Charity Begins at The Poker Table

(Photo: Deepstackspokertour.blogspot.com)

Christmas for me usually starts about, well, five hours before Christmas itself! For the poker charity community, however, five weeks in advance seems a fair enough timescale – allowing time for donations and distributions to help those in need.

This week saw two announcements, one of which is the long-running ToysforKidsCharity which poker proBilly Vogel set up seven years ago, and which has since seen almost $25,000 donated – and passed on to kids – in the form of toys for those who would otherwise go without.

As their website explains, ‘The money is spent between Children’s Hospitals (Global Medical Relief Fund) and purchasing toys to help children in need have a better Holiday’ and this year will see the kids surprised and stunned when they come to the Winter Wonderland created in Atlantic City on the morning of Saturday December 10th.

(Photo: Deepstackspokertour.blogspot.com)

Saving lives

Vogel also explained why the charity donations branched out back in their 3rd year in 2012, saying:

"The toys are amazing and create a ton of smiles, but being able to help save lives is something special.”

As the amusing cartoon shows, 100% of the donations go directly to the charities involved, and the help of poker players in raising funds has been greatly appreciated by those benefiting from the selfless approach to the festive season.

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Another charity drive focused on poker players was launched this week by high-stakes supremo Dan Smith, who has promised to match any charitable donations up to $175,000 in total!

Smith has set up his own donations website on which he explains:

"Last year, Dan Colman and I organized a very successful charity drive, so I wanted to do it again, this time on a larger scale. Between now and the end of the year, I am matching charity donations up to $175,000 to the following charities which I’ve separated into three groups.”

(Photo: Cardplayer.com)

Aid in Africa

Smith has long been vocal about his social responsibility as someone in a position of wealth and influence, and his charitable groupings reflect this – the main two being the ‘Against Malaria Foundation’ and ‘Give Directly’, both of which aim to improve standards of life for impoverished and at-risk people on the African continent’.

Smith states that “If you want your money to go as far as possible, these are your best bet,” citing the Givewell.org rankings which rate charities on how much of your donated money actually makes it to those in dire need.

Of the ‘second-level’ charities on Smith’s list for poker players and fans to donate to, he states that they “are designed to help those involved in the prison system, adding his view that:

"The system seemed to be so fucked that any donation felt futile. I asked a friend who’s a public defender for his opinion, and he recommended donating to a Bail fund.”

Prison welfare

Although unlikely to be a popular approach for those who haven’t given this idea much thought, Smith explains that:

"The basic idea is that there are a lot of people held on bail in misdemeanor cases where if they were out they could fight the case, but to get out of jail they take pleas and get criminal records. This can have all sort of collateral consequences on jobs, school, housing, etc and thus contributes to the widening socioeconomic gap in the U.S.”

He then expands on the idea by explaining:

"A fund that posts these people’s bail would have very slow attrition. According to The Bronx Freedom Fund, 97% of clients attend all scheduled court dates. This would save lot of people from criminal records and jail time. The Massachusetts Bail Fund only posts bail that is $500 or less. No one should have to sit in jail because they don’t have $200.”

If the prison system seems a rather unusual place for charity, then his 3rd group is even further out there in some respects, aimed at groups using ‘psychedelics’ to treat disorders such as PTSD and anxiety.

Psychedelic trips

Smith says that:

"Sometimes we simply need a bandaid, but in an ideal world, you wouldn’t be bleeding in the first place. I love the idea of trying to fix the core of certain problems.”

The charity, MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), has projects already in place at the Burning Man festival – a popular summer spree for poker players over the years – and Smith says that:

"I think that promoting responsible psychedelic experiences is a great cause.”

Although Smith’s largesse in doubling donations to the value of $175,000 covers a wide range of charitable organisations and spheres, he explained that he “tried giving lots of choices to ensure that there is something for everyone.”

And with poker’s previous great record for sharing the game’s wealth and fortune with those less-well-off in this world, there’s every chance that Smith’s target will be reached – and Toys for Kids will see their donations boosted also, hopefully making the festive time of the year that much better for everyone.