Throughout the year, you may get a few requests from charities to donate. Maybe it’s an email from a nonprofit you know. Or the Salvation Army collection person in front of the grocery store. Or a fundraiser your friend posted on Facebook.
A few times during the year is ok. But then come the holidays. Especially that Giving Tuesday.
You get bombarded with emails and Facebook ads asking you to donate. Maybe you get a little annoyed. Or maybe slightly irritated. Possibly a bit cynical.
And I get it – money is tight, especially during the holidays. Plus you already gave to that one disaster a while back, and whatever happened to that money?
But still, you should donate. It’s essential for the world, and it’s good for your soul.
People need you to be generous
There are a ton of problems in the world. And there are a lot of people less fortunate than you. But you know that already.
And it’s not someone else’s problem, because those problems will eventually affect your life. Businesses don’t care about them. Government can’t fix them.
But there are a lot of people tackling these problems head-on – they’re the nonprofits. And they need you to give to keep doing what they do.
So donate. Your generosity can solve the world’s problems.
Giving makes you happier
Doing good isn’t always completely altruistic, but that’s ok. If doing good makes you feel good (and it should), then keep on doing it.
In a research study done in Switzerland, the results showed that being generous actually makes you happier. There a lot of neurological stuff that goes into it, so I’ll let you read it on your own here.
Maybe you like that warm fuzzy feeling. Or you need to some tax write offs. Or you just want to brag about how generous you are. I don’t care why you do it. Just give.
If you don’t give now, you won’t give in the future
One of the most common excuses I have for not donating is that when I have more money, then I’ll donate.
But the reality is we all have enough money to donate. Even if it’s just $5, we all have $5 to spare. If you can’t donate $5 now, you probably won’t donate anything when you’re a millionaire.
Generosity has nothing to do with how much you can give. It’s all about giving what you have.
And I’ve worked with enough nonprofits to know that $5 is valuable and can go a long way.
Nonprofits that you can donate to
Not sure where to donate, or which organizations to trust?
If you trust me, here are some nonprofits I’ve contributed to in the past, contribute to currently, or currently work with, and I believe do good work. In alphabetical order:
Charity: Water
Help poor remote communities around the world get access to clean water.
Compassion
Help children in poverty get access to food, shelter and education.
International Justice Mission
Help people who have suffered violence and oppression get legal justice.
International Rescue Committee
Help refugees fleeing from conflict find a home in a new country.
Redeeming Love
Help survivors of sex trafficking recover to a healthy life.
Saving Innocence
Help child survivors of sex trafficking recover to a healthy life.
Speak Up for the Poor
Help young girls in poverty avoid child marriage and stay in school.
World Vision
Help bring disaster relief and development around the world.