When it comes to philanthropy, every donation counts – every penny and every moment of your time, down to the minute. What would happen if each of us gave one percent?
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Let’s do the math: One percent of 365 days is 3.65 days per year, which can also be measured as 87.6 hours a year. That’s about 7 hours per month – fewer than 2 hours a week! That’s a manageable amount of time to commit to a cause you’re passionate about. When you find a cause close to your heart, you’ll likely find yourself donating more than just one percent. That’s the beauty of philanthropy: It’s as rewarding to the giver as it is to the recipient.
Retail associates from ALEX AND ANI Cherry Creek participated in the “ice bucket challenge” to raise awareness for ALS.
Think about the change you’d like to see in the world – then find the non-profit organization that champions that same cause. A quick Internet search can connect you with a local group (or a nearby chapter of a larger non-profit), where you can explore different ways to contribute.
Then…
1. Take a shift: Give your service to local humanitarian missions that can’t succeed without extra hands on deck: Sign up for service at a shelter or soup kitchen, plant trees at a park, clean up a beach, volunteer at an animal rescue center. In just a few hours you can make a measurable impact.
Team (+) Impact painted a building at Roger Williams Park Zoo.
2. Get personal: Seek volunteer opportunities that are focused on that spark of human connection: Big Brothers Big Sisters is a great example, whereby you become a “big” to an at-risk young person, spending time with him or her one-on-one. Other organizations bring a human touch to patients who are seriously ill and suffering, to those with mental or physical disabilities, or to those who cannot cook for themselves and would benefit from a hand-delivered meal. It’s an incredibly humbling experience to realize that you are the bright spot in someone’s day.
Members of our CHARITY BY DESIGN team collected books and donated them to a local doctor’s office to be used in the waiting room.
3. Put your skills to work: Commit to running a 5K race for your cause – that extra motivation will keep your personal fitness goals on point. Perhaps you have professional or creative skills that you can share? Organizations often need help with everything from marketing or event planning to social media and web/graphic design.
ALEX AND ANI Miracle Mile hosted a CHARMED BY CHARITY® event to benefit our partner, Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
To quote American naturalist and conservationist John Burroughs, “The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.” Let’s do this!