Boles - How to be an everyday philanthropist: 330 ways to make a difference in your home, community, and world--at no cost

How to Be an EVERYDAY Philanthropist

330 WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN YOUR HOME, COMMUNITY, AND WORLDAT NO COST

by Nicole Bouchard Boles

To my children. Austyn, Jesse, and Brady.
I believe in a better world because of you.

To all those who selflessly share their time, talent, and treasure
with the absolute purpose of bettering our world.

This book would not be possible without you.

Copyright 2009 by Nicole Bouchard Boles

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproducedmechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopyingwithout written permission of the publisher. Published simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son Limited.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Boles, Nicole Bouchard.
How to be an everyday philanthropist : 330 ways to make a difference in your home, community, and worldat no cost / Nicole Bouchard Boles.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-7611-5504-1 (alk. paper)
1. Charity. 2. Humanitarianism. 3. Social service. I. Title.
HV48.B65 2009
361.74dc22 009023114

Cover design: Janet Vicario / Book design: Jen Browning

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Printed in the United States of America

First printing October 2009
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

APPENDIX A:
Use Your Calendar

APPENDIX B:
Further Reading

The noblest question in the world is
what good may I do in it?
Benjamin Franklin

Ive never traveled to Africa to help feed the hungry or soothe a baby orphaned by AIDS. Ive never initiated a rally for the homeless or poor. I havent found a cure for cancer, a way to stop domestic abuse, or an alternative energy source that will save our planet. And last I checked, I wasnt a millionaire. But through simple steps I take each dayactions that cost nothing more than a bit of my timeIm joining with thousands of other people who are trying to make a difference and give what we can to those who need it most. It is through these actions that we become philanthropistseveryday philanthropists.

When people think of the word philanthropist, theyre apt to picture a grand lady in pearls writing out checks with a lot of zeros. But the root meaning of philanthropy is much more universal and accessible: depending on what dictionary you check, philanthropy means love to mankind, universal goodwill, and active effort to promote human welfare. In other words, it doesnt mean writing big checks. Rather, a philanthropist tries to make a difference with whatever riches he or she possesses. For most of us, its not moneyespecially these daysbut things like our talents, our time, our decisions, our body, and our energy that are our most valuable assets. And when we give with these assets, were spending as generously as any Rockefeller or Carnegie.

The impulse to do good is in all of us. In 2008, 62 million Americans donated 8 billion hours of volunteer time and there has been a spike in what the Obama administration calls do-it-yourself serviceor self-organized giving back. (For example, the number of people who worked with their neighbors to fix a community problem rose by 31 percent in 2008.) But there are many of us who are overwhelmed by the sheer number of problems in the world and wonder how one personwho is neither rich nor famouscan really make a difference. We might ask ourselves, How can we help? Where do we begin?

A philanthropist tries to make a difference with whatever riches he or she possesses.

Begin here. In this book youll find 330 inspiring initiatives, organizations, and giving strategies that are absolutely doablefrom donating your old prom dress to donating stem cells (not as scary as it sounds), from spending a Sunday painting playground equipment to simply using your presence to bring comfort to a hospice patient. With your busy life in mind, Ive found actions that you can start and finish within the course of one day, often within an hour or less. Some of the simplest actions take only a few minutes at your computer. Others, such as volunteering, involve more of a time commitment and, for those who desire to make the connection, more personal contact with like-minded everyday philanthropists.

My goal is to provide you with ways to give that you can act on immediately and then make a daily practice, like brushing your teeth or kissing your kids goodnight. To this end, its helpful to identify what youre passionate about and then try to match that passion with an issue in your community (homelessness, illiteracy) or one plaguing another part of the globe (malaria, drought). Then commit to your cause, whether its twice-yearly closet clean-outs for the Salvation Army or daily clicks on FreeRice.com or monthly mentoring gigs.

I first started thinking about the concept of everyday philanthropy when I was pregnant with my first child. I found it hard to read or watch news stories depicting children who were victims of war, hunger, or abusepartly because they were a reminder of the unjust world my child would soon be entering. When I was growing up in small prairie towns in Canada, charitable gestures were a part of family life. If someone in our community needed somethinga meal, a job, warm clothingmy parents would find a way to provide. When I left the nest, I never entirely forgot the lessons Id learned as a child, but I didnt always integrate giving into my busy life. Now, with a child on the way, I had new motivation to give back.

I believe there is a powerful giving solution for each person.

I began looking for easy, cash-free, and time-flexible ways that ordinary people (like me) could help. I volunteered as a baby-snuggler at my local hospital. I started doing click-to-donate campaigns on various websites, recycling for charity, collecting coupons or soup can labels for charitable organizations, and more. By the time my daughter was born, I had located more than a hundred charities that could benefit from my brand of philanthropy. I spent the next year making notes, expanding my list of everyday philanthropy strategies, and wondering what kind of world my daughter could look forward to if more people would turn good intentions into compassionate action. I went from feeling helpless to feeling hopeful and empowered, and I was determined to share what Id learned with others. That determination led to the book you now hold in your hands.

The strategies I personally practice each day may not be the ones that work best for you, but I believe there is a powerful giving solution for each person and the strategies in this book are bound to lead you in the right direction. Every organization represented here is either a registered 501(c)(3) charity (a fancy way of saying its not-for-profit); a service group that collects donations for a registered charity (for example, eBay Giving Worksnot a registered charity but a program that supports charities); or a small, community-based organization. Of the 450 charitable organizations featured, some youll have heard of, others you are probably discovering for the first time. Small, but important, initiatives started by regular peoplefrom scrapbookers to shoe salesmenwho recognized a need and then found a way to meet it, stand alongside established charities such as the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. I feature the stories of many of these everyday philanthropists throughout the booklet their work and enthusiasm inspire you as you begin to craft your own giving agenda.