With Christmas approaching quickly upon us, people feel the pull of many charities to either give of their money and/or time. Giving back to others has an important quality to both the recipient and the giver; however, when does someone know when to contribute and how much to contribute whether it's by monetary funds or by volunteering time towards a cause.
I believe it starts months before the holidays even start. In order to truly benefit others and yourself, research needs to be done on what charity or organization which you and/or your family would want to participate or contribute in during the holidays and throughout the year. I say this because as much as a person may want to help out with every group which approaches him/her, in reality it just can't happen; not with having dire consequences on the person and the charity.
Just like buying a new car or home, giving towards a charity calls for a budget. I mean, contrary to what so many in this country may think, 'money most certainly does not grow on trees." So planning is needed. There are things to consider besides the 'heart' of the matter because no matter how much you may want to give, you can't let your emotions alone lead you; logic needs to be among the factors as well.
When giving of your time with helping out a charitable cause, one must think about the well being of the whole family unit too. With so many activities surrounding school, church, communiy, and family, it's no wonder that there's a strain placed upon the guality of family time. Yet, volunteering can bring a family together when it is done with the whole family in mind and not just an individual. Giving back to charitable organizations can also be an invaluable teaching resource for parents. Children can learn the importance of helping others less fortunate than themselves and it gives children a sense of gratitude for what they have in their lives; whether it's their family, food, stable home environment, health, or material things.
When a person wants to help a charitable cause, there are certain questions which need to be answered before anything happens. Things to consider are:
1) Can the family afford it?
2) How much can be given?
3) How much time can be spent on the charity?
4) Will the time spent hurt or help the family?
5) Will the money spent towards the charity hurt the basic needs for the family?
6) What extra stuff (non essential things) can the family do without in order to contribute towards a charity?
7) Are you and/or the family willing to give 100% of effort/attitude when volunteering time?
8) Is there truly a giving attitude or is it 'just for show or need to please others'? (don't do it unless you want to; the charity, you and the family will suffer because of it)
These are just a few of the questions which you may consider before sending in a check or serving a Christmas dinner at a homeless shelter. The point is, please consider all factors before you 'jump in' and yell, 'sign me up'! 'Cause if you don't, not only does the charity suffer but so do you and your family and isn't the whole point of giving back is to help not hurt.
HUGS and happy charity hunting,
JD :)
This was an awesome post, JD. Some really good things to think about when choosing charities to donate to. I think we need to listen to our hearts and decide which charities really resonate within us. We always donate to World Vision - the kids give some of their allowance and we pitch in the rest. I like that charity because you don't have to spend money you don't have to make a significant difference in someone's life.
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