Today is Blog Action Day, I have learned from the popular blog Zenhabits, and the theme this year is poverty. As you may know, I’m a fan of solutions and ‘doing’ when it comes to any given problem.
I promote more joy and less consumption in the United States — but you need to have your survival needs met to have a shot at joy. A large percentage of people outside of the U.S. struggle to survive, i.e. are in poverty. Unfortunately, exploitation of their natural resources by the developed nations (like us) often contributes to their poverty.
So, my husband and I just increased our annual giving to a full 5% of our gross income. We take advantage of the fact that his employer matches employee giving at 50%. That means that if we give Mercy Corps $500/year, PGE gives them $250/year on top of our give. (I really like that about PGE, even while I don’t like their Boardman coal-firing plant. Life is complex in these ways.)
My experience is that it feels great to give to Mercy Corps, the microloan program Pro Mujer, and eight other nonprofits that address either poverty or sustainability. Thor and I have financial commitments to them, not just occasional impulses to write checks here and there. We don’t miss the money, because we live well within our means. I encourage you to give an affordable, ongoing part of your income to organizations that reduce poverty, too, if you aren’t already doing that.
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Yes giving to charity can make a real difference, as can living within your means and promoting that philosophy.
Giving does make a difference — in the form of money or one’s volunteer time! I think a combination of the two is best when possible.