On August 17th, the US celebrates National Nonprofit Day. It’s a time to recognize the impact that nonprofits have on our local communities and around the world. At Greater Sum, we are reflecting on the many ways that nonprofits provide conduits for action: donations, volunteerism, awareness, and advocacy. We’ve asked an array of our volunteers and donors to share how THEY give, and in the coming months we’ll be sharing those perspectives here on the blog and on our social media channels.
Many of us believe that philanthropy is only for the very wealthy. But philanthropy is within our grasp as well!
Every donation is important, large or small.
Volunteers are the fuel that makes nonprofits run.
Your signal boost may connect a nonprofit with their next valued donor or volunteer!
If you do any of the above, you are a practicing philanthropist. Give yourself credit for that! After pushing past my own discomfort as a young fundraiser, I am a fan of folks who do the same. When people I care about ask for money for the causes they care about, I want them to know, “I heard you ask, I’m proud of what you’re doing, and thanks for giving me the chance to help!” So, I give to a lot of Facebook birthday fundraisers, school fundraisers, runs and walks, etc.
Mutual aid is another avenue of giving that’s been around for ages but is newly vivid to me. Mutual aid is when people get together to meet each other’s needs. I volunteer as the admin for my local Buy Nothing group, and I’ve seen some amazing gifts shared among members of the group. There’s the fancy coffeemaker that wasn’t getting used in its first home, the 1000-piece puzzle that’s made the rounds through at least five households, and the scoby that’s now “mother” to batches of kombucha across the neighborhood. Mutual aid groups do everything from raise bail to distribute groceries, creating new systems of support when our current systems fail, move too slowly, or leave people out.
How do YOU give? Share your thoughts on our Google Form! And keep an eye out for more personal approaches to giving here on the blog and @greatersumfound on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
