Philanthropy

by Capricorner

The Greeks created the word. The Americans gave the word its true meaning.

Philanthropy is a Greek composite word whose meaning is : friend to humans. Over the ages it has come to mean kindness to human beings … Charity, helping those in need. What are humanity’s needs? how can they b e t t e r be served? Humanity’s needs change with times and of course conditions. Effective service to human needs must therefore be adapted to cure, to solve, present day ills and problems, in different parts of the world.

From the March of Dimes to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Americans have taken a concerted, focused approach to Philanthropy. George Soros supports with his Billions Human Rights movements anywhere in the world such support is needed. Respect of Human Rights is fundamental to Freedom, Free people develop capabilities with which they progress socially, economically, because there is freedom of the press, accountability, service to the people by the people for the people, the ingredients of good Governance. George Soros, therefore, helps Humanity progress.

The Bill Gates foundation o u t s p e n d s the World’s Governments on Public Health, Currently it is helping eradicate polio in places like Afghanistan. Bill Gates has resigned from head of Microsoft and is devoting his energy and business management experience to effectively administering the outlays of his foundation. Not a penny gets wasted. This methodically organized approach to Philanthropy has gained the respect of other Billionaires, like Warren Buffet, who is giving half his fortune to the Gates Foundation. He is not the only one. Other Billionaires and Millionaires are donating half, or part, of their Fortunes to the Gates Foundation, because they have seen how efficient the Foundation is. Many Governments could learn from the Gates Foundation how to effectively administer their Social Welfare Expenditures, to maximize their benefits to their people.

Big money outlays do not come solely from American Millionaires. Millions upon Millions are gathered in response to calls for help by organizations or the Government itself. H a l f of a l l Americans have contributed to the help of Haiti ! .

There are hundreds and hundreds of Charities in the USA, the typical expression of Philanthropy. The Contributors to these are millions and millions of Americans and hundreds of Corporate entities, the latter being particularly sensitive to Charitable causes, ergo the need to connect causes with donors. Enterprising and innovative that Americans are this need created a for profit company … CAUSES, which uses Social Media tools to “connect” the nearly one hundred and twenty Million Americans with the various “causes” (hence the name of the company) which they are inclined to support. Causes does not restrict itself to the Webb, however. It is now starting a “retail” charity support business with $25 and $50 Gift Cards which will be available in Supermarkets. The Cards will enable their buyers to donate to whichever of the CAUSES affiliated Charities they want .CAUSES will have no financial profit from this venture. Its gain will be awareness of the Brand outside the Web, which will help build its business in the Web. With $263.000.000.000 (yes Billion) a year going to Charities there is a huge business potential for CAUSES, given that most Charities still rely on conventional means to spread their message and invite donations, which means much expense and inefficiency. What is more, America is changing. Americans are beginning to use the Internet for transactions of every kind and donating is one of them. CAUSES earns its income from the voluntary 10% that donors give it for its services and from fees ranging from $50000 to $300000 which Corporations pay it to conduct Fundraising campaigns which the Corporate Citizen. of America sponsor.

Donating is an integral part of American culture, of the American way of life. Americans donate not just money but also time, effort, work. Outstanding example of this is Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, who quit his job as head of his company to head his Charitable Fund, to ensure that the expenditures of his foundation provide the maximum to its purpose. To him Philanthropy is not some act of kindness for “image” purposes, but a clear desire to offer meaningfully, to help alleviate some of the suffering of the unprivileged.

Philanthropy … being a friend to people … is also Volunteerism. This form of helping others is ingrained to the American Psyche. Americans have always volunteered to help in whichever way they can people in various parts of the world and of course within their country. That said is it fair to call Americans a nation of givers, compared to the Greeks who do not exhibit great love for Volunteerism, not even for the good of their neighborhood?