Why do we, as the people of a nation or a community, give? Is it due to genetics or ethnic heritage, perhaps? Many of us give generously, often, and/or without hesitation. Wouldn’t it be interesting to ponder this as one of life’s little unsolved mysteries? So many questions arise when we look at the concept of giving, and so many possible scenarios as to its origin.
    Where do we start?
    If we look back as far as the birth of Christ, we witness giving in the form of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Perhaps that is why they called them the Three Wise Men. Did they know the answer to the question at hand?
    The word charity is derived from the Latin word, caritas, which means “loving kindness through giving.” Is Latin not one of the oldest languages?
    Some say that the history of gift giving can be traced back to the time of the Romans. On the first day of January, around the Winter Solace, people gave each other gifts during a celebration. The gifts were originally evergreen branches, and later developed into cakes, to symbolize prosperity and sweetness in the coming year.
    Until the 19th century, charities were mostly established when rich merchants left money in their wills. It was believed that doing so would ensure safe passage to heaven upon their death. They often chose for their money to go toward building an almshouse, which housed the elderly poor.
    The evidence is clear. Giving is part of who we are, part of our humanity, our culture, and even though the concept dates back to the beginning of time, altruism is engrained deeply into our souls. It is part and parcel of the American character to believe we are the hope of the world.

Giving Life

    So, when we give we feel good because we have done something nice for another human being or a group of human beings. Either way, it’s clearly a matter of humanity.
    We can give money, we can give time, and we can give life.
    Without a doubt, the ultimate gift is the gift of life– that which our parents give us as a symbol of their love and commitment; and, likewise, parental giving continues throughout our lives. As children, most are given a roof over their heads, a warm sense of family, sustenance, and an education.
    We can also give life as an organ donor. It so happens that the sister-in-law of a dear friend recently passed away following a lengthy illness. Even though this woman’s family is now grieving the loss, they are at peace with the fact that, even at her passing, she was able to give such a remarkable gift to others whose lives could now be saved.

Giving Time

    Giving can also take place in the form of time, or volunteerism. While volunteerism can take us to distant lands, most of it happens in our communities. We can volunteer at a local soup kitchen or we can become a bell ringer for the Salvation Army.
    Within our communities, any number of local charities are always in need of those willing to give of their time. Some are organizational while others need help to raise money.
    A prime example of volunteerism is Valley with a Heart, which began as the result of Hurricane Agnes. The Flood of 1972 destroyed homes and businesses throughout much of the Wyoming Valley, in communities along the Susquehanna River. In Pennsylvania, an estimated $2.8 billion in damage was incurred, which
translates to about $14 billion today— 68,000 homes and 3,000 businesses were destroyed, leaving more than 220,000 people homeless. In Luzerne County, more than 25,000 homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed, and the devastation was estimated to be $1 billion.
    Many remember the mass destruction, but they also remember the many helping hands that pitched in to bring some semblance to what could only be described as pure havoc. Help came in the form of health and welfare, but more importantly it came in the form of volunteerism— neighbors, friends, and families rallied to help. Those who could lend a hand did. Members of the Amish and Mennonite communities came to offer their help. The Valley with a Heart certainly earned that distinction.

Giving Money

    And, finally, here’s the big one— the giving of money. 
    We can give money to a myriad of charities and nonprofit organizations, or we can give money directly to someone who needs it. The majority of giving is monetary, in one form or another. It makes sense that much of this type of giving is reciprocal and remains close to home.
    Local charities and nonprofits generally receive the lion’s share of donated dollars, some tax deductible and some not, and the collective pot of money both originates and remains in the local community. And, so it should. As we look at the present economy and in moving forward, it is increasingly more important for monetary donations to go as far as they can to boost the local economy. Giving on a local level can be directed to any number of outlets, including churches, scholarship funds, public libraries, nonprofit  community events, and local, organized charities.   

Giving Back

    Giving back is yet another level in the pyramid of giving, and when we think about it, this can be the most important where local economies are concerned. It brings the concept of giving full circle, back to where it originated– it provides a balance.
    An example of philanthropy at the national level and one that is currently in the spotlight is that of talk show host Oprah Winfrey. For 25 years, Winfrey and her spectrum of interests have made her billions of dollars. There came a point in her career, however, when she realized the importance of giving back. And, that’s exactly what she did. From education in Africa to reconstruction in New Orleans, Winfrey has raised awareness about major world issues and spent millions of dollars of her own money to promote these causes. Whether or not you like her show, you can’t help but admire her altruistic spirit.
    Getting back to community-level giving, businesses and our local economies are significant of the health of a community. Case in point is a Buy Local campaign. By conducting all or most of your purchasing from our locally owned, independent businesses, you are not only helping these businesses to remain afloat during tough economic times, but you are indeed supporting our local economies. We need to keep our money local. What’s more, local business owners understand this more than most consumers. They are in business to serve you, their neighbors, friends, and families. What’s more, they appreciate your business so much that many of them give back in the form of donations to children’s sports teams, schools, church groups, service clubs, and nonprofit organizations. No matter where and how they choose to donate, they are doing so to give back to YOU, members of their community.
    Among the many local, independent businesses out there are our advertisers— the mom-and-pop stores that have become staples in our communities, but rely on local consumers to keep their doors open. A few of them are included on the next page.

Comments

Add New Search

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."