Why is charitable giving important?
Charitable giving is something that many people see as being important.
And this is not because they themselves have a lot of money, but because they feel that donating to those in need can make a significant difference to the problems those people face.
Donating to a cause such as funding TB treatment to stop the spread of TB in South Africa is a worthwhile thing to do. But you might be wondering why donating is important in the first place. Charitable giving is important because it can help to save people from disasters and can help to stop TB (which is one of the leading causes of death in South Africa), Ebola and other infectious diseases. Read on for more reasons why charitable giving is so important.
It helps to build your personal values
One of the ways that charitable giving can help you personally is that it helps to build your own personal values. This is because it feels as though it is your moral duty to uplift others in need, and donating to charity will also help to introduce new values into your life.
Many people who donate to charity feel as though they are privileged in ways that those in need are not, such as having a better immune system than those with drug-resistant TB. And by giving your time, money or second-hand goods to charity, you are staying true to your own ethical beliefs while also helping others in an impactful way.
It can help the community
If you are a business that wants to give back, there is no better way than involving the community in some way. You can choose to give back to your community by organising a charity drive to restore a community hall or you could donate stationery, toiletries and toys to your local children’s home.
Helping the community is one of the biggest benefits of charitable giving and it is why it is so important. If you are an individual who wants to better your community, you can do some research on improving life for others in your community, such as asking the various health systems to provide those with TB and HIV in the area with drug susceptibility testing. Look at what your community needs and address these with your giving.
Your children will become more generous
By introducing your children to donating goods or to other meaningful charitable giving, they will become more generous and understanding of others. Be sure to always explain to them why you are giving to charity and how the money or goods will be used by the charity.
This might sound like a small personal benefit, but creating a positive, understanding and charitable future generation will ensure that those in need even in the future can be helped. You can encourage them to donate a little of their pocket money to a children’s home or to use their birthday money to buy necessities for an animal shelter. They might not realise it at first, but it is a rewarding feeling to give to someone else rather than being selfish with your money and goods.
Friends and family will be motivated to donate
When your friends and family see you giving to charity, they will likely be motivated to do the same. This will mean that charities will be receiving more donations from more people, allowing them to reach their goals quicker and truly make an impact on their cause.
Inspiring the passions of others is one of the positive impacts of charitable giving. You can ask your friends and family to donate to a charity that you are passionate about or you could encourage them to find one of their own. Giving as a family will also strengthen your bonds and can be an activity that brings you all closer together. The same can be said of choosing a charity to donate to with a group of friends.
You can make a real difference
No matter how small or large your monetary donation is, anything can help to make a real difference. And the same can be said of clothing or non-perishable food donations. Making a true difference to others is why charitable giving is so important to both you and the charity.
For example, you might not be able to donate any money, but even if you send one package of gently-used second-hand clothes and tinned goods to a disaster relief programme, you can help one family in need that has been affected. A small donation can make a difference too and that R100 a month to your favourite animal shelter will never go unnoticed. If you give meaningfully, everything you give will make a difference.