For my brother's Hanukah present, I paid for fourth-graders in Northern California to tour UC Berkeley (my brother went to Berkeley) and see a dance show (he likes dance). For his birthday two months later, I paid for chess sets for a school in Philadelphia: we grew up in Philadelphia, he plays chess. But usually when I fund projects on DonorsChoose.org - as anyone with a credit card can do - I buy things for my younger self, usually books I know she'll enjoy: The Giver, The Westing Game. For a special treat, I join other donors to pay for a trip to the Smithsonian. Sometimes I buy things she won't really appreciate, but might later: chemistry study guides, The Omnivore's Dilemma for Kids. I ignore requests for sports equipment and computers.

LRB 17 March 2011 | PDF Download