Help Vaccinate a Child...

Times are really tough - I know that about as well as one can. Though there are those who have been suffering worse financial woes than I have, having lost my family's home in Portland, I know all too well how bad things are. But there are those here in the U.S., who could really use your help - and if it helps to shame anyone into donating, I made a donation myself, even though I am a student without income.

I was shocked this afternoon, when I read over at Respectful Insolence, that Nevada has abysmal vaccination rates. Not because of the anti-vax loon brigade, but because the economy is bad there and apparently the state doesn't have enough funding to ensure that all kids get vaccines. The state recently managed to put together the funding for the actual vaccines, but not enough that they don't have to charge for the actual administration of the shots. They must charge $16 for a single vaccine or $25 for more than one.

I have been where a lot of those families are. While $25 may not seem like a hell of a lot to most people, when you are to the point where you have to ration your eating to five or six meals a week, to ensure your children get enough to eat, that works out to being a lot of meals you will miss that month. And I can also attest, trying to functionally work when you're only eating one meal, ever day or so is not easy and certainly not healthy. These are folks who cannot afford to lose a single damned dime. And so there are a lot of kids not getting the vaccines that will not only keep them safe - they keep their communities safe too.

And so as bad as things are right now, I managed to throw down $25 dollars and will sleep somewhat more soundly tonight, knowing that I just ensured that a child in Nevada who wouldn't have been vaccinated will be now. And dammit, if I can manage that, what can you manage?

Here is a link to the page where one can register for a James Randi Education Foundation event. If you scroll down the page, you will see a line that allows you to donate $16 or $25 to help vaccinate a child. I would ask you to ignore that $16 bullshit and help a child get the whole shebang. Further, I would ask that you give until it fucking hurts, because this is not just for them, it's for all of us. Here is a direct link to the $25 donation slot. Please vaccinate as many kids as you can....