The point of this story is to emphasize the value in each individual donation, regardless of how small. The rural people of these regions in 1853 were not rich by any means, but they saw a cause that they could get behind and support and wanted to help in any way that they could. It is always not the person with the deepest pockets who should be considered a philanthropist, but those who would sacrifice what little capital they have to support a meaningful cause. Dunn did not attempt to guilt donors to "give back" to society through aggressive fundraising strategies. Rather he appealed to their ideals and aspirations, and explaining why this is something that could benefit young people and create a better future for the Midwest. Generosity from Americans throughout history also allows for the free society that we are able to live in today. When funds come from corporate interests or the federal government we lose the ability to decide different things for ourselves and control different aspects of our personal lives. This gives us the power to challenge cultural and political problems and have an active voice in society.
The creation of Hillsdale College was integral in promoting an educated population in the midwest which opens the door for increased opportunity and success. This initiative was driven by small donors who felt passionately about this, and were willing to give as much as they could offer to the cause. I believe that this is a commonality within society that is still relevant to this day.
There is a false notion that philanthropists are people who have large sums of money such as Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. These individuals are impactful in the sense that they have the economic ability to put massive amounts of money into certain projects, and can spread their wealth to many different organizations. What is overlooked are the individuals who choose to give wisely, who extensively research which organizations that they are financially capable of supporting on a given year. Private philanthropy enriches conversations on a wide variety of issues and viewpoints and allows for the distribution of wealth throughout various organizations. Just last year, Americans gave $300 billion to charity. These donations are thanks for millions of people who gave what they could to make a meaningful change in an issue or cause that they are passionate about.
Questions:
1) Do you think that small donations have the potential to be as impactful as large sums given by well-known philanthropists?
2) Do you think as an individual it is more effective to give to several different organizations or to give as much as you can to one?
3) What role has philanthropy played in your life thus far, and has this class changed your perspective on your personal role as a philanthropist?
http://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/topic/philanthropic_freedom/the_generosity_of_america
The creation of Hillsdale College was integral in promoting an educated population in the midwest which opens the door for increased opportunity and success. This initiative was driven by small donors who felt passionately about this, and were willing to give as much as they could offer to the cause. I believe that this is a commonality within society that is still relevant to this day.
There is a false notion that philanthropists are people who have large sums of money such as Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. These individuals are impactful in the sense that they have the economic ability to put massive amounts of money into certain projects, and can spread their wealth to many different organizations. What is overlooked are the individuals who choose to give wisely, who extensively research which organizations that they are financially capable of supporting on a given year. Private philanthropy enriches conversations on a wide variety of issues and viewpoints and allows for the distribution of wealth throughout various organizations. Just last year, Americans gave $300 billion to charity. These donations are thanks for millions of people who gave what they could to make a meaningful change in an issue or cause that they are passionate about.
Questions:
1) Do you think that small donations have the potential to be as impactful as large sums given by well-known philanthropists?
2) Do you think as an individual it is more effective to give to several different organizations or to give as much as you can to one?
3) What role has philanthropy played in your life thus far, and has this class changed your perspective on your personal role as a philanthropist?
http://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/topic/philanthropic_freedom/the_generosity_of_america
Hello Erin,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this story. The past few weeks we have discussed the theme of money versus time, but in this story, it focuses on money versus meaning. The part from the article that stood out the most to me was when Meyerson talks about the amount of money Americans donate. Just last year, “Americans donated $300 billion dollars which is almost twice as much as we spent on consumer electronics equipment.” The article shares a great point that highlights the positive changes and impact a community can make. Even though they are not the wealthiest people like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, they still feel passionate about a mission/cause that drives them to donate.
To address your first question, I believe large sums have a greater impact in terms of saving more lives or building more homes. But small donations cannot be underappreciated. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-homeless-man-in-viral-video-dies-20150623-story.html
This viral video shows the impact of one homeless man and how he spend his money to just make others feel good and give himself happiness. Even though he did not have a lot of wealth, he gave back to the community because it was the meaning of helping another person. He was able to relate to other homeless people because he knows how quick and easy an individual can become homeless. It is truly amazing to see what drives people to donate and I think the recent reflection really questions our core values and the “why” to why we donate.
I believe my core values align with what I do or aim to be. By volunteering in after school programs, I have been able to help provide education for other students because I know the importance of learning. It can lead to new and better opportunities. This class has definitely changed my perspective on my role as a philanthropist. Throughout the semester, my opinions changed every week after our discussion. I found out that I prefer to see the impact I am making, therefore listening to my heart over my head. And I learned more about what I value over other issues. Once again, thank you for the thought provoking questions and blog.
I absolutely believe that small donations are just as important as large ones for one important reason: if a lot of people give small amounts of money, it can add up to be equal to a larger donation made by someone wealthier. I think a lot of people get overwhelmed by all the problems in the world and adapt a pessimistic view of "it's too far gone for me to a make difference." I know I have struggled with this issue in the past. But a quote from A Path Appears that really resonated with me is "just because we can't help everyone doesn't mean that we should help no one." This also reminds me of the piece we read by a woman who was explaining the difficulties in knowing how to give effectively, which organizations will benefit the most, etc. If we focus too much on that aspect, we might drive ourselves crazy to the point where we just don't give at all. So I think if someone is facing this problem of not knowing where to start, or not thinking they can make a difference, I would say: just start. Just give something. You can become more educated and effective about giving as you go, but you just need to get the ball rolling. And I would remind everyone that individuals can make a difference, because if everyone believed they couldn't, no one would help.
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