Give with a grateful heart!
Written by Robyn T. Braley
Robyn T. Braley is a brand specialist, writer, speaker, community leader and media commentator. He is the President of UniMark Creative Inc.
The needs are significant! We are still experiencing the aftermath of the COVID pandemic with health and social issues. Donald Trump's tariffs have triggered runaway inflation, layoffs, and worldwide economic uncertainty. Skyrocketing rental rates and food costs have caught financial experts and ordinary people off guard.
The needs in our communities have been amplified several times over! People are desperate. Families are in distress. Many are forced to choose between paying the rent and buying food!
Every day, worthy causes inundate companies and private individuals with letters, emails and phone calls pleading for help. The challenge is to choose which organizations to help when so many need support.
All of this brings added pressure on food banks, family resource agencies, addiction recovery organizations, youth programs, and mental health services. Counsellors are overwhelmed by the number of people seeking help.
There have been business failures. However, other companies have experienced record-setting years. While many can’t give, others can respond to the tremendous need by giving generously.
Your ability to give depends on your economic reality. But the gift amount is not always as significant as the act of showing it.
How to choose which organizations to support?
So, where do you start? Identify the areas of greatest need. Focus on your community. Make a list that includes organizations that meet basic needs.
- Food programs
- Homelessness programs
- Addictions Recovery
- Educational outreach programs
- Troubled Youth
- Mental Health
- Seniors at risk
- Single parents in need
After making your list, break down each category. For example, Food Supply may include food banks, community kitchens, school lunch programs, or the delivery of hot meals to seniors.
Some companies donate to organizations that also offer volunteering opportunities. For example, they may cover the cost of serving a meal to hundreds of disadvantaged people, then give employees time off to help to serve. it.
Give to Organizations You Know
The bottom line for most companies is to make their donation count. They want the largest portion of their gift to go to those who need it most, rather than to operations budgets.
At a minimum, check out the organization's annual report. Some have it on their website. Most will send it to you quickly. If this is a problem, it may be a red flag.
One way to simplify the process is to ask people you know about the organizations they support. Giving is a private matter, but when people are passionate about a cause, they are happy to share their experiences.
Close To The Community
Another strategy is to give to organizations closest to the community, such as churches, mosques, temples, or service clubs. An army of volunteers is deeply involved in the community and can provide insight into who is most in need of support.
Recently, a lady who co-owns rental properties stood up at a service club meeting to make a spontaneous announcement. She told of meeting a family of refugees from the war in Ukraine who were desperate to find a home for their children.
The lady and her husband decided to lease an apartment for 6 months at no charge. They set aside a further $2,500 to help them buy a car so they could find jobs. The lady asked club members to match the gift. Having a car meant being able to commute to a job.
You wouldn't know about the family's extreme needs unless you talked to a member of the club.
Due Diligence
The big thing is to choose a recipient you can trust. Organizations like the Salvation Army, local Homeless Shelters, Youth Centres and Immigrant Shelters work with the poorest of the poor in your community and are highly credible.
Fill in the blanks by doing a few minutes of research. Begin by visiting the websites of the organizations you are considering giving to.
- Do they have local, national or international operations?
- Do they list specific humanitarian activities in your community?
- Do they list their management teams?
- Do they list board members?
- Do they list local or national certifications?
- Do they give tax receipts?
- Do they publish annual reports?
Finally, Google their name. There may be media reports and other information that come up. If you're still not sure, call your local Credit Bureau.
Why do Albertans give?
Why do Albertans give? For the most part, we give because it’s the right thing to do. We don’t give because we have to. We give because we can! Albertans have a rich history of giving.
Many give because they remember their past personal struggles. They take great pleasure in helping people who face various barriers to success, just as they did.
I knew two people who never had enough food while growing up on the Canadian prairies. One remembered the humiliation of day after day taking cold porridge to school in his lunch pail. That was the only food his mother could give him.
Another friend grew up on a farm where his parents worked hard but could never get ahead. He and his siblings were bullied mercilessly in school because of their heritage.
In the end, the bank foreclosed on their land, and they were forced to move. They lived hand-to-mouth through desperate times as their father picked up whatever part-time work he could to support the family.
As they succeeded in business, they gave back to organizations that helped kids facing a variety of challenges that barred them from success.
As they succeeded in business, they gave back to organizations that
helped kids and families facing a variety of challenges that barred them from success. Often, they gave to organizations that offered a hand up, not just a handout, such as education or job training programs.
Don't get me wrong: often, people in crisis have immediate needs that require immediate help to get to the next day. Families in need of basics
like food and shelter need help now, today, not next month. Some feel there is
no place to turn.
Does it Matter How Much We Give?
To get through uncertain times, I encourage those who can to give
until it hurts! I know many who are doing precisely that. But it's not always about
the amount.
Dr. Marme Hesse was a generous Alberta philanthropist who died in 2016 at the
age of 100. She had a great belief in the power of community.
I was sitting with a group of fellow Rotarians waiting for a committee meeting to begin. Several members were late. Someone made a sarcastic comment about volunteers who fail to take their roles seriously.
There was a silent pause before she spoke. Then she offered profound insight, and I paraphrase,
“Some can give a little, and some can give a lot. When each one gives as much as they can, when they can to the best of their ability, knowing that all gifts won't be equal, great things can happen in the community.”
There wasn't another word spoken as we got to work with a renewed commitment to make the event a success. Latecomers joined in as they arrived.
And that’s how we get through tough times! By coming together, each
doing as much as we can, we can mobilize the incredible power of community.
The End
Please Talk To Us
CONTACT INFO
robyn@unimarkcreative.comWebsites: www.unimarkcreative.com
Twitter: @robyntbraley
No comments:
Post a Comment