Limitless Philanthropy

After writing my last post I have been thinking a lot about the needs of a non-profit and new ways to fulfill them. It's interesting the way life sometimes chooses to answer questions for you through new people and experiences. As I was reflecting on this problem and potential solutions, I had several experiences which reminded me, this is a two-way street..

I believe many people have a giving heart and the desire to contribute to causes but believe that they aren't part of that elite group of prosperous philanthropists. Webster's Dictionary defines philanthropy as: "goodwill to fellow members of the human race; especially active effort to promote human welfare;" there are many ways this can be done.

I work for a non-profit which seeks to find quality homes for children who have been abused and abandoned in the foster care system, our ultimate goal being to eliminate the foster care crisis and find forever families for all the children who have been displaced in foster care. Although our goal is to find foster families, not everyone is suited to be a foster/adoptive parent, and it is a job that should not be taken lightly. However, everyone can contribute to this cause. For many people they see two paths: 1. I can give money; 2. I can adopt a child. But there are many paths to eliminating this crisis. We have an incredibly generous woman in our office who donates her time monthly assisting with our accounting. She has a powerful skill and a passion for our cause and because she is willing to donate her time and talents, we don't have to pay for this expense. I have a friend who works for a company who gives him free merchandise (books and toys for children). As a recent graduate he may not be able to donate his time or money but he is able to give these new toys to our organization who then gives them to children once they are placed in homes. We have many generous supporters who would like to be able to give more to our organization but don't have the means, so they are running in the Pasadena Marathon this Sunday (as am I), raising funds from their friends, family and colleagues who may not have known about our organization but are now tied into our cause through the voice of their friend.

These are just a few examples of ways you can give but there are many more. My point is, don't limit yourself--we always have something more to give. Look at what you have (skills, gifts, time, support, relationships) and therein lies something to share.

"have a little faith"

I just finished reading Mitch Albom's novel, have a little faith. I must say I was a bit hesitant to give this book a chance, wary of religious cliches and overly poignant anecdotes. However, I must say I was pleasantly surprised and found the story demonstrated the universality of faith in the greater sense of the word. I would like to share a few passages which resonated with me and I believe will help inspire and enlighten anyone on a philanthropic quest. Enjoy.


"When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, right? Like this?"
He made a fist.
"Why? Because a baby, not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, to say, 'The whole world is mine.'
"But when an old person dies, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson."
What lesson? I asked.
He stretched open his empty fingers.
"We can take nothing with us."


I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow.
And ne'er a word said she;
But, oh! The things I learned from her,
When Sorrow walked with me.

--Robert Browning Hamilton


[A conversation on redemption..]
"And maybe people who only get chances to do bad, always around bad things, like us, when they finally make something good out of it, God's happy."


"If you could pack for heaven, this was how you'd do it, touching everything, taking nothing."


"...Which is why our sages tell us to repent exactly one day before we die."
But how do you know it's the day before you die? I asked.
He raised his eyebrows.
"Exactly."


I believe many of these lessons are especially important for those of us who grapple with issues of trust and redemption. In our attempts to provide services for members of the inner-cities, homeless communities and the like, we are often faced with the question of whether our funds and efforts will provide actual solutions or rather be abused and taken advantage of. This question will always persist, however the true stories contained in this novel just might show you how to take a second look and have a little faith...

Gifts that Keep on Giving!

As you are shopping for gifts this holiday season, consider these great items which give back as you give!

1. Uggs are the perfect holiday gift, especially for ladies. So why not give a pair that gives back to an organization that fights to protect her pair!

Purchase here for $99.95

Purchase here for $149.95

2. The ever-popular jewelry designer, Dogeared, has come up with a new Stand Up To Cancer necklace. Premiered at the Stand Up To Cancer TV Broadcast, the necklace is now being sold in 3 colors: rose gold, gold and silver, priced from $72-62. Part of the proceeds will be donated to this wonderful organization which promotes cancer research and the movement to end all cancer, forever.

Purchase this gold version here for $72

 3. Don't have time to bake your own holiday cookies this year? Not only will Baking for Good will send cookies and brownies to your loved ones, but they will also donate 15% of the proceeds to a charity of your choice. Almost to sweet to swallow!

Order a dozen Snow Day Gingerbread cookies here for $36

4.The holidays are often a time for entertaining and flowing wine. For your next holiday party why not toast to charity? ONEHOPE Wine is a company which donates HALF of their proceeds to a variety of charities.

Purchase this 2009 Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir for $23.99 and ONEHOPE will donate $4.00 to Supporting Children's Hospitals and $2.40 to a charity of your choice.

The Charitable Deduction

Over the past year, Obama's charitable deduction proposal has been a topic of contention for those in the non-profit sector. The charitable deduction was proposed as a means to alleviate the current deficit and provide funding for programs which would improve the current unemployment rate. Currently, the top income bracket is given a tax break of 35% on charitable donations. The charitable deduction would take this 35% down to 28%, a 7% decrease. This video, posted by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, clearly and simply explains what this could mean for donors, and how it could potentially effect their willingness to give. However, I would like to note that there is a visible bias in the information presented and this does not necessarily reflect my personal point of view.

The question for most of us is, whether or not this 7% cut will effect charitable giving. In an article by NPR from February 2011, they outline two ways of looking at the current charitable giving tax break: "To some, it's a subsidy for giving. To others, it's a much-needed incentive for people to give to nonprofits that provide services that the government either can't or won't." Depending on your side of the coin, you may see the charitable deduction proposal as having a more or less detrimental impact. Is the tax benefit a reward for generosity? Or rather a necessity to compensate for areas where the government is lacking service? If you support the latter, this 7% cut is comparable to school budget cuts or other areas where the government has cut funding in order to finance areas they deem more immediately necessary in this economic downturn.

However, before we all start to panic about this 7% cut, there is historical evidence to support the fact that a decrease in tax breaks for the wealthy will not significantly effect charitable giving. In the 1980's, President Reagan presented a similar deduction which resulted in minimal, if any, changes in charitable giving.

Ultimately, your decision on which side you take weighs on which issues you deem more immediately important. Should we work on our national fiscal situation now so we can solve the problems of the world tomorrow? Or are there greater, worldwide issues that cannot wait for us to climb out of our economical crisis? This moral quandary is one for you to decide.

For more specific information and detailed studies on tax breaks and their effect on charitable giving visit: http://philanthropy.com/article/Tax-PolicyGiving-A/129165/