for every correct answer, the site donates ten grains of rice to combat world hunger. Encourages brain power while performing a mitzvah (good deed). It's addictive, I've tried it.

So who pays for the rice? Advertisers, such as Macy's, iTunes, Toshiba and more. The site itself is a non-profit. 100% is donated. Win-win all around.

2) Another way to painlessly help is through GoodSearch. This search engine donates 50% of ad revenue to the non-profit or school of your choosing (about a penny a search). It's powered by Yahoo and you can add it to your toolbar. Once you type in the name of your charity (if it's already in their database), you have the option of seeing the totals it's earned to date. Powerful way to see how collectively we can make a difference. The charity is "remembered" the next time you use the tool, so you need not re-type each time. Mine is currently set to Hadassah: The Women's Zionist Organization of America.

This time of year, we are especially cognizant of how fortunate we are. It is a time to be thankful for what we have...and, at the same time, shouldn't it also be a time for us to avail ourselves of opportunites to help others?

On that note, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!