Charities Blog

Giving Something Back

What are the Duties of Charity Trustee?

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Charities do a benevolent act of helping underprivileged communities and people around the world. Government support alone would not be sufficient to uplift the lives of poor people, combat diseases and preserve the environment where they are threatened without the assistance of these non-profit charitable organizations.

The role of private groups is always important where basic needs have to be met. In the U.S., more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations are registered based on data from the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS). These are public charities, private foundations, fraternal organizations, civic leagues and chambers of commerce among others.

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Who Makes Up a Charity?

A charity is made up of trustees or officers who make sure that the goals of the organization are met. These officers include the directors, board members, governors and committee members. [Read more…]

Originally posted on February 20, 2015 @ 3:05 pm

Should Charities Issue Receipts for Donations?

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Giving to charity is an admirable act and one that should be taught even to small children. Some kids exposed to charitable giving at an early age find it worthwhile to donate part of the monetary gifts they receive when they reach the age of 16 or 18. Some adults, however, start out in this endeavor at a later age.

There’s no age limit to the act of giving to charities and regardless of when you start donating, what matters is you are sincere in what you do. It’s a different kind of personal fulfillment if one is able to share his or her blessings, particularly hard-earned money.

dollar and Donation Box

But the question is, “Do you need to ask for an official receipt every time you donate money to a non-profit charitable organization?”

Ideally, a charity should issue receipts to donors. It is a legal obligation of a non-profit group to do so. Also, people who have donated money will need official receipts in order to make a claim on their annual income tax returns. [Read more…]

Originally posted on August 20, 2014 @ 9:52 am

The Origins of Charity

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What does the word CHARITY mean, exactly? The word has many connotations these days – from simply giving alms to the poor, to a more divine, selfless way of giving.

So just in case you were wondering, here are the word’s origins. The rest is up to you.

“….The word “charity” entered the English language through the French word “charite” which was derived from the Latin “caritas“.

In the twelfth century it indicated a state of benevolance towards the poor.

In the fifteenth century charity was used to indicate ‘the state of love or simple affection which one was in or out of regarding one’s fellows; an occasion or body of people seeking to embody that state; the love of god, in both directions.

The fraternity was the embodiment of this ideal. In 1700, it meant ‘an optimistic judgement about the good intentions of others; an act of benevolence towards the poor or needy; an institution erected as a result of such an act.”

In Christian theology:

“…Love, in this sense of an unlimited loving-kindness towards all others, is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. In its most extreme form such love can be self-sacrificial. Confusion can arise from the multiple meanings of the English word “love.”

The love that is caritas is distinguished by its origin, being Divinely infused into the soul, and by its residing in the will rather than emotions, regardless of what emotions it stirs up. This love is necessary for salvation, and with it no one can be lost.”

Originally posted on August 12, 2011 @ 5:11 pm

The Purpose of Charitable Organizations

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To be organized and operated for purposes that are beneficial to the public interest – such is the main thrust of charities or charitable organizations.  They are quite distinct from other entities that exist primarily to do business and earn a profit.  Because they exist for a noble purpose, they are in turn provided relief from taxes. 

There should be no marked difference in the general objectives of charitable organizations whether they are private foundations or public charities.  The main difference between the two is the manner of sourcing their funds.  While the former get their funds from a single source such as an individual, a family, or a corporation, the latter received theirs in the form of grants from private foundations, government, and also individuals in their own capacity.  Public charities are allowed to solicit funds from the public in the form of activities that will lead to grants. 

There are at least three purposes that have remained consistent throughout time and these include poverty relief, education advancement, and religion advancement.  However, there are other purposes that have been accepted for being beneficial to the community such as the erection of public buildings or works and the maintenance thereof, fight against community deterioration, protection of rights as mandated by law, and easing the burden of government, among others. Some organizations which promote sports competition are also classified as charities. 

Clearly, any organization that could manifest its relevance in providing benefits to the public without asking payment for its delivery can be considered a charity.  Charitable organizations have a critical role to play in areas where governments are unable to sufficiently address the needs of the people.  They have the capability to make a difference in the life of a person, a community, a country, and even the world.

Originally posted on June 11, 2012 @ 10:21 am

Charity on TV – Fundraising on Air

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Charity work is essentially about the voluntary giving of help or assistance to people who are in need. Systematic charitable work is carried out by organizations. In order for a charitable organization to pursue its objectives of helping the needy, it must be able to address its main concern about fundraising.

Charitable organizations usually have benefactors who may provide their main source of funding. However, it is quite possible that they will still need to do fundraising activities to further support their programs. One of the more popular forms of soliciting funds is charity on TV or fundraising on air.

Fundraising through TV is primarily carried out through Telethon events such as the UK Comic Relief and the Children in Need. A Telethon is basically a fundraising event which goes on television broadcast that may be held for a number of hours or days.  The main purpose of course is to raise money for a worthy cause.

A telethon is distinct in offering entertainment similar to a variety show while receiving pledges for donations.  The work itself is derived from the words television and marathon.  It has totally changed the face of fundraising from the basic face-to-face interaction to a highly technical way of moving funds from one source to the beneficiary.

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On-air fundraising on TV makes use of the power of media to create awareness for a cause and provide a convincing call to action for viewers to give, donate, or contribute typically in cash.  Some telethons however also receive donations in kind especially for causes related to extensive natural disasters.  Through telethons, it has become easier for viewers to give.

Early forms of telethons mainly relied on pledges made over the phone.  Today, it is possible to text donations on the day of the telethon and the handling organization can report millions of dollars in raised funds within the same day.

Telethons can be done once for a specific purpose or annually for a much larger beneficiary group.  Causes such as those related to child welfare have continuous needs for funding and will require a systematic way of getting it.  An annual or even a semi-annual telethon is a good way to go about it.

TV is not merely limited entertainment as it can be used for more noble causes such as charity work.  Service providers such as DirectTVDeal.com have made it possible for viewers to have access to more TV shoes including charity TV shows.

About the Author:
Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information to provide readers.

 

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Originally posted on March 11, 2013 @ 6:00 am

Thirst Aid

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The non-profit group has been running for quite sometime since the Tsunami’s of past and they have been filling the gap that left millions of people without clean drinking water. Founded by Curt and Cathy Bradner, an American couple who have given up everything to help the poor people of Myanmar (formerly Burma) many of whom lack basic necessities for safe and healthy living as most of Asia’s developing countries. Myanmar, being run by a Military Junta has been cut-off from the rest of the world by a military that reports directly to their generals. Suspicious of Westerners (mostly Americans) whom they distrust due to criticism they receive from most of the West.

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The couple have been working in the country for quite sometime and have bought Visas (long term) which is a rarity in the country. The tsunamis devastated much of the effected areas contaminating water tables, decaying animals and people who were left without proper burial have also contributed to the pollution which if not corrected, would kill just as many people that were killed during the disaster itself. Disease is the aftermath of any disaster and many of them are spread through contaminated drinking water. Many of the developing world’s diseases are water-borne and the couple who started it all has been working ever since to get safe and clean drinking water to all who needs it. They have focused their efforts on Myanmar due to the utter isolation of the country from the rest of the world.

They sold everything they had and made a promise to get clean and safe drinking water to all who need it. The tsunami ravaged Myanmar was a perfect area for them to operate in due to little or no contact with the outside world. They designed simple filters made of pottery and lined with coconut husks that are capable of filtering out almost all of the harmful bacteria and other contaminants that may be present in the water. It is estimated that every 15 seconds, a child dies form disease caused by drinking untreated or polluted water and they have been fighting ever since to bring their low cost water filters to poor people who do not have much cash to purchase commercial filtration systems. The coconut and earthen filter removes all but the tiniest contaminants with a colloidal silver solution mixed in to kill any deadly pathogens that may still be left in the water. They are then safe for all to drink, especially children whose small bodies can be easily ravaged by disease.

The country is so poor that most live in huts outside of the capital with not much in terms of modern infrastructures to support the country’s growing population. They need help in their projects and their children back home manage and maintain their web site which is one of the ways they earn money for their many projects. They have managed to produce filtration systems that run from car batteries and they are in urgent need of money for funding and other purposes for them to continue helping those who need it the most.

Originally posted on July 27, 2011 @ 2:33 pm

Does Charity Always Help?

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“Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it.”  – John D. Rockefeller

When Rockefeller spoke these words, he knew that in such a noble deed as charity, there is still a risk of it being damaging to the recipients of the charity.  This is because of the possibility that they will become fully dependent on others and will no longer work on their own to improve their situation.  Givers of charity are therefore encouraged to assess if they are actually helping people in their acts of charity or simply encouraging them to be dependent on other people and institutions.

Acts of charity therefore are not always beneficial to the recipient.  This is specifically in situations where beneficiaries of charitable support are not taught to take care of themselves after the initial assistance.  Charity is also seen as non-beneficial when it merely becomes a band-aid solution to problems that require comprehensive changes.

It can be very difficult to associate negativity with something so noble as charity.  For how is it possible that something intended to help will turn out badly?  The problem is not in the intention.  It is usually with the implementation that something goes wrong.

Some people see a lack of fairness when donors and philanthropists have the power to choose the recipients of their charitable act.  Many believe that charitable works must be distributed according to real priorities and needs and not according to personal preference and choice.  But how does one argue with a donor?

There are also concerns about charity that comes with conditions.  This is related to requiring the recipients to do or not do a specific act in exchange for receiving the benefits.  If the conditions set are manipulative and violates human rights,  there are obvious contrasts to the noble purpose of charity.  If the conditions are set to ensure that the recipients truly benefit beyond the initial dole-out, then such conditions are deemed positive.

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About the Author:

Teresa is a professional researcher-writer on a wide range of topics.

Originally posted on January 31, 2013 @ 4:11 pm

Newborns Need Your Help

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Charities of all sorts abound these days, but here’s one that will tug your heartstrings. Denver Health Medical Center has released statistics that show that more than eight out of 10 newborns are in need of assistance. These babies are born to families which are not well to do. As such, they struggle to provide for the needs of the babies.

That is why the charitable organization Denver Health’s Newborn in Need was born. This organization caters to the needs of mothers who have just given birth and their babies. The money that the organization gathers is used to provide for essential items such as diapers, milk formulas, and blankets among other things. If you would rather give goods as opposed to cash, the organization will gladly accept your donations as well. In fact, the hospital has a dedicated room to house goods that have been donated.

The sad fact, however, is that the shelves in the rooms are starting to become depleted. It seems that the needs are much higher than the donations that are coming in. That is why the organization is now actively seeking gifts from those who are willing to give them.

According to a story published by 9news, the mothers who have received these donations have expressed their gratitude. For those in the area, donations can also be made when shopping at King Soopers, where donation cards are available for $3 and are added onto your grocery bill. For more information, you can also visit the organization’s web site.

Originally posted on June 21, 2011 @ 12:36 pm

Putting Excess Food And Clothing To Good Use

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With the economy treating so many people roughly these days, there are a lot of families who could use a helping hand. Food, clothing, and other general use items are at the top of the list of things impoverished families tend to need. Also, by cleaning out your closet of unwanted wears, you will be making additional room for those designer furs you always wanted. As you take a look through your pantry, canned and boxed food items are generally the most useful items to donate. these items generally have a longer storage life than the food in your refrigerator. They are often the easiest for poor and homeless people to store — especially if a person does not have a refrigerator of their own. Although that is hard for some to imagine in our modern age, it is a situation that is more common than people might expect.

Giving to Churches and Food Banks

A lot of people would like to get involved, providing food items to the poor and needy, but are not sure where to begin. Generally, the poor and homeless obtain their food from shelters, food banks, and churches. In some cases, food that makes it into these centers is derived from the USDA surplus and other food redistribution projects. Though the redistribution of food from such sources is helpful, it generally does not satisfy the great need that exists. Most food pantries and food bank services still rely on other community members to donate to their cause, which helps to support the many efforts made to keep economically challenged people fed. If you have ever wondered how great the hunger problem in America truly is, according to the Feeding America website, approximately 49-million Americans struggle to obtain adequate food each day. [Read more…]

Originally posted on December 8, 2014 @ 9:06 am

Charity Work – Is it For You?

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If you think that the only job available for the charity industry is to get donations, you will definitely be surprised that there is a wide margin of employment opportunities in this industry.  People who are looking into finding jobs in this sector will most likely find them in not-for-profit organizations, charitable institutions, as well as various voluntary and community organizations.

The charity industry involves many types of work for it to accomplish its objective.  Administrative work is considerable since there is a lot of documentary and paper work to be accomplished.  Fundraising, is only one of the many works that has to be done.  In relation to fundraising, there is also the matter of educating new members of the industry.

Other areas of concern for potential employees of the charity industry includes works related to specific issues such as animal conservation, environment conservation and research, and health education and promotion.  Other duties to be performed includes emergency work, policy development, as well as provision of care services.  Charity organizations also need managers adept at human resources management, financial management, and scientific and social research development.

There is as much opportunity to gain career satisfaction in the charity industry although the pay may not be as much as in the corporate world.  In terms of experience, there is much to expect and probably even more.  There are also job opportunities similar to those found in the business sector such as accounting, marketing, and IT.  Charity work is not for everyone but it is definitely for some people.  If that includes you – that is for you to find out.

Originally posted on January 26, 2013 @ 12:50 am