What To Do With Found $20 Follow-up

Hi all, Meghan here (with Kevin's blessing). I want to give you an update on Kevin's article from June 20th What To Do With a Found $20 Bill?

We had an overwhelming response of comments on Kevin's Blog (http://www.kevburns.com/2007/06/what-to-do-with-found-20-bill.html). There were a ton of ideas from giving to charity to letting Meghan keep the money, from trying to return the money to taking the family to Dairy Queen, from giving it away again to having our readers (you) match dollar for dollar to charity. There were a lot of things to consider and now we have an idea that involves you.

The first thing Kevin did was call the restaurant and then Direct Cash to see if there was any way of tracking down the person before him that used that particular ATM. Finding the rightful owner seemed appropriate. We can all rest easy today knowing that Direct Cash ATMs do not keep any financial records (name, bank name or number) in their machines. In today's world and with privacy concerns, these are for obvious security reasons. So, Kevin and I both sat here for quite a while wondering what to do next. We wanted to include as many of your ideas as possible, but how do we do that with only a $20 bill? One suggestion came in to give the money to me (thank you!) and let me choose where it goes. So we have decided to do just that - and then I decided to incorporate as many of the other ideas as possible all in one (with the exception of the trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream - sorry).

I have been a Foster Parent for some time now for a little boy in Mbulamuti, Uganda. His name is Regan Kiine and he is 2 years old. Regan once suffered from malaria but has received treatment and is now fully recovered. He and his family do not have fresh water or a lot of other things for example. When I received information on him I also received a catalogue of things that I could order for him and his family if I were prepared to top up my monthly contribution from time to time. This isn't any ordinary catalogue. This is a "frills" catalogue for such opulence as fresh water, pigs, cows, health facilities, school supplies, books, HIV and AIDS care kits, and many many more things for your adopted child. You get my sarcasm on the "frills" here I'm sure. (If you want to see what you can buy, you can view the catalogue here:

Now I've always been taught to do due diligence when it comes to making donations. Now I'm not skeptical about the foster parent industry, but if I'm sending my hard earned money, it had better be going to someone who needs it. After a lot of research, I believe very strongly that the Plan International does send the money and catalogue items to the child and his or her family. Hey, I'm Kevin's daughter, I'm no sucker.

So, with that being said, there goes Kevin's $20. He has stepped up and has donated his found $20 to Regan and his family. But now, Kevin and I would like to ask you to help us. On this page, you will see a "Make A Donation" link below. All you have to do to help purchase many useful things for Regan and his family (and the rest of his village if we do this right) is to click the link and donate a buck - $1. One measly dollar - less than a cup of coffee and together we can make a difference. Of course you may donate as much as you like and all you would have to do is change the amount when you click the link, and from the bottom of my heart I would thank you for that. But let's think big!

Click Here To Make A Donation

If every one of the thousands of people who receive Kevin's emails would contribute a buck, how well could we outfit Regan's entire village? Think big. Think "everyone heading in the same direction for the same cause" and watch what happens. Hey, if you even want to involve some of your co-workers and ask them for a buck, how much of a difference could we make together? Look, you already chip into the office pool for 6-49 hoping to make a difference in your own life. How about letting an African Village win the lottery for a change? A buck or two from everyone changes a lot of lives.

(OK, let me digress here for a moment. Here's what I've learned from my Dad: you get what you give. If you want to improve the chances of good fortune coming to you, you give good fortune to someone else. The Karmic wheel spins perfectly every time. Think about it, and then click the link.)

Kevin and I will keep all of you updated on what's being purchased and how much money has been raised. And so I can guilt you into pressing the button, attached is a picture of little Regan. So for all of you that have ever found a dollar (or twenty) on the road, pay it forward. The universe will then re-pay you. So my question now is, what are you going to do to change the world a little today?

Meghan