A world where your contributions matter
Posted
Aug 15 2008, 02:04 AM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
Earlier this week, the top story in the Seattle Times was "High food, fuel prices squeeze charities, too." Agencies report that cash gifts are down and bulk-buy food costs are up -- for example, the case of rice that was $14 last year now costs $27. Shelters are laying off workers and curtailing pickups of donated items. Food banks have already burned through the year's gasoline budget. I expect the same kinds of exigencies are also happening in other cities.
The news article reminded me of a remark made by a man I know. He wondered whether our country's uncertain economy would make us turn inward to protect ourselves, or turn outward to help one another. When we turn outward, he said, the result is "a world where your contributions matter, and where there is deep compassion."
I'm definitely of the "put your own oxygen mask on first" school. But that is not the same as turning inward. It's just prudence. You can't help anyone if you don't meet your own needs first.
That said, I believe that our fears often overwhelm us. It's tempting to think, "Let the government take care of it" or "I have enough trouble paying my own bills -- let some rich guy donate." We protect ourselves at the expense of our potential for compassion.
With the recent increases in the cost of gasoline, utilities and basic foods, it's easy to think only of our own bottom lines. Which is, of course, exactly the reason we should give: to remind ourselves what it means to be human.
Who needs it?
Among the food bank clients noted in the Times article were a young mother, a middle-aged customer-service rep who'd been laid off, and a 61-year-old former Boeing employee who used to give to charity every month.
Meals on Wheels, an organization that provides food for the elderly and the housebound, is experiencing a rapid increase in Seattle-area clients. The caseload is swelling so fast that there's already a $90,000 deficit this year.
A local organization, the Chicken Soup Brigade, also delivers food to the housebound as well as to those living with HIV or AIDS. Not only is that food getting more and more expensive, volunteer drivers are dropping out because they can't afford to pay for gas.
And some food banks report they've had to hire extra security to handle "anxious" clients who didn't make it to the front of the line before the food ran out. Imagine being one of those people. Imagine knowing that what's in the cupboard isn't enough to feed your family for the week.
That would make me anxious, too.
How almost anyone can help
Perhaps you think you don't have room in your budget to give. It doesn't have to be a lot. Maybe a package of on-sale ramen is all you can afford. Those noodles could keep a truly destitute person from going to bed hungry.
You might also choose to donate a dollar (or more, if you have it) directly to a shelter or soup kitchen. These organizations can buy in bulk and make that money go further.
Or you could get creative about finding ways to help. Those who belong to service clubs or professional organizations could "adopt" a food program. Start a MyPoints account and use the points to buy gift cards for gas stations or warehouse clubs. You could get your Scout troop, youth group or Sunday school class out there collecting nonperishables. If there's a habit you want to give up -- smoking, sweets, coffee -- why not take the money you used to spend and put it in your charitable giving fund?
One reader who posted on the "Do you pick up pennies?" thread on the Smart Spending message board said his family picks up dropped change all year long. His kids get to choose the charity that receives it. I do this too -- last year I found $24.14 -- and I think this year the money will go to a local food bank.
Why should you care?
Some people see poverty as an "us vs. them" situation: These people are lazy and that's why they're poor. Others think they've already done enough: My tax dollars go toward food stamps and housing assistance.
Empty cupboards exist for a lot of complicated reasons. So do poverty, unemployment and homelessness. A quick fix isn't possible. A temporary one is: Feed the hungry. A starving person can't think of anything beyond the gnawing in his belly. Once he or she is fed, you can then attempt to address the underlying problems.
It's easy to harden our hearts if our own circumstances are dicey. Unemployment, disability or even just living paycheck to paycheck can make compassion seem like a luxury. It's tough to think about other people's needs when your utilities are about to be turned off.
Folks in these situations do need to take care of their own needs first. They really can't spare even a quarter. But plenty of us can, and should. Because our contributions matter.
