The collection grows each year but when the end of December comes I alphabetize them, throwing out the duplicates I may have missed, pull out the checkbook and credit card and start writing. By habit I also add the recipient and amount to a master list. It used to be helpful for yearly deductions when I itemized. Now, not so much but it doesn't mean not to give. In fact, charities are really worried about their funding with the new tax laws.
Apparently the wealthy are very generous with high profile donations ie towards higher learning institutions, the arts and hospitals while the middle and low class tend to donate a higher percentage of their income to social services. What's that about? Folks will ooh and ah about how philanthropic so and so 'money bag's is and yet forget to consider what percentage that is of their income. So are the wealthy less generous? Studies show the donations of the wealthy at 1.3% while the lower income donated 3.2% of their total income.
In fact, last year not one of the top 50 donors gave to a social service organization. The wealthy supposedly hold back from donations to disaster/ tragedy related causes due to lack of trust in organizational efforts. Yet it is the $5 and $10 donations that support these causes.
Why in such a wealthy nation can we not make healthcare affordable so families don't have to do their own fundraising through crowdfunding to pay hospital bills? Can you keep track of how many Go Fund Me donations come before you throughout the year?
No matter what we need to share and support all the worthwhile organizations to make others lives easier. Our wallets might be lighter but our hearts will be fuller.
Happy Holidays!
* Coincidentally I just noticed Natureman's youngest, Simon, just posted about the homeless.Guess winter makes it much the needs more obvous. Here's the link:Homeless
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