There are a number of reasons to give to charity year round.  Giving to those whom you are passionate about during the holiday season fits right in with buying holiday gifts.  Charities can provide you with a means to concentrate on causes for which you are concerned, but may not have the time, the skill set, nor the energy to dedicate.  Using a little planning with your giving can go a long way.

There is an unprecedented amount of gifting occurring right now. How do you know it makes a difference?  Many households get over 100 requests for money each year.  If you gave $50 to each of them, that is $5,000 that could have gone towards just one.  Imagine if you had the money of Warren Buffet and decided to give to everyone.  Rather than yielding a “better” life, prices would go up, and you would be in a very similar situation to where you stand today.  Wisely, he chooses to focus on a few select charities which will give his money a bigger impact.  Another example of intentional giving is Andrew Carnegie.  No doubt a shrewd businessman, his generosity has helped establish thousands of libraries worldwide, but not without involvement from the people those libraries serve. 

This week the Salvation Army in Kokomo, In was pleasantly surprised with a Kruggerand, a South African gold coin. As the price of gold continues to climb, gifts of this nature become more valuable.  We must believe that the anonymous donor knows it will be “put to good use”, believing in the capacity of the Salvation Army.  Obviously they were not looking to take a tax break on the gift, or they could have gone about donating it differently.  We don’t know if that is the sole gifting they do each year, nor if it is a mere drop in the bucket of the amount they donate annually.  Earlier this year, approximately $70 million was given anonymously to various colleges throughout the country, in amounts ranging from roughly $1 million to $10 million.  For a few weeks there was quite a buzz, wondering about the identity of the donor.  Now, however, the schools can focus on using the money as they need, rather than spending much of it in overt “thank-you” parties, continued solicitations, etc.

As a gift giver, which provides you with more satisfaction, watching someone enjoy the gift you gave them, being thanked for the gift, or watching it go in a pile with the others to be reviewed later?  Do you need to know that it will be used “wisely” or do you just want to know that it went to a worthy cause?  If you would like to learn more about how various non-profits use the money received, there are a number of ways to search for information online.  www.charitynavigator.org is a good tool once you are comfortable with their rating system.  If you don’t have the money, but do have some time, try www.charityguide.org for opportunities.  Giving is as individually fulfilling as the people doing it, and can be done differently with some guidance and thought.