Comments on: Give it Away Now

By: Robin

Robin — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:59:09 +0000

I’m coming late to this conversation, and in the interest of full disclosure I want to note that I work for EarthShare. Thanks for featuring us, Starre!

I’d like to state up front that people should always give what they feel comfortable giving, whether it’s the gift of their time, money or other contributions. Some people may choose to give monetarily because they’re unable, for physical, geographical or time reasons, to volunteer with their favorite charity or cause.

ALL ‘donations’ are laudable! That said, however, I’d like to point out that monetary gifts are often critical as they ensure that a charity can continue its good work, including offering hands-on volunteer opportunities to the public. Without funding such opportunities wouldn’t exist. Did you know that it’s often the unrestricted dollars raised through programs like EarthShare’s that provide the vital income necessary to keep the lights on at at your favorite charitable organization?

Donors can also make sure they give wisely when they do choose to make financial contributions by checking out charities on independent watchdog sites like CharityNavigator.org and Guidestar.org. So you can give freely of your time OR money and feel good about it; the important thing is to support what you believe in, however you’re able. Thanks! http://www.earthshare.org

By: Starre

Starre — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:06:53 +0000

Good point, Danielle. I actually prefer not to give money at all (or to give for very specific things in my local community) and feel better about using my time and energy to help organizations I support. BUT having worked for two nonprofit groups in my time, I have to say that they need the money too! Office space, computers, salaries for people who work for them, health insurance- all that stuff costs money, and even though it’s not very glamourous to help buy (recycled!) printer paper, someone has to do it, otherwise the very real work of nonprofits, large and small, won’t get done.

There ‘s the old fashioned idea (from tithing at church) that one should give away 10% of one’s income, no matter how much you make. For some people’s incomes, that could break them. But it’s worth thinking about. And I think if most of us spent 10% of our free time working for groups we thought important, the world would be a completely different place!

By: Danielle

Danielle — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:45:29 +0000

Just because you sell it as a charitable contribution doesn’t mean that its laudable. Selfishness comes in many forms, one of these is writing checks for tax write-offs and that “feeling good” that comes with comes from nothing more than a signature on a check. Money does not solve all the worlds problems.

Instead of donating money to a charity thousands of miles away (we are supposed to be buying locally, caring, and responding to local issues) why don’t you just walk to your local Red Cross, food pantry, pre-school, or park and ask to donate your time. Voluntarism is partly about feeling good about sharing your skills with your neighbors, but mostly about building stronger local communities, economies, and higher standards of living for all. Writing a check to an NGO in Nigeria may feel good, and has its own merits, but if you really want to get involved check out your local community. I’m sure you won’t have to go far to find someone in need.