Reasons Why is Charity Important: Promotion of Charity

Introduction

Charity begins at home and should be spread far and wide. Unfortunately, research data shows it is dwindling. In the UK for example, the Britons who have usually been steadily generous had 43% saying that they had not given any donation to charity for the past 12 months. Charity is voluntary, but given the fact that homelessness, famine, and poverty, the drop-off in charity giving is demoralizing and there is a strong need for people to understand why is charity important.

Austerity has delved deeper into people’s lives. Although civic-minded individuals have created ways to fill in the gaps on the dwindling aid, the provision of education, health, and other social services suffered. In the decline in charity, the hope to a brighter future for children and families in dire need of help is likewise reduced. Is generosity only an impulse? Will we no longer touch the lives of needy children? Is all hope gone?

Reasons Why People Give to Charity

For decades, behavioral scientists have been continually fascinated by why people give money to charity. Studies show that charity-giving fits three broad categories:

• Pure altruism wherein giving is because it is valued as a social good

It is a fact that helping others is greatly empowering and can make people feel happier and more fulfilled. Donors obtain inner satisfaction from giving, although charity may be totally anonymous. Research data show an association between charity-giving and increased brain activity that records pleasure. Indeed, it is far better to give than to receive.

• Impure altruism wherein giving is because it is extracting value

Studies by Olson and Becker found that motivations for charity-giving are closely linked to the desire to win prestige, respect, and friendship, to avoid the scorn of others, and to receive the social commendation.

• No altruism at all wherein giving is to show off wealth

Amihai Glazer and Kai Konrad. distinguish professors and economists, found data that show people give to charity to signal wealth status. Preference is more on prestige. Fortunately, charity giving spreads easily like a virus. If people see other people give, they are also influenced to give. It is interesting to note that people tend to give more if the person asking is someone they know or somebody prominent in their lives. They give an encouraging push to donation decisions and can be likened to rolling snowballs that inspire other people to give to causes with special significance. It somehow boosts relationships however impersonal through a shared goal. Working together can create a positive impact to make charity-giving sustainable.

Additionally, if the donors before them made large donations, the tendency is to make larger donations themselves. Celebrity supporters increase donations to charity fast.

Promoting Charity and Giving

In charity-giving, people are more often ruled by their hearts and emotions rather than their heads. So, everything is not lost. Touching lives and giving hopes are still possible. The following may help charity-giving in the longer term.

There are overwhelmingly large numbers of charitable avenues available today. Charity-giving decisions are more often influenced by income. Some people whose income is on the lower end may opt to give when somebody speaks to them. Survey results showed that classy young people tend to support a cause if a family member or a friend is directly involved or encourages them to do so. Young people are pulled to easy to donate charities.

Assess how far your budget can go when charity-giving. Perhaps, knowing and understanding the outcomes of the donation in helping the beneficiaries is more tangible and real. Keep in mind that the path to a person's mind is through the heart. Build credibility and trust while touching people’s hearts. What matters most to the intended audience? Is it impressive statistics or is it a special brand of love that connects to people’s hearts to encourage them to open their wallets?

However impressive the statistics are they do not resonate emotionally. Potential donors are more moved by personal stories. For example, a real cancer patient says: “I thought the stress would kill me before cancer did. I was already picturing my kids without a mom, imagining how hard it would be on my husband just reeling from the diagnosis….” Donors connect with the person’s story, not with statistics. Make an emotional connection! Do not be afraid to tell the story.

Use social media to gain support. Aim to grab attention with simple and short posts. Pick the right time to create a feeling of urgency and crisis in requesting help. Genuine connections to followers and supporters build a strong community. Use Page to interact with supporters to let them know, feel and appreciate the outcomes of their help and support. Empower others to share posts and messages, making clear what they stand for and how they can be propagated.

Conclusion

Inspire people to take action by targeting messages to the right people. Present the problem that stirs up emotion. Suggest a single action that will make the response doable and make the response process easy to undertake. If there is a real need, people will take action especially if it will create real-life changes. Show the potential results by giving examples such as $100M raised to fight ALS. Consider issues that would compel the audience to act. Make sure the call for action is outstanding. Celebrate contributions to recognize and encourage people to give more. Feature photos, videos, quotes, or stories of supporters. Acknowledge and thank them for their support.

References

1. Gallo, Carmine. 'How the American Cancer Society Learned to Touch Hearts to Boost Donations.' Forbes, 19 Nov. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2018/11/19/how-the-american-cancer-society-learned-to-touch-hearts-to-boost-donations/#6539f9426203.

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2. 'Charitable Giving: Donate Button.' Facebook Social Good, socialgood.fb.com/charitable-giving/donate-button/.