I’ve been thinking a lot about charity and charitable giving lately. My husband and I aren’t the types to wait for the holiday season to do our donating. We donate throughout the year when we see a need we can help with. I get annoyed with the push for people to donate around the holidays. I understand it, but it still annoys me. People who are hungry are just as hungry in July as in November or December. We hear what a shame it is that people have to do without on Thanksgiving or Christmas. What about the other 363 days of the year? Is it okay that they go hungry then? Where is that charitable spirit in the middle of July’s soaring heat?
Sometimes I wonder how much it really has to do with a charitable spirit at all. Maybe it has more to do with the approaching of the end of the year and needing to get those tax write-offs in. Charities know this is the case, and they will remind people some more bluntly than others. Then there are those who feel guilt over buying a bunch of presents that won’t be appreciated in six months. Do those in need care why you’re giving? No, they don’t have time to waste on such thoughts.
Yet I feel the need to examine my own attitudes toward charity from time to time. I want to give from a place of caring, so that I always support charities that I believe in rather than giving from a place of guilt. It’s important to me that the money, time, talent and goods I donate are really being used to help those in need or society as a whole.
I’ve noticed lately there are food donation bins in most of the grocery stores, Salvation Army volunteers ringing bells in store doorways, and cashiers asking if you’d like to donate a book for foster children to name a few. This week alone I donated money to pet shelters through Petco’s drive, bought a book for a foster child through a drive at Borders, and took a box of items to Safehaven, a local pet shelter. Why now? Well, the opportunities were right in front of my face, so it was easy. Still, earlier in the year, we donated items and money to various charities as well as medical research organizations. I’m not sure how much we’ve donated this year, but I’m sure I’ll be surprised when I add it up in a few weeks for our taxes.
I think giving to worthy organizations is important and worthwhile. I wish people felt the same way in July as in December. I don’t think it’s Christmas spirit to be charitable around the holidays. If you want to truly give to the community or help the downtrodden, please find ways to do so throughout the year. Not just during the holiday season.
Contributing my essay, The Gift of You, to the book, Be the Star You Are! for Teens: Simple Gifts for Living, Loving, Laughing, Learning, and Leading
It’s easy for us to give money or old stuff cluttering up our homes, but I, for one, need to be more generous with my time and talents to help others. What about you?
So go ahead and give today, tomorrow, next week, etc. Just don’t forget that there are people and animals who need help every month of the year.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:05 pm Don’t forget to re-post this in July!
January 5th, 2010 at 11:22 pm Good idea. You’re now responsible to remind me.