Tags
charitble giving, do we always have to give more than before, donations, ego, how would you donate millions, Love, need for control, New Year Resolution
“The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations, and benefits,” by Plutarch.
When I think of philanthropy, I get stuck between this quote, which has some merit. Surrounded by many families living off generational welfare — I have come to believe our government is doing a vast disservice to able-bodied people by just handing them checks.
And there is the opposite position. In the following TED talk Bill and Melinda Gates have a fortune so vast they can change the lives of entire communities and the structure of basic systems like education. Isn’t it a good thing to improve the lives of people around the world so all have an equal chance at a quality of life?
So for now, I decided to put aside the question — is it beneficial to individuals and communities in the long-term to just give them money? The question I tried to answers was: What if someone asked me to help donate their money? I wondered would I donate $25 in the same way I would donate $2500? The answer would be probably. There are a few local groups needing money to move forward with their projects and I would just give it to them.
Now what about the difference between $25,000 and $250,000? Probably not. Both of these amounts I would probably use part of it to have a fundraiser to try to raise even more money. And I would feel (even though it’s not my money to begin with) that I would want some say as to how it was being spent.
And finally, $25,000,000? Now instead of giving it away to someone else’s charity — I believe I would look at starting a charity. I would look at trying to change the entire view of a community. Locals view our town as a factory town even though most of the factories have left. So what if we viewed our community as an artisanal town? If the center of our “industry” was our lake and river and nature trials and small shops ….
I thought this after watching this TED video.
In the end, I was very disappointed in myself. Why should it take millions of dollars to change my community? Why couldn’t I make an impactful change with just $25? I realized it was more of an ego thing than did I really want to make a change thing. If one looks at organizations such as KIVA, who take $25 donations from a few people and put them together to make loans to help people get their businesses started… it doesn’t take millions to make a difference. Only my Ego has convinced me that it does. Did you notice that as the dollar amount went up, so did my need for control and put my face on it? I didn’t until I typed it all out.
Today’s Intention: I don’t need to do everything — something is enough. I don’t need to give more than last year — as long as I give. I recognize that if I give $25 freely from heart — it is no more or less loving than if the Gates’ give $25 million. As long as something is given with love — the starting point does not matter because Love will always expand. I need to evaluate NOT how much I give but WHY I give.
What about you? If you were asked to figure out how to donate money — would you change your approach to donating it depending on the amount?
I hope you receive all that you need today — especially love.
Love,
Colleen
Life in the City with a Future 
Reblogged this on sondasmcschatter and commented:
QUOTE: “What about you? If you were asked to figure out how to donate money — would you change your approach to donating it depending on the amount?”
WE GIVE MONEY TO SEVERAL CHARITIES– WE ARE NOT RICH– & WE WATCH HOW THAT MONEY IS SPENT– BUT WE ALSO GIVE MONEY TO PEOPLE WE KNOW WHO NEED A HAND UP— & I HAVE HELPED MANY START THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESSES– NOT WITH MONEY BUT WITH START UP KNOWLEDGE– & OWNING MANY SMALL BUSINESSES OVER THE YEARS—– I HAVE HELPED OTHERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF EXPERIENCE!!
WE HAVE ALSO HELPED MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS & FOUND WE WERE ONLY BEING ENABLERS—- MY HUSBAND & I HAVE WORKED FOR EVERY THING WE HAVE NO ONE GAVE US ANY THING!!! AND WE TOOK CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE & WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED WITHIN OUR MEANS– & WE WORKED HARD FOR EVERYTHING– NO HAND OUTS– NO HAND UPS– & WHEN I LOOK AT FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR WHOLE LIVES EXPECTING OTHERS TO DO FOR THEM– & PAY THEIR BILLS– & WAITING TO INHERIT— I AM GLAD NO ONE GAVE TO ME ALL MY LIFE & BAILED ME OUT– THAT I DID ALL –ON MY OWN WITH NO HELP FROM ANYONE ELSE!!!!!!!! I THINK THAT IS THE BEST WE CAN TEACH OTHERS IS HOW TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN ON THEIR OWN– & TO LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS!!!! AND I ALSO BELIEVE WE NEED TO TEACH EVERYONE THE BASIS OF EVERYDAY LIFE– COOKING– CLEANING– GARDENING– NATURAL HEALTH CARE- CHILD CARE– BUDGETS– ETC-ETC-ETC— ALL THE A-B-C’S OF LIFE THAT DON’T SEEM TO BE TAUGHT ANY MORE– FOR THE LIVING OF EVERYDAY HAPPY HEALTHY LIVES!!!! THAT IS JUST MY 2 CENTS WORTH!!!! 🙂 LOVE YA!!! LATER–
I agree that is better to teach how to do something rather than give the money to have it done for them. Well said. 😀
HUGS!!!
Your post makes me think of the saying, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.” Handouts don’t always help people. Sometimes the handout prevents people from figuring out how to help themselves.
It feels good to say we have donated money. But by showing people how to help themselves (which takes time and effort on our part), we have enriched our life and someone else’s life at the same time. Sometimes the most valuable thing we can offer someone else is our time.
I always thought it would be great if I was a CEO someday to have people work a 35 hour week if they were willing to use the other 5 hours volunteering. What a great thing as you say, we took the time to teach what we know. 😀