Do People Donate To Charities Out Of Selfish Interests?

There have always been a large number of charitable organizations in the world, collecting money for many a noble cause. And in spite of how we deplore the materialism of today’s world, many charities do well purely on contributions by philanthropists across the world. Many of these contributors even wish to remain anonymous.

Does this mean that the majority of people in the world are philanthropists or that most people are willing to help others given the chance? The account books of charities receiving generous contributions would seem to suggest this. However on the other hand, most people do not extend a helping hand to a neighbor in trouble or someone they see on the street who needs money. The same person may log into a website and contribute money to aid in the rehabilitation of earthquake victims in some distant country.

What is the reason behind this contradiction? It is a contradiction only if you assume that the act of donating money to a charity is always done with the aim of helping someone in need. Maybe the motive is something more personal and selfish. Why do people donate their hard earned money to these charities then? One possible reason is that they like to be acknowledged by others as philanthropists and that they like other people to think they are good people.

This is definitely the motive behind many donations. But there are still donors who choose to remain anonymous and even demand confidentiality when contributing money. What selfish motive could these people have? The truth is that even in such cases, many contributions are driven by selfish motives.

These people aim not to impress others but to feel better about themselves. Some people aim to reduce the guilty conscience they have about not being a good person generally by donating to charity.

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Avoiding Charity Scams

It’s absolutely horrible that there are con artists out there, preying on the loving and giving people of the world by using fake charities. No matter how bad it is, it won’t stop people from trying it. So, to help yourself avoid the scams and get your money to those who need it, just follow a few key steps and you will be on your way.

1. Ask for their information
By asking the representative to give you information about their charity is a great way to deter potential scammers. Always ask for a name, phone number, and address. You should also ask for printed information about them, such as a mission statement or a breakdown of how your money will be used. Those charities that are legitimate should give you the info with no questions asked, while those who are not may dance around the question or try to give you a quick answer over the phone.

2. Avoid committing too quickly
There are some big name charities out there that you wouldn’t give a second thought to making a donation, but scammers prey on this comfort as well. They may tell you that they are part of the Salvation Army or the Red Cross, when in fact they are not affiliated with them at all. So, be sure to do a little research before you start handing out money.

3. Never give cash
Now, giving change to bell ringers or donation jars is fine. If it is a scam, you’re really not out very much money. But, if you’re donating a larger sum, always use a check made payable to the charity itself. That way, you not only have a record of the donation, but it’s less likely to get lost or stolen.

Above all, just trust your instincts! If something just doesn’t feel right then just avoid it. You can always make up for it by volunteering your time instead.

Filed Under: Charities, Charity Scams, Donations, Society Tagged With: , , ,

Community Giving

Whatever type of charitable work you want to do is simply wonderful. Whether you want to donate money, goods, or time, it will be well appreciated by whoever you are giving it to. But, it’s very important to give to those in your own community.

By giving on a community level, you will be helping people you encounter on a daily basis. The homeless man on a park bench, your neighbor who is struggling to make ends meet, even relatives who are too ashamed to come to you directly for aid could all be helped through your donations.

For example, when you volunteer at a homeless shelter for your city, you will be helping people in your own area get back on their feet. You can see exactly who your time and effort is helping because the person is standing right in front of you. How rewarding would it be to look at someone and know that you are making a difference in their life.

If you, instead, donated money to a national organization, you will have no clue where it will be used, if it will be used wisely, or if it’s lining executives pockets instead of going to those who really need it.

Another benefit to helping those in your own community is being able to recognize how fortunate you have been. If you are angry because your spouse didn’t cook dinner for you or they didn’t spend enough money on you for Christmas, your opinion will quickly change once you see how good you really have it. There is no other situation out there that could be more humbling than helping those who are in need of simple things you have always had like food, clothing, and shelter.

We should all be giving our time and money to those who are in need. If everyone who was able to give actually did it, the world would be a much better place!

Filed Under: Charities, Donations, Society Tagged With: , , ,

Donating to Thrift Stores

When you are going through your closet to get rid of some clothes, don’t just throw them out. Instead, donate them to a thrift store in your area. There, your items will be put to good use by people who are in need. Here are a few tips and guidelines to help you to help others.

1. Never give that which you wouldn’t use yourself
Now, a charity is not a place you can just dump your trash. You are giving goods to people who are going to use them, so you should never give things that are broken, ripped, or otherwise unusable. Think of it this way, if you fell on hard times and needed to start shopping in thrift stores, would you buy the item you are about to donate?

2. Always clean items to be donated
It’s a simple thing to run a load of laundry to clean clothing before you send it off to charity. But imagine if you didn’t do that. Then, the charity needs to clean it before trying to sell it. With all the donations that come in, it’s a huge task and will cost the charity money. So, just make sure that you dust off, wipe down, or launder items that you are going to donate.

3. Ask for a receipt
Charitable donations are tax deductible, so be sure to ask for a receipt to file away with your taxes whenever you donate something.

4. If you can’t give items or money, give time
Charities are always looking for volunteers. They are non-profit organizations, so the more volunteers they can get, the more work gets done. Whether you serve food to the hungry, price merchandise in a thrift store, or even just spend time with people in a homeless shelter, your time will be very well spent and very much appreciated.

Filed Under: Charities, Donations, Society Tagged With: , , , ,
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