What is Philanthropy?
There are numerous happenings occurring around the world that you may not be aware of. Sometimes, even the subdivision in Cabuyao, Laguna where you are residing is too big to stay updated. Some of the problems some people have to face every single day are scarcity, poverty, and other critical issues.
So, being a little bit gentle to everyone won’t hurt you. There are ways where you can help to lessen the burden some people have to carry. One of which is through philanthropy.
Philanthropy, to everyone’s knowledge, comes from the words “Philos” meaning loving, and “Anthropos” meaning humankind. It is an effort to love humankind and help those in need but it is much more than that. It focuses on finding different long-term ways to support, improve, as well as to provide any kind of help in fostering human welfare.
Philanthropic responsibilities can be done by literally everyone who can do so or are usually fulfilled by those who have a lot to share or in other words, are wealthy. This can be an organization that shares the same objectives and values or individuals who have the same goal—to spread kindness and assistance.
One good thing about philanthropy is that you can help by any means. It doesn’t always need to be monetary as long as it’s sincere and is coming from the heart. You can help by volunteering for different initiatives, showcasing talents for fundraising events, or donating clothes, books, or anything that helps improve the life of someone.
What is its purpose?
Philanthropy’s main purpose is to further improve the well-being of everyone especially those who are in need. Certain efforts directed at a certain community not only help make someone’s life easy but also allow you to plant a seed of goodness that can be harvested soon and be planted in someone else’s again, making the cycle of helping continue.
Aside from that, philanthropy is not all about charitable donations and initiatives but also about creating effective solutions for problems and not just band-aid ones. This way, philanthropists can provide help while also making sure to lessen the problems the society is facing.
What is the main difference between charity and philanthropy?
Philanthropy definition is usually interchanged with charity. However, they have different meanings that separate the one from the other. Charity is about providing immediate response and help to solve a problem when it arises. While philanthropy’s efforts are emphasized and more focused on providing long-term initiatives not just to help society but to change it for the better.
Charity is about giving donations, and philanthropy is about loving society enough to create some change and eliminate problems permanently.
What are the benefits of Philanthropy?
There are different benefits Philanthropy has and here are some of them.
Create strong community
Philanthropy brings everyone who shares the same values and unites the community. When people relate to each other, it makes it easy to establish a stronger relationship bonded by the same reasons and causes.
Improves physical and mental well-being
By involving yourself in philanthropic initiatives, you are not only helping others improve their well-being but also yours too. It creates a sense of fulfillment that eases the mind, lessens stress, and helps you find your purpose. When you’re mind is healthy, it resonates with your physical health as well.
Road to a happier and positive world
Helping even in the littlest of ways allows you to contribute to making the world a happier and a positive one. Positivity is contagious so when it spreads around the world, it makes a huge difference resulting in more opportunities.
Foster social responsibility
Businesses, companies, and even individuals are now recognizing their responsibility to give back to society for their success. Philanthropy creates a new vision for them to not only think of the organizations’ success but to also create initiatives and include the society in their plans by hosting and supporting projects and causes.
Is Philanthropy really important?
It is important in a way that philanthropy helps in creating a thriving and better world not just for those who are in need but for everyone. It makes the world a more livable place which fosters everyone’s well-being. Moreover, it assists in creating wonderful opportunities for everyone, giving them a chance to build and rebuild their life better.
What can you do to fulfill Philanthropic responsibility?
There are a lot of opportunities for everyone to fulfill their philanthropic responsibilities and each can differ depending on what you can offer. Here’s how you can become a philanthropist in your simple ways.
Determine your cause
Kickstart your way to being a philanthropist by assessing what cause/s you want to support. Research different causes and initiatives that reflect your values and start from there.
Find and join organizations
There are a lot of organizations out there and you just have to find the perfect ones that you want to support. You need to assess the opportunities catered by the organizations to better know if they will help you achieve the goals you want to achieve.
Start Helping
Plan and allocate your donations and time properly. Remember, it doesn’t have to be too much, just enough that you can provide is a big step already. Evaluate your income and determine the percentage of donations you would want. Aside from that, plan your calendar so you can see your available dates for volunteering.
Inspire others
Involving yourself in philanthropy doesn’t just help people but also inspires others to help as well. It creates an unending cycle of help and support that can then result in a better livable and sustainable world.
Bottomline
It doesn’t need to be grand to start helping. Through simple ways, you can be able to support the society as a whole. If the world is too big already, start by helping the community in your subdivision in Cabuyao Laguna. This action will kickstart your cause and you’ll find yourself doing much bigger things for the world. The love you have for society is all it takes and it should be enough to keep you going.
