WWYD with this donation money?

[Deleted]

My grandma died earlier in the summer. Today Hs family gave me a nice card with a fair amount of cash in it with a note about how I could use it to honor grandma in whatever way I saw fit or to use it on me knowing grandma loved to spoil me and my family.

Super sweet.

I would like to pass it on in some way.

However, Grandma didn't have a worthwhile charity and was kind of anti-bigger charity in a lot of respects (long story. I see her point. leave it at that.) She also didn't have a cause to be passionate about.

Her life was her job, seeing her kids, shopping with the grandkids, cooking and coffee. She was amazing and very giving as well. She was in to her church too, but that memorial has been beat to death. She has mass in her honor as a result of donations for like 13 Sundays in 2013 already etc.

I'm thinking about

a) Taking the cash to the furniture store where she used to work and telling her boss to apply to the bill of the next person who walks in and buys furniture. (She sold furniture for years, was a local legend in that regard and LOVED LOVED her job).

b) Dropping it off at Starbucks/Caribou or her favorite restraunt and telling them to pay for the next how many ever people come through until it's gone.

Any other fun suggestions that pay it forward?

[ssmjlm]

Could you buy furniture for a local women's shelter? Or something like that.

[ohjessica]

Hmmm. I like the furniture store idea since she loved her job. My dad passed away in November, and being a Vietnam Vet was a big part of his life. Since other than his family, that was his big love, that's what I'm going with in terms of how I'm going to honor my dad. So if besides your grandmother's family, her job was a big part of her life, I would go with that. Or maybe you could somehow find a local family (or families, not sure how much money you have) in need and give them credit to the furniture store she worked at?

[emjacobs]

I like your ideas, I would be worried that they wouldn't actually happen though. Unfortunately too many people aren't as honest as one would hope.

I saw a video not too long ago where a family went out to dinner and left the waitress a $10,000 tip because their brother passed away and that was all of his tip money that he had saved up. You could go to her favorite restaurant and do something like that.

[Deleted]

Thanks girls.
I'm leaning towards the furniture..she'd love it.
Her Boss is about 70 years old, is also a local celebrity, adored my grandma and is entirely honest. He knows all of us. So if I go in there and personally explain what I want done, there's no doubt he'll do it and then call me with a follow-up.

It's also enough cash to knock a decent amount of someone's sofa, mattress or kitchen set but it's not enough to full out buy something decent to donate, kwim?

[emjacobs]

OK since you personally know the man and know that he is a stand-up kind of person then I would feel comfortable with that. I hate that our world has become the kind that you have to worry if people will do what you ask with something that you give them.

[Deleted]

Jan 1, 2013 21:12:36 GMT -5 emjacobs said:

OK since you personally know the man and know that he is a stand-up kind of person then I would feel comfortable with that. I hate that our world has become the kind that you have to worry if people will do what you ask with something that you give them.

Me too! Me too!

[finally]

If she loved spoiling your family and you want to "pass it on"... how about putting it in a fund for Ruby for college, to help buy her first home, to help pay for her wedding.... something to splurge on for her one day! It will surely grow in the time that it is put away and let her know it came from her great-grandmother!

[Deleted]

Jan 1, 2013 22:24:22 GMT -5 finally said:

If she loved spoiling your family and you want to "pass it on"... how about putting it in a fund for Ruby for college, to help buy her first home, to help pay for her wedding.... something to splurge on for her one day! It will surely grow in the time that it is put away and let her know it came from her great-grandmother!

This was our other thought too actually. I'm still thinking on it. Right now I just want the immediate reaction to start the year off right I think.

[auntie]

I'd feel funny using the money. I'd be more inclined to do a donation to a library's childrens section or a book scholarship for a student at a local school.

[heygrey]

I'd buy furniture for rubes :-)