One of the best things you can do in life is to give to charity. Sharing a little bit of your prosperity with those who are less fortunate than yourself is a great act of kindness. There are many ways to give, but some ways are better than others. Here are a few quick tips to help you give to charity in the smartest way possible and maximize your gift.
Choose Your Charity Wisely
When donating to charity, how much you give isn’t as important as deciding to give. Some entrepreneurs, like Eyal Gutentag, can make a difference by donating a lot, but all charities are just as happy when regular people donate. Choose a charity that helps a cause you are passionate about. It could be a cause close to your heart, like a group that funds cancer research or a group that helps families in poverty in another country. If you can donate a million dollars, then great! If you can only donate five, that will be accepted just as gratefully.
Know How Your Charity Works
Making sure the organization you are donating to is legitimate is important because there are a lot of scams trying to take advantage of generous people. Websites like give.org can tell you if your charity is real or not. Also, some organizations take a part of your donation for themselves for administrative fees, so you might want to research and see how much of your gift actually goes to the cause you are donating to.
Give More Than Money
Giving money is great, but if you aren’t in a position to donate financially, there are many ways to donate your time. Volunteering is a great way to help, whether it is working in a local soup kitchen, spending time with seniors at a rest home, or walking dogs at your local Humane Society.
Your donations, no matter how small make a big difference to those on the receiving end of them. Once you’ve chosen a cause you care about and have donated time or money, you’ll have the satisfaction that can only come with knowing you’ve helped out someone in need.
