The season for giving is here, and I wondered what opportunities existed in SL to help others. So I visited Aloft Nonprofit Commons (143, 81, 31). There I found a huge number and variety of causes from many different countries.
In addition to Aloft, there are 3 other connected sims: Plush, where weekly meetings are held; EcoCommons for environmental concerns; and HealthCommons for health related nonprofits. All of the areas can be reached by teleport from the main hub.
At the hub you can take a tour by horse carriage or magic carpet. The carriage didn´t want to work for me, but the carpet ride provided a quick tour of the basics. I hopped off about mid-tour to walk around the different shops and offices.
There is also a large display that lists all of the organizations and their location. This is the best way to find a specific group and get there quickly. The list is not alphabetical. However, once you find the group that interests you, it is easy to get there. A click on its number causes its location to be listed in your historical chat, where you can quickly teleport to the site.
The variety of causes was extensive: animal rescue and protection groups, museums, hunger and health groups, Sierra Club and child protection groups. Whatever interests you, there is probably a group for it here. Being a furry, I was especially partial to the Mountain Lion Foundation, which is still under construction, and the Sierra Club, which is build in a tree house.
Kiva, a group that works to end poverty by giving loans, has a large presence here. "Turning Lindens into Loans" is their motto, and their shop is filled with photos of the people they are helping. I didn´́t see any wreathes for sale at this shop, but they are selling them at Winterfest through Xstreet, and the money goes to support their cause. On the second floor, they had a donation barrel, too, where you can drop off items for re-sale.
Another group, NSW Animal Rescue organization from Australia was selling rugs for $49L. The rugs have photos of different types of dogs, and you can buy one to show your support for your favorite breed.
The Aloft sim has lots of fun things to do. Horses for Healing gives you a horse that you can ride as you explore the sim. There is a picnic area, hang-gliders, and a swimming pool, too.
I went back 3 times, and I still haven´t seen it all. It is a great place to give and have fun, too.
Grey Lupindo
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