In the spirit of Oseola McCarty

We Cheaperthans are big fans of frugality, but just to be clear, by frugality we do not mean stinginess. Oseola McCarty was frugal, but she wasn't stingy. If you haven't heard her story yet, you've got to check it out. She was a washerwoman in Mississipi who saved her whole life, and donated $150,000 to an endowment fund at her local university so poor students wouldn't have to work as hard as she did. Amazing.

Also amazing: the amount of money individual Canadians have donated to the Haitian relief effort - $82 million. The aid agencies encourage cash donations as the quickest and most effective way to help. If you're like me, and feel the need to do something in addition to donating money, you can also put together a relief kit for the Mennonite Central Committee. The relief kits include basics like toothbrushes, towels, soap and bandages. Fill up a bag and deliver it to an MCC drop-off location by February 28.

And heck, if you're a crafter (or a hoarder) in a giving mood, another organization to keep in mind is Arts Junktion. They collect art supplies for schools. So rather than dumping your stash of fabric and buttons in the landfill, box it up and take it to their new location at 312b William Avenue.