Tag: volunteering

Can’t Stop the Giving

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Now that the season of giving is officially over, we are approaching the harshest time of year, when underprivileged, poor and homeless fellow Americans need our help the most. The average high [temperature] across the United States in January is 42° F and the average low is 27°, [making it[ the coldest month of the year. In February, the average high moves to 44° and the average low is 28°. […] Using New York […] as the example, the cost of heating oil jumps in the winter, with [the] January [2014] cost per gallon [at] $4.13 and February’s cost [at] $4.34. […]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a family of four is considered living in poverty if their annual income is under $23,850. The current […] U.S. […] poverty rate is 14.5%, [amounting to] 45.3 million people living in poverty. […] The poverty rate for children is 19.9%; for people ages 18 [to] 34, it is 13.6%, and for those over 65, the rate is 9.5%.

We can’t rely on our government to take care of the poor—or can we? The New American just reported that 65% of our children live in households [participating] in at least one or more of these government aid programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program […]; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC); Medicaid; [or] the National School Lunch Program. The “War on Poverty,” which was part of the “Great Society” plan of President Johnson, […] celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014. Our government has spent $22 trillion over these 50 years to support this war.

So does the U.S. welfare system actually hamper dignity while claiming to grant it? We continue to hear stories of recipients abusing the social safety net designed to help those who truly need our help. Do some of these programs trap people into the poverty they are trying to escape? Our government programs address complex social problems with a one-size-fits-all solution. Local nonprofit organizations and local governments have a better vantage point to identify and address the true poverty issues in their communities, [making them] more invested in the success of the families and individuals living [there].

[N]ow that the holidays are over, we are back to focusing on ourselves. Whether it is finding a gym to get back in shape or a diet to lose the holiday pounds, our attention naturally shifts away from those who need our help 365 days a year. [Fortunately], there are several nonprofit organizations that don’t give up after the holidays. […] One of my favorites is One Warm Coat. This nonprofit organization started [in 1992] with a Thanksgiving weekend coat drive, [and, since] then, they have organized thousands of groups across America that collect coats to give to those in need. […] Another favorite is Operation Warm, which started in 2002 and [relies on] organizations like [local] Rotary [clubs] and firefighters to distribute over 300,000 coats to impoverished children annually.

Each of these caring organizations began way before the recession, survived the recession and continues to serve the underprivileged as the country recovers. The Salvation Army [is] the second largest charity in the country, receiving $2.08 billion in donations annually. The largest charity is The United Way, who took in $3.87 billion [within its] network of over 1,300 units across the country. […]

With the impasse in Washington, [D.C.], which looks like it will be getting even worse in 2015, we cannot rely on our government to pick up the slack to take care of those Americans who truly need our help. Gas prices are going down, giving all of us more discretionary income to spend. The holidays are over, […] and now it is time […] to step up and begin to funnel [that] extra gas money back into our local communities to help our neighbors pull themselves out of poverty. We, as citizens, need to create a new grassroots effort—our own local “War on Poverty.” Having 45.3 million people living in poverty is not what any of our forefathers envisioned, and it is not the country we want to leave to our children.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/cant-stop-the-giving_b_6390550.html

Donating: Is It the American Way?

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In the United States, there are 1,429,801 tax-exempt organizations made up of 966,599 public charities; 96,584 private foundations; and 366,618 other types of nonprofits, including chambers of commerce, fraternal organizations and civic leagues, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. These [tax-exempt] organizations paid for 9.2% of all wages in [our nation last year] and accounted for 5.5% of GDP. Charitable contributions are over $320 billion, with religious organizations receiving 32% […] and educational institutions getting 13%.

Over the last five years, the World Giving Index rates the United States as the most giving country, followed by Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada and the United Kingdom. What is driving the No. 1 rating is the fact that helping a stranger is more commonplace in [our country], with 77% of Americans saying they helped someone they did not know. The United States ranks third globally in volunteering and 13th in donating money.

[Americans] have a long history of giving back. [T]he Pilgrims […] relied on neighbors to survive the harsh winters. The settlers raised each others’ barns, hosted quilting bees for the community and built common areas in their towns. Benjamin Franklin […] is known as the Founding Father of American Volunteerism; [in] the late 1700s, [h]e gathered volunteers to sweep the streets of Philadelphia, organized the nation’s first volunteer fire department [and] established a voluntary militia. […] His philosophy was “individuals working together, un-coerced, for the common good.” In the 1830s, two groups who felt their lack of power—women, who had no right to vote, and the clergy, whose political authority was weakened by the constitutional separation of church and state—formed benevolent societies to focus on issues [like] slavery, cruelty, drinking [and] illiteracy.

[B]illionaires [also] have given to improve [American] society. Andrew Carnegie, who made his fortune in the steel industry, helped fund 3,000 public libraries, […] 7,000 church organs and […] Carnegie Hall in New York City. […] John Rockefeller, Jr., who made his fortune in oil, donated land along the East River in Manhattan for the United Nations headquarters in his belief that the world together can get better. […] Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, probably the two best-known billionaires, created the “Giving Pledge,” which now has 127 billionaires committed to pledging at least half of their wealth to help nonprofits.

These are examples of the very visible givers. There are hundreds of others who have given to help hospitals and schools and the underprivileged that are not in the news.

Overall, Americans give, on average, 3% of their income to charity, a figure that has not budged significantly for decades. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that there are significant differences in how much the average American gives; [i]n Utah and Mississippi, households [donate an average of] 7% of their incomes to charity, while in Massachusetts and three other New England states, giving is under 3%. Middle-class Americans give a far bigger share of their discretionary income; households earning $50,000 [to] $75,000 [annually] give an average of 7.6% of their income to charity compared to 4.2% of people making over $100,000. […]

What are the reasons people help other people? According to Gaiam.com, giving to charity improves your sense of well-being, [because you know] that you sacrificed time, finances or property to help others. Supporting a cause can help keep you informed about issues of social injustice. Giving to charity out of spiritual conviction can strengthen your spiritual life. Volunteering with a charity may result in physical and social benefits—[a]nd donations are tax-deductible.

Having donations as a tax-deductible item has been in the fabric of our taxes since the Revenue Act of 1917, which established […] an individual income-tax deduction for contributions made to tax-exempt charitable organizations. According to CNN, the charitable deduction is the ninth-largest tax expenditure in the federal budget. In 2014, the amount of revenue the government will forgo from those claiming charitable deductions is estimated to reach $52 billion. Giving, on one hand, helps those in need, while on the other hand, [it] pushes our government into greater debt.

Community service is not political, and it is not mandated by the state. It is something that comes from deep within our core values. A true definition of this can be seen with the Society of Secret Santas, who[se members] give away $100 bills of their own money to the needy to help reinforce the self-worth and image of those they help. […] They give in anonymity; [lead] by example; [share] their wealth in a humble, selfless way; [and] show compassion through random acts of kindness, tapping into the human spirit by giving the recipient hope and belief.

Anonymous givers set the stage to teach our kids about the selflessness of being kind. Whether it is cleaning out your closet to help a charitable organization or spending time to help the elderly or volunteering to help a neighbor do yard work or shovel snow, the examples we adults set today by our actions will influence how the next generation views their obligations to others. […]

From Ben Franklin to Andrew Carnegie to Warren Buffet, well-known leaders set the example for us, but you don’t have to be a billionaire leaving a legacy to make a difference. [V]olunteering still forms the core of the American character—[i]t is who we are and how we pass on freedom and caring to the next generation. Maybe that is one reason that seniors volunteer at a higher rate than our children. The experience of life that seniors [possess] is precious, and if we can teach the younger generations to care more about others, we can continue to be the most charitable nation, just like our forefathers [envisioned].

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/donatingis-it-the-america_b_6222052.html

The War on Poverty is Back; This Time, It’s the People’s Burden

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Feeding America reports that 15.9 million kids [in the United States] under the age of 18, [or one in five], are unable to consistently access nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for a healthy life. Last month, Congress passed a sweeping “Farm Bill” that cut an additional $8.6 billion from SNAP, [or the] Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, over the next 10 years. This is on top of the $5 billion the program lost last November because the 2009 Recovery Act stimulus bill expired. Forty-seven million Americans currently participate in SNAP, up 47% since the [r]ecession started in 2008, [which] means that 15% of us rely on this program to eat. […]

We don’t have to be math whizzes to know that a 47% increase in participation, coupled with a reduction in the funding of $13.6 billion, spells misery for millions of Americans. This program has been the federal social safety net for low-income Americans, and now this safety net is beginning to tear.

The New York Times reports that more and more people are beginning to show up at soup kitchens and food pantries. The first reduction in November cut out 23 meals per month for a family of four. In New York City, the number of people seeking food aid grew by 85% after the November cuts, while 23% of the city’s food pantries and soup kitchens reduced the number of meals they provided. Food stamps were the signature program of President Johnson’s “War on Poverty” during the 1960s, which led to fewer poor children going hungry or having nutrition-related developmental delays. Birth weights also grew for children of poor mothers on food stamps.

As a nation, we can’t afford to go back to the nutritional standards before the “War on Poverty.” Luckily for us, our nonprofit organizations are stepping in and have created food banks to help fill the void continually shaped by Congress. The world’s first food bank started in 1967, right after the “War on Poverty” began. St. Mary’s Food Bank was started by John Van Hengel, who was volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix, serving dinners to those in need. A mother told him the soup kitchens and grocery store Dumpsters were the only way she could feed her children. John went to the local parish, St. Mary’s Basilica, and shared his vision of collecting food and money for food and depositing it where those in need could withdraw it. They gave John $3,000 and an abandoned building to get the food bank up and running. Today, food banks touch just about every corner of the United States.

Ozarks Food Harvest, one of the Feeding America food banks in Springfield, Mo., distributes food to 320 hunger-relief organizations across 29 Missouri counties, reaching 41,000 people a month. To help hungry children, they have a weekend backpack program, where they fill 1,500 backpacks with food so these underprivileged kids can have something to eat when they can’t eat at school. How can you not love an organization that takes care of others every day of the week?

Kentucky is setting an example for the rest of government in how to encourage its citizens to help others. Its legislature has made it easier for Kentuckians to donate to the Farms to Food Banks Program by just checking a box on their state tax returns to have part of their tax refunds […] automatically go to this program. This is how the government should behave in inspiring [its citizens] to help each other. […]

[Just last month], General Motors Foundation […] donated $500,000 to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, [which serves] the people of metro[politan] Detroit. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida recently donated $250,000 to the Florida Association of Food Banks. The Alaska Federal Credit Union donated money to 17 food banks. Businesses with a conscience are beginning to step up to fill this massive void, but, so far, there is too big a gap to fill. We have got to make up the billions of dollars lost to support those in the most need in this new order of priorities created by Congress. We, as citizens of this fine country, need to create a new grassroots effort for this latest “War on Poverty.” Having 47 million Americans in need of food is not the country our forefathers envisioned. It is also not the country we want to leave to our children.

Original article here: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/the-war-on-poverty-is-back_b_4866216.html

To Give or Not to Give

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Every day, we read about famous Americans supporting nonprofit organizations, [whether it’s] Warren Buffett, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, [the] Lilly Endowment, the Walton Family Foundation or the Ford Foundation. [Many wealthy] and middle-class Americans [alike] give because it is the right thing to do, and they do not need recognition because philanthropy is an expression of personal and family values.

The New York Times recently reported about how many buildings in New York [City] have their donors’ names on them. There are many reasons donors want their name on a building, including getting proper recognition for being a philanthropist and inspiring others to contribute to causes you believe will make a difference. On the other side, there are many reasons to give anonymously, such as being able to give credit to those performing the services rather than those providing funding, [as well as] ensuring you won’t be overwhelmed by other [organizations] chasing you for money and [exposing] your [potentially] deep pockets if you […] get involved in [any] litigation.

Judeo-Christian [beliefs] caution us against self-promotion, which would tend to support anonymous giving. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches that “when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets” [and] “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret.” The Jewish sage Maimonides wrote, “It is best that the giver and receiver not know each other’s identities—in this way, the poor person’s dignity is preserved.”

I was recently moved when I saw on national TV a story about “The Kalamazoo Promise,” [a] scholarship program started in 2005 for all graduates of Kalamazoo, Mich., public schools. It is funded by anonymous donors who pay up to 100% of tuition […] to Michigan’s colleges and universities. [As a result] of [this] program […], the school district has grown by 16%, which helps the economy of the city; test scores have improved; and a greater proportion of high-school graduates are attending college. […] There are now over 20 [similar] scholarship programs around this great country. […]

What are the real reasons we give […] our time and money? Helping others who are struggling is an act of compassion that most Americans are taught as we grow up. Community service is not political, and it is not mandated by the state; [i]t is something that comes from deep within our core values. A true definition of this can be seen with the Society of Secret Santas, who give away $100 bills of their own money to the needy to help reinforce the self-worth and image of those they help, as well as [to] show unconditional love to those who feel society has stopped caring about them. We do not know who these Secret Santas are—[t]hey give in anonymity, they [lead] by example, and they [share] their wealth in a humble, selfless way. They show compassion through random acts of kindness, tapping into the human spirit by giving the recipient hope and belief.

“Promise” organizations, the Secret Santas and […] other anonymous givers set the stage to teach our kids about the selflessness of being kind. Whether it is cleaning out your closet to help a charitable organization, spending time to help the elderly, or volunteering to help a neighbor do yard work or shovel snow, the examples we […] set today […] will influence how the next generation views their obligations to others. […]

All of us want our children to be smart, funny and athletic, but much of those traits depend on the child’s genetic makeup. Being kind, though, is an entirely learned behavior that is influenced by how the kid’s parents and mentors react to different situations. Setting an example of how to be kind to others, whether you shout your generosity from the highest building or you give to others anonymously, may be the best lesson we pass on to those who will eventually take our place.

Original article here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/to-give-or-not-to-give_b_3480094.html

Charity is in Our DNA

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Since the beginning of America, we have been a giving people.

  • [I]n 1630, [Pilgrams] relied on each other to survive the harsh winters. The settlers raised each other’s barns, hosted quilting bees for the community, and built common areas in their towns.
  • Benjamin Franklin, the founding father of American volunteerism, […] gathered volunteers to sweep the streets of Philadelphia, organized the nation’s first volunteer fire department, established a voluntary militia and organized a philosophical society. His philosophy was “individuals working together, un-coerced, for the common good.”
  • In the 1830s, two groups who felt their lack of power—women, who had no right to vote, and the clergy, whose political authority was weakened by the constitutional separation of church and state—formed benevolent societies to focus on issues [like] slavery, cruelty, drinking, illiteracy and more.

[Our passion for giving] continues [today] with the forming of the Red Cross, local libraries, community parks, defeating polio with the March of Dimes, and Paul Newman’s Foundation donating $300 million of [its] profits to his “Hole in the Wall” camps for kids with serious diseases and helping the nonprofit, Feeding America. […]

Many of us participate in charity in some form. It can be as simple as taking cookies to an aging neighbor or donating items you no longer use to a good cause. The Corporation for National & Community Service reports that 64.3 million Americans volunteered in a formal organization [in 2012], an increase of 1.5 million from [2011]. This is 26.8% of the population giving 7.9 billion hours, which has a value of $171 billion. The four most popular service activities were fundraising or selling items to raise money (26.2%); collecting, preparing, distributing or serving food (23.6%); engaging in general labor or transportation (20.3%); and tutoring or teaching (18.2%). One in three volunteers is […] age 55 and older, giving this group a lifetime of experience to tap into to help those in the greatest need.

According to the World Giving Index, the United States was the fifth most charitable nation [in 2012]. Australia was first, followed by Ireland, Canada and New Zealand. […] We [Americans] like to be No. 1 at everything, so it’s surprising [to me] we don’t even finish in the top three! Is it because we have lost the passion of our forefathers, or are we just too selfish to help others because the “me” generation stretches from birth to death?

This country has been so successful because it reaches out to others through immigration; government-sponsored help like social security, head-start [programs] and food stamps; and nonprofit organizations who coordinate projects from feeding the poor to aiding the homeless to providing for the sick. More of us have volunteered this year than last year, but we are still not at the point where we lead the world in kindness.

[The year 2013 is when] we need to pull the charity gene out of our DNA and use it to help our fellow Americans. Our economic recovery is still quite tough, and we are many years away from [returning to] where we were before [the] recession. More people need […] help now because [of] the [recent] implementation of […] sequestration. […] If you can’t make the time to volunteer to help others, at least give some financial support. Online, the Network for Good and Just [Giving] are a good start to help nonprofits needing our backing. […]

More than 200 years ago, [Benjamin] Franklin felt the average citizen must share in a commitment to the greater good of their community and their country. [Today], volunteering still forms the core of the American character. It is who we are and how we pass on freedom and caring to the next generation. Maybe that is one reason that seniors volunteer at a higher rate than our children. […] Now, if we can teach the younger generations to care more about others, perhaps we can become the No. 1 most charitable nation, just like our forefathers [envisioned].

Original article here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/charity-is-in-our-dna_b_3385806.html

Pet Care: Why Don’t We Care Every Month of the Year?

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April has more pet-awareness events than any other time of year. It is the ASPCA’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, [the] American Red Cross’ National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, National Heart-worm Awareness Month, National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week, National Pet ID Week, National Kids and Pets Day, National Hairball Awareness Day, World Veterinary Day, International Guide Dog Day, and National Adopt-a-Shelter-Pet Day. Why do we care so much about our animals for us to celebrate them so often in just one month?

[Nearly every day], the news [reports] a bizarre story of humans’ disregard for animals. Today, it may be the 100 animals rescued at a home in Howell, N.J., or the 20 horses in Larimer County, Colo., rescued from a ranch; tomorrow, it could be the 60 malnourished dogs rescued in Monroe, Conn., or the pet groomer accused of aggravated animal cruelty in Slidell, La. County by county, state by state, human cruelty to animals happens every day, everywhere.

According to the ASPCA, there are 5,000 community animal shelters nationwide, and close to seven million animals enter these shelters each year. Sixty percent of the dogs and 70% of the cats are euthanized. Only 2% of cats and 20% of dogs are returned to their owners from shelters because they are identified with tags, tattoos or microchips. More than 20% of people who leave a dog at a shelter adopted [the dog] from a shelter.

Now consider that 62% of American households have a pet. We own 78.2 million dogs and 86.4 million cats. The average cost of basic food, supplies, medical care and training for dogs and cats is $750 each per year. Inc. magazine reported that in 2012, the pet industry did $52.87 billion in sales, and [the publication] rank[s] “pet care” as the seventh best industry to enter if you are an entrepreneur looking to start a business. This industry includes grooming, pet hotels, online sales, retail pet stores, innovative pet product manufacturing and even pet funerals.

So how come such a large industry can’t step into our daily lives and help all these poor animals in need? Why do we even need to have a month like April, filled with reminders […] cruelty to animals [is still at] the forefront of the news? I don’t have the answer to this because it cuts to the core of human nature, and it’s not only about how we treat our beloved best animal friends but […] how we treat each other.

If the pet industry can’t step up and use some of their profits to help the less-fortunate animals and to help fund the 5,000 animal shelters, then it falls back on all of us. […] The people of Dallas County, Texas, have stepped up and […] funded a [new] unit in their District Attorney’s office that strictly focuses on cases involving harm to animals. All the major animal rights groups—the ASPCA, the Humane Society and the American Humane Association—gladly will take your donations to support their humanitarian causes. […]

The majority of us own pets. […] The unconditional love our pets give us transcends work issues, family conflicts, death and divorce, [s]o, during this month-long celebration honoring our best friends, do the right thing. Give […] your money to help these shelters and caring organizations ease the burden for these defenseless animals. Volunteer at your local shelter to help these animals cope with being alone. None of us want to be alone, and your simple act of kindness goes a long way for animals who can’t talk for themselves.

Original article here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/april-animal-awareness_b_2964019.html

Who’s Your Best Friend?

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We at DollarDays noticed this year on our Facebook page that every time we posted a picture of a dog or cat, it was shared five times more than any other picture we posted. In this modern world of us all moving in so many different directions at such a high speed, why do people slow down to smile, laugh and gush about pets?

We have all read about the medical reasons to have a pet. WebMD, in an article this summer, told us that pets are natural mood enhancers; […] only a few minutes with a dog or cat or watching fish swim [can make] us feel less anxious and less stressed. They said pets help keep blood pressure in check, and children with hypertension lowered their blood pressure while petting their dog. Pets are good for your heart, help lower cholesterol and help fight depression. People who own dogs tend to be more physically active, and, in reality, walking your dog daily may be one of the main reasons animals help with your heart and stress. WebMD went on to say that researchers have found that when children grow up in a home with a dog or cat, they are less likely to develop allergies, and the same is true for kids who live on a farm with large animals. [M]aybe pets are the miracle drug [for which] we have all been waiting!

The Hartford Towns reported last month that the American Pet Products Association, in their latest 2012 survey, said 62% of U.S. households own a pet, [or] 72.9 million homes. While the number of cats outnumber dogs by eight million, more households have dogs. Americans will spend $53 billion this year on food, supplies, vets and other services for our pets.

[Indeed, some may argue that] America is obsessed with our pets. As The Huffington Post reported, the Walker Art Center, a well-regarded museum of modern art in Minneapolis, presented in late August its first “Internet Cat Video Film Festival” to showcase the best in feline web videos. They received 10,000 submissions of one-minute cat videos and picked the top 70, which were shown on an outdoor screen at the museum.

We know about the medical reasons for a pet, but what about the psychological advantages? The American Psychological Association published a study done at Miami University of Ohio and St. Louis University, where they concluded that people with pets were closer to other important people in their lives and received more support from these people, not less. […]

I heard on NPR Radio that Clifford the Big Red Dog is celebrating his 50th anniversary. There have been 90 Clifford books selling 126 million copies in 13 languages. Clifford kept getting bigger and bigger because of all the love children showed him, eventually ending up 25′ tall, full of kids’ love.

Not every animal is a Clifford. According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), there are close to 5,000 community animal shelters that house up to seven million animals a year. Of these, 60% of dogs and 70% of cats are euthanized each year. For anyone who has ever looked into the eyes of their pet and felt that unconditional love looking back, we cannot continue to let these animal shelters go underfunded and undermanned. This is National Pet Wellness Month, and all of us need to reach deep in our pockets to help these shelters find homes for these innocent animals. Learn more from the American Humane Association or the ASPCA, or get your teen involved in the site DoSomething.org, where it will teach them how to fight to help homeless shelter animals get adopted with a new app for their phone.

Pets complement our social lives with other humans. They also comfort us when we are all alone. These pets sitting in these cages at these animal shelters are all alone with no one to comfort them. Most won’t make it out of these cages. During this month honoring our pets, these other innocent animals need our help. Helping to support homeless pets is an act of kindness that pierces to the core of human existence. These blameless animals sorely need our help. Americans have always stepped up to help those in need. These guiltless animals give us so much joy, let’s work hard together to eliminate their sorrow.

Original article here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/whos-your-best-friend_b_1940214.html

Giving is Down, but Caring is Up

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[In 2011], the people of the United States were ranked as the most generous in the world in terms of giving time and money to nonprofits, up from fifth place in 2010, according to The L.A. Times. [Approximately] 65% of Americans said they donated money to charity, 43% volunteered their time, and 73% helped a stranger. As far as giving money, Thailand is the most generous, with 85% of their population donating money. [I]n the United Kingdom, 79% gave money, but the British and most of the rest of the world are about half as likely to do volunteer work as Americans, so that is how America regained its No. 1 ranking in 2011. The top-ranked United States was followed by Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The Center of Philanthropy at Indiana University reported that Americans overall contributed 2% of disposable personal income to philanthropic causes, which is the percent[age] that has remained consistent over the decades. […] This tells us that, despite personal and economic hardships, Americans remain steadfastly committed to each other and their communities. Philanthropy is at the heart of who we are as a society. The Center breaks down our giving as:

Religious Donations35%
Education14%
Foundations11%
Human Services (Emergencies)9%
Public-society Benefits8%
Arts, Culture & Humanities5%
International Affairs5%
Environment/Animals2%

We have always believed that our top 1% is the most generous part of our population to nonprofit organizations. According to Philanthropy.com, the top 50 donors in 2011 contributed $10.4 billion, of which $6 billion was from Margaret Cargill, who died in 2006 and her assets [were] formed [into] a foundation in 2011. [W]ithout this, the top 50 total was $4.4 billion. In 2007, the top 50 gave $7.3 billion, and, in 2008, the top 50 gave $15.5 billion. Twenty-nine people on the top 50 list in 2011 gave $50 million or more, [b]ut wealthy people still are not feeling as generous as before the recession. […] The median gift from these donors is $61 million, compared to $74.7 million in 2007.

This top 50 group gives differently than the rest of the United States. [Roughly] 36% [of their donations] went to higher education, 35% to foundations, and 15% to hospitals, medical centers and medical research. No one in this top 50 gave […] $5 million or more to a social-services group. Many philanthropists don’t see human-service organizations as the best way to alleviate America’s problems. Quoting Eli Broad, “[H]e has some sympathy for the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protestors, but their message of inequality supports his diagnosis of what ails America. [A] poor education system and education will help solve many of our problems.” Interesting[ly], within this top 50 group, only two people who made the biggest gifts of the year are among the 69 who signed the Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates “Giving Pledge,” which promises to commit at least half of their wealth to charities.

Forbes reported that the 200 largest U.S. charities are only 0.002 of 1% of the country’s 1.5 million tax-exempt organizations, [y]et these top 200 received $41 billion in gifts, which is one-seventh of all charitable contributions. The largest charity is the United Way, with No. 2 being The Salvation Army and No. 3 Feeding America. In June 2011, 275,000 nonprofit organizations lost their tax-exempt status for failure to file legally required documents for three consecutive years. In fact, according to the IRS Tax-exempt Organization’s Table 25, there are [fewer] tax-exempt organizations in 2011 than in every year since 2003. With this turmoil in nonprofit organizations going in and out of business, it is no wonder that our largest donors tend to migrate to the nonprofit organizations that have been around awhile and have a track record.

The rest of us 99% don’t have the luxury of giving millions of dollars to our favorite charity, [b]ut we can give a little, even if it is the national average of 2%, to support causes we believe will help change the world. […] Giving is as good for your own soul as it is for the people you help. If you don’t have the cash, do what 43% of Americans do: volunteer to help a nonprofit that helps others. This is an honorable way to be part of giving back so those in need don’t give up. Giving your time or giving your hard-earned dollars has a rippling effect. A single act of kindness can change lives—and statistics.

Original article here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/donating-non-profits_b_1570890.html