My mother taught us to give back. Since she couldn't afford to donate much, she gave blood as often as she was allowed.
My give back has been primarily in the area of animal welfare. The abuse and neglect of animals breaks my heart. At least half of what I give to charities every year is to animal shelters. I've also volunteered in a number of shelters - everything from cleaning litter pans to participating on public commissions. My best memory is of working for a small private shelter called MaxFund. As part of my volunteer duties I provided foster care for some of their abused animals. Their stories, pain and injuries broke my heart, but their willingness to learn to trust people again was uplifting. My favorite was a small cat I named Threnody, who had lost her front leg to abuse when her owner ran to a women's shelter but couldn't take her pet with her. After caring for Threnody for three months, we found her a wonderful home where they already had another three-legged pet.
It's all because of my mother. She no longer speaks to me because we disagree over religious and political issues, but I still honor her by giving back.
Review from #MyGivingStory