One of the most fulfilling aspects of donating and giving to the causes that matter to you is that it not only benefits the receivers themselves but is also very rewarding for you as a giver. Several people commit to giving to charity on a regular basis to ensure that the causes that they believe in thrive and also to enjoy the positive feeling that results after giving. There are several non-governmental organizations in our society that are committed to giving, all of which are different in their own right. One of the most critical sectors where much giving is needed is education, which forms the backbone of any successful society. ("Achieve", 2019) is an example of a non-profit organization that is committed to the less fortunate in society, and it aims at providing technical assistance to the states and also assist in curriculum development. The goal of this not-for-profit organization is to bring together leaders from different states to share their experience and find ways to tackle the various problems that they encounter. These not-for-profit organizations to convene leaders from across states to come together to share their experiences and tackle common challenges. ("Achieve", 2019) is just one of the many organizations that are committed to bettering society without any goal of making a financial profit but simply with the focus of bettering the society. Considering the much effort that these organizations make for the sake of society, it is important that they get as much support as possible from society in the form of giving. Let us face it, giving is not always as easy as it looks especially because of the financial implications that might be involved. All the same, there are many different ways that one can commit to giving, and this does not have to be too expensive on the end of the giver (Cheon, Reeve, Yu, & Jang, 2014). If you want to give effectively, then you should first start with finding an issue that interests you and research on it, narrow your giving to specific organizations, focus on volunteering your skills and time and not just writing checks, and also giving personalized gifts.
The first step to effective giving is finding an issue that matters to you and researching the matters that it entails. If you are not sure of the organization or cause to give to, then you can use the wide range of resources that the internet has to offer. Through the internet, you will be able to find a wide range of suggestions and details of what these different causes are aimed at. In this case, the goal is to find an organization that has extensive reviews, critiques, and ratings for its work to help you in the decision making the process. When you understand what the issue that you are committing to is all about and the challenges that are involved, then it will be easier for you to give to that cause. From this point, you should make it your goal to treat your giving venture as you would a big purchase (Deci, La Guardia, Moller, Scheiner, & Ryan, 2006) .
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Another helpful tip to encourage and enhance your giving is to narrow it down. It is more efficient for the causes you support, and for you too, if you commit to donating to at most five organizations on an annual basis instead of taking up 200 of them. You're your giving is focused, then it will even push your time and money further into enhancing the cause. Furthermore, focusing on a more focused group of an organization to work with is the best way for you to learn what the organizations do, understand the challenges that they face, celebrate their achievements with them, and most importantly, grow with them and build long-term relationships.
The first thing that comes to the minds of many people when they hear about giving is financial incurs and writing checks. However, it is important to understand that giving goes deeper than just finances. The organizations that you are working with need even deeper support when it comes to volunteer activities. That said, it is important that you rise up, become even more involved, and do something that is more than just financial support. Think about your passions, skills, and abilities and consider ways in which you can put them to good use and benefit the organization. If you are not sure of how you can volunteer, then you can use your best friend, the internet, to research on the different volunteering opportunities and get inspired. You could consider starting your informal giving club that aims at bringing together friends with whom you can visit different institutions and volunteer your time and talents (Hammond, 2016) . You can start by emailing a couple of people asking them to come together and meet on a monthly basis with the goal of giving and bettering the lives of other people. On the same note, you can also opt to just commit yourself to perform acts of kindness: a simple way of giving that does not spend any of your coins. The good thing about acts of kindness is that they can be performed anywhere and at any time, from smiling at someone, holding the door for them, helping them out with a challenging issue that they are dealing with, or spending time talking to them among others.
Another way to give and actually enjoy the process is by making a personalized gift that bears someone's name and enjoys watching the transformative impact that this will have on them. For instance, you could consider making a donation to ("Achieve", 2019) and make it personalized to let them know that you have them on your mind and that your gift was actually thought of and it is not just something out of the blues. Examples of such gift-giving are seen in a care.org, who give a $25 donation supplying village loan and savings groups with a ledger, a lockbox, and other essential start-up tools to help them get started with their venture of saving and managing loans. Also, Greyston.com purchases a brownie gift box from the Greystone Bakery that supports and employs the formerly incarcerated and homeless in New York (Ratner, & Miller, 2001). What better way to show people that you actually care?
It is also crucial that as a giver you do not just rely on clinched pictures for you to get the move or urge to give. It is typical that after an earthquake or another form of disaster, the images of families who were let in distress waiting for help fill the media. It is believed that no person can be so cold-hearted as to turn these children and families away. The children usually appear to be appealing, with their big eyes and winning smiles. However, a cheerful and committed giver should not wait for such images to crop up for them to decide that it is time to give. The commitment to give is something that needs to be present from the word go, whether the images from a disaster appeared on the internet or not. The same advice is applicable to the non-governmental organizations themselves: rarely will the donors and volunteers give to people whose images bring them out as being intelligent and well-able. For this reason, the choice of images used when sourcing for funding is something that an organization needs to consider with utmost care.
Another way of giving, which many people tend to overlook most of the time is the gift of being emotionally available. Most of the people in the world today are going through issues. ("Achieve", 2019) and other not-for-profit organizations face challenges (and joys) every other time. If there is one gift that can come in handy at any point during the operation of these organizations, then that has to be the gift of someone who is emotionally available. Someone who is willing to be fully there, mind, body, and spirit, even when things become tough…priceless!
Last on our list of ways to give, which is definitely not our least point, is the need to tell your story. We have already settled on the truth that the world is already suffering and too many people have experienced too many troubles. As the saying goes, “ stories are a communal currency of humanity.” Telling your story is a way of exposing your deepest truths to other people, and this is one of the most vulnerable gestures of generosity (Wrosch, Miller, Scheier, & De Pontet, 2007) . Sharing your story with other people can be one of the most rewarding and meaningful gifts that you will ever give to someone, especially when you do it from a point of compassion and sincerity. It is a means of exposing your deeper self, exposing your pain, your heartache, and everything else that makes you who you are. It is the best way to preach to the world about the hope for healing and the assurance of better days. Sharing your story could end up being the only shot that you had to save a life and help someone turn their life around.
As Winston Churchill once mentioned, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Giving, in whichever capacity, is the best way to feel human and to bring a kick in your sense of worthiness. There are several non-governmental organizations in our society that are committed to giving, all of which are different in their own right. But then, you do not have to own your organization for you to give. There are many different ways that one can commit to giving, from researching on your issue of interest and committing to it, volunteering your skills and time, telling your story, and giving personalized gifts, among several other techniques. There is always something to do to bring a smile on someone’s face. In whichever way you can, take it upon yourself to bring a ray of sunshine to someone’s life by giving today.
References
Achieve. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.achieve.org/
Cheon, S. H., Reeve, J., Yu, T. H., & Jang, H. R. (2014). The teacher benefits from giving autonomy support during physical education instruction. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology , 36 (4), 331-346.
Deci, E. L., La Guardia, J. G., Moller, A. C., Scheiner, M. J., & Ryan, R. M. (2006). On the benefits of giving as well as receiving autonomy support: Mutuality in close friendships. Personality and social psychology bulletin , 32 (3), 313-327.
Hammond, C. (2016). Five ways to encourage generosity. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160914-five-ways-to-encourage-generosity
Ratner, R. K., & Miller, D. T. (2001). The norm of self-interest and its effects on social action. Journal of personality and social psychology , 81 (1), 5.
Wrosch, C., Miller, G. E., Scheier, M. F., & De Pontet, S. B. (2007). Giving up on unattainable goals: Benefits for health? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , 33 (2), 251-265.
