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I’ve been thinking about Somalia a lot lately. My first thought was donating anything from my small budget to that huge relief effort would be like spitting in the ocean. But then I remembered my history of giving and had a change of heart.
Quite a few years ago I began donating small amounts of money to a few charities. My employer had a system in place for employee donations and I participated in a small way to be part of the group, but my primary giving was done at home.
I didn’t always have much left over. I raised two kids alone and later when they went to college we had challenging financial “issues.” Still, whenever I could I coughed up a few dollars for certain charities---very few dollars sometimes.
Over the years when the kids finished college and began their careers it was easier for me to give a bit more and I took the time to research various charitable organizations online. Or sometimes I’d hear of a family whose home burned in a fire and the news would provide the name of the fund set up for donations. New issues always pop up or a new crisis appears in the world via war, or natural disaster, or sometimes something sinister occurs and there are victims in need of emergency assistance.
I don’t have a religious affiliation but many have a variety of service programs available and from time to time I donate to a certain church in my town that provides meals and services for the homeless folks in our city. Most churches would be delighted to accept a donation from a non-member. My donations have never been refused nor has my religious belief system (or lack thereof) ever been called into question.
Because I donate fairly regularly to a variety of organizations I now have a mailbox full of envelopes begging for help along with “gifts” supplied to encourage me to donate again or to become a regular contributor. (I wish they wouldn’t spend the effort on sending me a gift.) My email is also full of requests for donations. Some are for monthly amounts to sustain a particular program. I can’t make that commitment so I haven’t done that. For those who can it can make a tremendous difference in many lives.
So recently my attention has been drawn to Somalia. I dug around and found many trustworthy sites online where donations can be safely made. We are lucky we have the resources provided by the Internet to investigate whether or not an organization is real or where the money is actually going.
When visiting one important site that I’ve given money to before I learned it’s crucial to carefully read their material to learn if we are donating directly to the current area of need or if we are donating “generally” to their overall operation. Of course, it’s important for charities to have operating expenses but if there’s a current serious need I prefer donating directly to that effort. We can even use our cell phones to donate! (Carefully after doing the research first.)
The point is, whether we donate to help with a crisis, or whether it’s to support an organization that devotes resources to cure a disease or alleviate hunger or provide housing or clothing or medical care, we must donate. Even a small amount is appreciated by charities. In my case, I’m retired and I live modestly. But I have adequate housing, clothing, food, a pension, pets, several tech gadgets I love, a cute little car, a small garden, and lots of fun things to provide me with a comfortable life. Even though I’m no longer working and I rely on my pension I find I can still spare a few dollars here and there. I just skip fancy coffee at the popular coffee shop down the street. I still have a cup from time to time but I save a lot of money by only going as an occasional treat and put the money to good use elsewhere.
Not only do I donate small amounts here and there I have always encouraged my kids to give what they can. Sometimes we get a surprise amount of money (I received an escrow overage check recently) or a larger than anticipated birthday check or a lucky day at the slot machines and when we are the fortunate beneficiaries of extra money, it’s a good thing to remember those less fortunate. An unanticipated windfall is easier to share with a charity because it doesn’t stretch the budget. But don’t give it away if needed. Charity begins at home. Once home and hearth are taken care of, and if there’s a reasonable amount left, that’s the time to give.
It’s true there are more charities in the world than we can possibly help but that isn’t how it works. Each individual should simply give a little here and there according to their resources. Even dropping a few coins in a kettle outside the mall at Christmas time helps. If trust is the issue, there’s no problem anymore because research is a click away.
Our country is suffering. When our country suffers the rest of the world suffers too. We are so important to the world economy that when we fall so does everyone else. But for those of us who are still solvent, this is the most important time to share what we can. However little. Charities are hurting because their donors are hurting. People who used to donate are often standing in line for help from the very organization they used to send money to.
When I donate a few dollars I always feel so good. I recently gave an old car to one of our local animal shelters. I loved the car and it served me well for many years. It was still in great shape and someone will get a safe reliable car and the shelter gets a little money for operating expenses. (By way of another animal donation I adopted two dogs from another shelter and a few cats over the years!) I could have sold the car but realized it was a great opportunity for me to give something substantial without “feeling” it in the pocketbook. I did feel it emotionally however. It was a great feeling.
Some believe there are more ethereal awards for giving but I just like the way it feels when I send off a small check that will feed a village for a week. (I’m not kidding. It takes very little to feed an entire village in some parts of the world. Check it out.)
Giving can be habit forming and it doesn’t have to hurt. Just a little can make a huge difference to someone less fortunate. And---there’s always someone less fortunate.
[Note: I deliberately omitted names of specific charities I contribute to because it’s best to find the ones that tug at individual heartstrings.] “Once I built a railroad, made it run,
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, now it's done.
Brother can you spare a dime?”
1931 by lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg and composer Jay Gorney
[No part of this content may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author. Blog series began in March 2009.]
