Little Things Make a Difference in Our Lives

Little things make a difference in our lives. A quick phone call, a short handwritten note, a brief email all have an affect on those who receive these “little” presents. Little gifts can also make a difference, even more than we realize. A new book has been published to encourage everyone to keep on giving at whatever level they can. Give a Little: How Your Small Donations Can Transform Our World is written by Wendy Smith. She points out that most of the donations are made by Americans who earn less than $100,000 a year.

As I mentioned in my first article, “Are you a donor or a philanthropist,” I believe you can be a philanthropist at any level of giving. As a philanthropist, you have taken the time to decide your mission statement, what you are passionate about and which charity or charities you believe will best fulfill these goals.

If you haven’t had time to develop your mission statement and you are receiving many gift requests at this time of year, why don’t you try this approach. As you receive the appeals, divide them up into three different piles: one for the charities that you support consistently; one for the charities that have interested you in the past, but you may have not supported and the third is for those that don’t pull your heart strings whatsoever. You throw this pile in your recycling bin.

Then, decide how much you can contribute this year. Also take into account any contributions that you have given in the previous months. I sometimes forget that I have made contributions online during the year for walk-a-thons, ‘move’-a-thons or tribute gifts.

Next, take the first pile of solicitations and jot down what the similarities are among the solicitations. What are their missions? What population do they serve? Has someone in your life benefited from this organization? Is it a local or national organization? Have you donated to this charity previously? Did they take time to acknowledge your gift? Is the charity well managed? (Some of these questions will have to be answered after a little research is completed by you. The web is an excellent research tool.) Then, in a second column, review the second group of solicitations and ask the same questions.

This simple exercise will help you see a common thread among your giving habits. The hardest part is deciding how much you will give to the charities that you have chosen. If your charitable dollars aren’t as large as your heart, perhaps you can delay some of the contributions to the new year. Many charities experience a huge drop in contributions immediately after December 31st. You can bring a smile to the face of a fundraiser by giving a gift in January or February, the slowest months in the philanthropy business!

Whatever you decide to give and where you give will make an impact. You can make a difference! And I thank you for your efforts.

A GREAT ACTIVITY FOR GRANDCHILDREN, NIECES OR NEPHEWS:

For a unique holiday gift this season, why not approach your grandchild, niece or nephew with a different gift idea from you. Because this has been a tough economic year for so many people here and abroad, suggest that you would like their help in selecting a charity or two to contribute a gift in their honor. It’s a win-win for everyone: it is an activity that you enjoy with the younger generation, you can either use the web or mail solicitations to talk about different non-profit organizations and how they help people; and they learn about the concept of giving. What a great way to instill your values on this important generation of young people.