I'm pretty sure I've written about this before, but since Alyssa's linkup topics offer this as an option, I'll get back on my soapbox.
I don't donate to charity nearly as much as I should or would like to. But, after attending a TEDx event in Philly, I was really struck by the idea one of the speakers, Katherina Rosqueta discussed:
One of the Rosqueta's examples was the food bank. I'm sure you've participated in a can drive. We all have. Did you go out and buy some canned food for it? As Rosqueta pointed out, had you merely donated that money to the food bank instead of buying a can, which would then need to be transported, the food bank could have acquired much, much more food than the one or two cans you donated. The food bank has resources we do not, and even access to free food from oversupply and mislabeled products at various grocery stores/vendors, so what they really need is money to cover transportation costs. Basically they can do a lot more with that money than we can, so it makes far more sense to donate cash rather than pre-purchased food.
The one charity I do donate to monthly (and would advocate!!!) is the Nurse-Family Partnership. They aim to provide access to nurses for underprivileged (and often underaged) mothers. This support helps to maintain the mother and child's physical health, mental health, and improves childhood learning outcomes and increases the chances that the child will go on to college and successfully find a career.
I'm all about education, personally, because I feel like that's one way to improve the future, rather than just slapping a band aid on the present, but I understand that everyone has different causes they feel passionate about. Regardless of what type of issue you want to help out with, I do highly recommend checking out the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, because they have a list of the organizations they feel make the most impact, organized by issue type, with all the research that went into making that conclusion. Or you could do what my mom did and pick something from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who did their own research to deduce which issues most impact society before deciding where to send their money.
I'm hoping as I continue into my career and earn more money, I can continue to pick charities off the list that appeal to me, but for now there's one other thing I like and would recommend.
I've donated $5 to ALS, MS, to kickstarters for someone whose house was burned down as a hate crime, someone who needed brain surgery, a funeral for a family member of a friend, and so on. It feels good to be able to do something even if that something is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
I don't donate to charity nearly as much as I should or would like to. But, after attending a TEDx event in Philly, I was really struck by the idea one of the speakers, Katherina Rosqueta discussed:
High-Impact Philanthropy
The whole concept is putting your money where it can do the most good. A lot of us donate when it's convenient or when someone or something reminds us to. And there is nothing wrong with that! But I don't think it's any secret that not every charity or nonprofit is created equal. There are operating costs and not all of them manage those as efficiently as they could. Some pay their chief officers what I would deem an excessive amount. And others contribute in ways that aren't as efficient as they could be.One of the Rosqueta's examples was the food bank. I'm sure you've participated in a can drive. We all have. Did you go out and buy some canned food for it? As Rosqueta pointed out, had you merely donated that money to the food bank instead of buying a can, which would then need to be transported, the food bank could have acquired much, much more food than the one or two cans you donated. The food bank has resources we do not, and even access to free food from oversupply and mislabeled products at various grocery stores/vendors, so what they really need is money to cover transportation costs. Basically they can do a lot more with that money than we can, so it makes far more sense to donate cash rather than pre-purchased food.
The one charity I do donate to monthly (and would advocate!!!) is the Nurse-Family Partnership. They aim to provide access to nurses for underprivileged (and often underaged) mothers. This support helps to maintain the mother and child's physical health, mental health, and improves childhood learning outcomes and increases the chances that the child will go on to college and successfully find a career.
I'm all about education, personally, because I feel like that's one way to improve the future, rather than just slapping a band aid on the present, but I understand that everyone has different causes they feel passionate about. Regardless of what type of issue you want to help out with, I do highly recommend checking out the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, because they have a list of the organizations they feel make the most impact, organized by issue type, with all the research that went into making that conclusion. Or you could do what my mom did and pick something from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who did their own research to deduce which issues most impact society before deciding where to send their money.
I'm hoping as I continue into my career and earn more money, I can continue to pick charities off the list that appeal to me, but for now there's one other thing I like and would recommend.
Monthly $5 Freebie
Everyone has their own pet charities and I hate to be all stodgy when someone says, "I'm participating in a [walk/5K/bike/etc]. Will anyone help us out?" I used to agonize over every single on of these instances and sometimes I'd donate and sometimes I wouldn't and it was always a different amount. Now I give myself $5 a month to spend wherever I want. A dog down in South Carolina needs surgery? Sure. Yeah, if I thought about it logically, I might decide that that $5 would do "more good" going to a shelter that helps lots of dogs, but it called to me and $5 isn't enough that I really need to worry about whether I made the most logical choice for it.I've donated $5 to ALS, MS, to kickstarters for someone whose house was burned down as a hate crime, someone who needed brain surgery, a funeral for a family member of a friend, and so on. It feels good to be able to do something even if that something is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
What are your pet charities? Have you heard of high impact philanthropy and, if not, did I convince you???
