While Cecil and Tom may be rough around the edges, when it comes to supporting secular organizations with worthy causes, they’re big softies. And because of the generosity of our beloved listeners, we are able to help raise awareness and funds, match donations, and support non-religious organizations making a positive impact.
2021 Charitable Efforts
For a third year, The Scathing Atheist and Cognitive Dissonance podcasts have collaborated in their “Vulgarity for Charity” fundraising event for The Modest Needs Foundation, a 401c3 organization providing short-term financial assistance to individuals and families.
During “Vulgarity for Charity”, typically held in November, podcast listeners are encouraged to make a tax-deductible donation to Modest Needs and submit their proof of giving to the podcast hosts, along with a nominee they would like “roasted” during the podcast episodes.
Raising $122,000 in 2018; $306,546 in 2019; and $424,336 in 2021 “Vulgarity for Charity” allows the podcasters a way to put their irreverent comedic skills to use for a charitable cause.
“We’re happy to turn our vulgarity into a force for good,” said co-host Noah Lugeons, “Modest Needs does amazing work worthy of support, and I’m in awe of our listeners, along with an anonymous matching donor, who have repeatedly shown how generous the atheist and secular community truly is by donating to date a total of $852,882 for Modest Needs.”
The Modest Needs Foundation serves economically at-risk individuals and families facing an unanticipated financial burden or emergency expense which would send them below the poverty line. Applicants are those ineligible for conventional social assistance with nowhere to turn.
“We support those at risk of losing everything because of a short-term crisis,” said Modest Needs founder, Keith Taylor. “Vulgarity for Charity has helped us provide relief to hundreds of people facing common financial hardships that often lead to homelessness.”
For more information on The Modest Needs Foundation visit www.modestneeds.org.
2020 Charitable Efforts
On November 27, 2020, to support Democratic Georgia Senate Candidates, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, Cognitive Dissonance organized a Livestream to Save the Senate fundraising event that included a lineup of fellow podcasts and, of course, all of our generous listeners. The mind-blowing amount raised during this 3 hour event was over $126,000, with all funds going directly to (and split evenly between) the 2 candidates.
Did you miss our November 2020 Livestream to Save the Senate?
See the donation page and watch the livestream of this event on YouTube.
2018 Charitable Efforts
Modest Needs
In 2018, Cognitive Dissonance Podcast and the Scathing Atheist guys raised over $120,000 for Modest Needs through “Vulgarity for Charity”.
Good Thinking Society
Cognitive Dissonance has donated $500 to the Good Thinking Society, a charity whose goal is “to encourage curiosity and promote rational thinking”.
WYOAIDS Assistance
We donated $500 to WYOAIDS Assistance, an organization providing financial help to men, women, and children in Wyoming living with AIDS.
2017 Charitable Efforts
It Gets Better Project
Following the 2016 election which, as we’ve all observed, has emboldened a new era of bigotry, Cognitive Dissonance donated $5,000 to the It Gets Better Project.
It Gets Better Project
Over the course of 2017, Cognitive Dissonance Podcast made a recurring $50 donation monthly to Modest Needs.
The Trevor Project
In April 2017 Cecil and Tom attended ReasonCon, which took place in Hickory, North Carolina — a state whose legislative Republican majority had pushed for the controversial HB2 “bathroom bill”. This bill, though repealed on March 30, 2017, was a pillar of discrimination against the LGBTQ community.
Show listeners called out the unsettling fact that the guys would be spending money in such an LGBTQ-hostile state, so the guys asked their listeners: “What can we do to fix this?” A listener suggested donating 2x the amount of money they would spend in the state to The Trevor Project, an organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention to LGBTQ youth.
So that’s exactly what Cecil & Tom did. They spent $1500 in the state of North Carolina for the trip to ReasonCon and donated $3,000 to The Trevor Project.
2016 Charitable Efforts
Dear listeners, we once again remind you that …
Previous to 2016 contributions have also been made to Doctors Without Borders