Meaningful giving

We hear the word "meaningful" used quite frequently, especially now that we are in the holiday season. What does meaningful mean? More importantly, what does it mean to you, the donor or to you the charity or to you the end recipient? Can one give meaningfully and also make a meaningful difference to the end client and to the charity? You bet! However, the donor has to become more aware of the charity and the charity's success with its clients.

Imagine if a donor wanted to see those with alchohol addictions getting more help so they gave money to an addiction rehabiliation site. They wrote the cheque and felt satisfied that people were being helped, but what if you were to know that your money could help 10% more people at a different agency or if you knew that there was another addiction agency that had a greater client success rate. Would you be upset? Would you want to change your donation? If you have answered positively to those questions, then perhaps you are someone that is looking to make a more meaningful gift.

Victor Frankl, author of the famous and powerful book, "Man's Search For Meaning" believes that humans are motivated by meaning, not strictly by pleasure or power. He labelled ultimate meaning as self-transcending. To do that, one must give back to the community, but give back in a way that is not selfish, but that truly provides help to others. There is an example, where a child, who had lost his arms at a very young age, was trying to put on his coat. His mother watched. Another mother asked why she was not helping her son, and the mother responded that she was. The son, in later years, thanked his mother for teaching him how to be indepedent. This is an example of Frankl's self-transcendence.

If one wants to make a meaningful gift that is meaningful to all parties, one must observe and research how one's gift will do that. However, once you have done your work and you have given with knowledge, you will feel a much greater sense of meaning. Your gift will be lasting and purposeful to many people.

Something to think about...

Labels: "give with meaning", donor gifts, meaningful donations, meaningful giving

posted by Brenda Northey @ 8:09 AM