Over the last few class sessions,
we have discussed our motivations for giving. Some give to a cause because they
saw an emotional TV ad, some give because it makes them feel good, some give
for “tax purposes”, and some give because they feel passionately about a cause.
There are many other reasons and motives behind giving aside from these, and
each person has a unique motivation for giving. It is difficult to weigh one
person’s motives above another’s as more moral or ethical, because in the end
they are still doing something in service of others. No one is required to give
to a cause, so giving, no matter the motives, is a commendable deed.
All that being said, I do believe
our motives to give have a major impact on “where” and “how” we give. If we are
giving for the tax benefits, we may not take much time to consider the “where”
and “how” of our giving. If we are effective altruists, we will heavily
research “how” we can do the most good and “where” we should give to do that.
If we are motivated to give because of something we are passionate about, the “where”
and “how” are determined based on our unique experiences and goals.
For me, my motivation for giving is
strongly influenced by my passion for education. I firmly believe that the best
way I personally can have a positive effect on the world is through supporting the
education of children, specifically impoverished children, so they can escape
poverty and reach their full potential, and hopefully try to improve the lives
of others. My personal experiences motivate me to give to the cause of
education because I have seen the difference that just having a shot at a better
education can change lives. 3 years ago, I went on my first of two short
term mission trip to Tegucigalpa, Honduras with a group called Border Buddies
(here is a link to their website: http://www.borderbuddies.org/).
While there, my team worked on the Roberto Sosa School, a public school in the
heart of the city that was falling apart and failing, like almost all the
schools in the country. We finished construction on a kitchen for the school,
at that time only the third in the entire country, and we built new roofs for
the classrooms. Today, the school has a dramatically higher attendance rate and
significantly higher educational performance than 3 years ago because students
are finally able to be fed at school and are not getting wet in class every
time it rains. While all of this was rewarding and motivation enough to
continue to support the cause of education, my real motivation comes from
hanging out with kids like Michael.
We all have experiences that shape
why we give. We all have our own personal motivations behind our giving, and I believe
it is important to know what motivates your philanthropy in order to be truly
effective philanthropists. Once we know what motivates us, we can better hone
in on a cause we want to support; and understanding our personal motives can
give as an outline as to the “where” and “how” of our giving. To me, it does
not matter what our motives for giving are, as long as we use that motivation
to be the best philanthropists we can be.
Some questions to consider:
What are some of your experiences that have shaped your philanthropy?
What are your motives for giving?
Do you think it is okay to use your emotions when considering
your philanthropy?
Is there a specific cause you want to support/already
support? Why that cause?
This was such an inspiring post to read this week. I had no idea that you were able to experience such an eye-opening mission trip and it kind of inspired me to do more research to possibly embark on a philanthropic trip post graduation this summer. I have never really looked into doing philanthropy internationally before, but your post definitely intrigued my mind and inspired me. It was awesome to learn about your mission trip to Honduras and how by spending a short amount of time and a lot of dedication, you and your team were able to increase the overall attendance rate significantly within one year. It really goes to show that one simple thing like a kitchen or a roof can really impact the lives of children at schools on a long term basis.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to you, I also have a passion for donating my time and money to organizations that better the lives of children in any way possible - whether it be through education or youth services or whatever else. When this class started back in January, I had a very general idea of what I was passionate about and that was education. I believed that by empowering children to pursue higher education was essential to escaping poverty and other societal issues. I still believe that today - but I am able to better understand my values and interests. My specific interest would be to better the lives of all children, especially by allowing them to obtain proper education. However, there is more to bettering education for children or allowing them to obtain proper education than just simply donating books or volunteering as an after school tutor. You could donate your time to better the facilities of these schools or even donate money to provide clean water to children in developing countries. All these aspects work to improve the lives of children as well - which can allow them to focus better in school.
Moreover, I do think that it is okay to use your emotions when considering what philanthropy you want to donate to because a majority of the time, people will most likely donate their time/money to a charity that they can relate to in some manner. Whether it be someone they know that is affected by a specific issue or the ad on the campaign that is so touching. Everyone has a different motive to give in any way that they can - but as long as the giving is done, I don't think that people should be judging.
Lester, I really loved reading your blog post. Did you get involved in education originally because of a core belief? My first experience with philanthropy was at a friend’s church in which I was delegated to give grocery bags of food during the thanksgiving season to those that could not afford to participate. I was so glad I went and the whole way home I couldn’t stop telling my mom about how great I felt and how happy the people were that were receiving the food. This is when I became hooked to helping those that needed it.
ReplyDeleteSpecifically, I love animals and that is the cause that I would most support over others. I got a puppy for my 12th birthday and I didn’t know it then but my dog would become my best friend. He was always there to lick my tears when I was having a bad day and would lay in my lap while I had anxiety attacks. This really made me realize why dogs are considered “man’s best friend”. I believe that everyone should have a companion like mine. I think animal shelters are a great place to donate your time or money because your money can help get the animals toys, beds and food and just being around animals can make you feel better. Last week, I went to project paw to volunteer for a few hours and although it’s a cat only shelter, I learned that I liked cats way more than I thought I did and I left feeling great and wondering when I could go back next. With this in mind, I think that the best way to donate is through your heart because if you care about a cause, you’ll do the research to find where money and time will go the furthest whereas those with less of a passion will just donate to the first place that pops up on Google and that may not be effective.
I believe that emotions are essential in philanthropy. The word philanthropy itself connotates that passion and emotions are at its core, for the love of humanity. People give because they have had prior experience with organizations or know of someone who has. By experiencing an organizations impact first hand, people are left with a lasting impression. This impression lingers with them and motivates people to stay active. I believe that one of the most effective and essential ways organizations can commit people to continuously give is by extending volunteer opportunities. Every year, I receive mail from the New York Road Runners, a non for profit that hosts the New York City Marathon. I don't receive the mail because I am a runner, I receive it because I enjoy volunteering with them. My first time volunteering for NYRR was my sophomore year in high school. I had heard about them because of the people I know who run the marathon. As a volunteer, I would hand out post-run bagels, apples, and water. My station is usually at the end of the race just feet from the finish line. This spot is prime real estate for watching the athletes. You see runners in all states of euphoria. The first wave of runners are like champion warriors, barely breaking a sweat even though they've run distances I can barely walk. Then you get the second, third, and forth wave of runners who trailed behind by mere minutes. The finals waves of runners are my favorite to watch. These runners are people who have just ran their first marathon, everyday people who have trained for months between work, school, children, and the struggles of everyday life. They are inspiring because they are the epitome of "no excuses". Runners in these final waves aren't there to get the best time, they run to prove to themselves that they can. Runners come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. As I was handing out snacks and water, I met an 82 year old lady who still runs the marathon and has been for decades. These interactions with the people I meet are inspiring and the sole reason why I continue to donate my time to the NYRR. If I had just given money to the NYRR, it would have been a one-time deal. By volunteering however, I give to them year by year and tell other people about this organization. I believe that passion is at the core of philanthropy and that once we personally engage with organizations and form memories with them, philanthropy becomes second nature.
ReplyDeleteLester-- interesting read. Very personal and engaging. You also posited stimulating questions that I feel have all been touched on during class, but never quite as directly as you have addressed them.
ReplyDeleteYour experience with Border Buddies sounds like it was incredibly critical in the development of your personal charity. While I have not had such an extreme immersion, my experience with the local BU Buddies program with the Binghamton Alternative High School similarly shaped my philanthropy. Seeing so many children whose parents so clearly did not care enough about them to feed them or clothe them properly was deeply saddening and inspired me to try to make a difference in the children's lives. Truly, many of these issues resulted for poverty they were born into. The behavioral and learning issues they struggled with day in and day were certainly the result of neglect, abuse, and lack of opportunity. My work there inspired me to put children first in my philanthropic pursuits.
The answer to your second question builds off of my first answer. My motive for giving is to help foster an environment wherein no child suffers what the children I met at BU Buddies have to suffer. This leads me to have inclinations towards donating to organizations that focus their efforts on children and improving their lives.
On the topic of emotion, I don't think there is a cut-and-dry answer. it is a gray area. As we have learned reading "A Path Appears," it's critical to use logic based in facts when considering giving. However, i feel giving is truly about emotion and feeling and therefore it is impossible to completely separate emotion from giving.
On the last note, i used to love Make a Wish because it gave to children. However, while I think the charity is fantastic, it does not do much to improve the overall situation for children. I cannot name a specific organization at the moment, but I know that I want to give to one that seeks to improve the overall condition of children.
ReplyDeleteThis blog post was so inspiring-I love to hear stories from trips like the one that you took to Honduras. I know that meeting natives (especially children, as they are so open to playing with and spending time with foreigners) can be life altering. My philanthropy was shaped by an experience that I had in Nicaragua. I too bonded with the children in the village where I was building homes, and today I still write to a friend Heidi I made. She has made me also want to support education, especially in third world countries, because she is such a smart girl, and is working very hard in school so that she can get a scholarship to an American university.
ReplyDeleteI know that when I am older and have a steady income, I will want to support third world education. My motivation for giving is my experience and emotional ties to the people of Nicaragua. It is for this reason that yes, I do think it is alright to allow our emotions to guide our philanthropy. While Singer and other effective altruists might condemn this, ultimately it is my belief that emotional ties to a cause is one of the biggest reasons why people donate, so it is not a bad thing. A donation is a donation, and it is impossible to remove all emotion from giving (unless you are Peter Singer of course).
Thank you for sharing your story with us, it was very inspirational, and I love that I was able to connect to it on a personal level!