Generosity in Action
Giving happens in so many different ways and has a mulititude of amazing results. Here is a selection of stories and blogs that you have shared with us.
Minister supports Kindness Day
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Tariana Turia is pleased to support Random Acts of Kindness Day again in 2012. “In the last 12 months New Zealand has experienced huge emotional trauma with the first of the Canterbury Earthquakes in September, the Pike River Mine disaster in November, and the February Earthquake. We’ve had international situations that have caused stresses for our citizens too, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and more recently the Norwegian terrorist attack where one of our whanau lost their mokopuna. These things have had a impact on our nation’s psyche” says Mrs Turia. “We know from these events that New Zealanders are generous by nature when confronted with disaster or tragedy but let’s not wait for another event to display our acts of kindness. Today highlights that there are simple things we can do everyday that have a flow on effect for others; take your neighbour a cake; carry the mum’s groceries because she’s struggling with the kids; pay attention to the road workers on the roads; be courteous to the bus driver.” “Community and volunteer groups are an important part of our communities and contribute on a whole to our nation's wellbeing, in many instances this work is unpaid or voluntary. Even if your random act of kindness today is a smile, make someone’s day with it”.
Is it good enough to give?
Grant Aldridge ponders why some household items are suitable for him but not for donating to strangers; and pines for a lost lawnmower he didn't use. Read this blog....
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Starting young
Our two boys are really lucky. They have supportive, happy parents; they go to the local schools where they get a good education, have good friends, and lots of aunties and uncles - they don’t want for anything. So by way of teaching them the value of their circumstance, we ask them to give away part of their pocket money.
It works like this. We give them $9 a week. They have $3 to spend, $3 is banked and $3 is saved until the end of year when they choose a charitable organisation they would like to give to.
Our 9-year-old gives to a different organisation every year. He likes to give his money to organisations that help people. So when he saw a young Downs Syndrome boy on the street, he came home and looked up organisations that study the brain and gave to the Neurological Foundation. When he saw a starving Zimbabwean child on the news, he gave to Save the Children Fund – asking them to send his money to Zimbabwe.
Our 11-year-old has chosen the same cause every year. He supports a Kenyan woman who is working with widows and orphans in Kenya. She is a relative of a friend of ours, making it very personal giving. Jenny has told him that she uses his money to buy shirts for the boys to wear to school – so he likes to give to them every year because it means they can continue to buy shirts.
The thing is, our boys don’t get the money if they don’t give it away and it has always been that way. They are learning that a proportion of their money can be used to help others. They don’t spend huge amounts of time thinking about who to give to. They are children, too busy thinking out their sporting endeavours - but they are becoming increasingly aware of the good that giving does. It is such an easy way to start the habit of giving.
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Giving circles about more than money
Getting together with friends, colleagues, co-workers or complete strangers to decide what to donate your money to may not be for everyone but, in her first blog for Giving for Good, Rachel Roberts explains how giving circles have made her think differently about how and why she gives. Read more...
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Kindness
It's not a sign of weakness or wimpy – in fact kindness can make a huge difference to someone's day or life. In this blog, Belinda Howard encourages each of us to make an effort and show a little kindness to someone today. Read more ...
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WHO do you give to?
I'm so into payroll giving that I'd switched all my automatic payments over to it, so my bank statements are shorter and simpler too. But by changing employers, there was a chance the community organisations I give to would miss out. My cashflow wasn't healthy enough to double all my donations before I moved, but I decided to double a couple just in case – the ones I really didn't want to miss out. That's when I did something completely illogical. Read more...
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Radiology Reward
I was waiting for an xray in a private clinic. An older Samoan couple came out from the treatment room and went to pay the bill at the counter. Having in the past been horrified at the cost of an xray, I felt for them when the receptionist told them the bill would come to $220. They spoke quietly together in Samoan for a minute looking very concerned before taking all the cash out of the mans wallet. This came to $80. The receptionist (in a loud voice) then set about arranging a payment scheme for the $140 remaining. While horrified at the cost of x rays, I am in the fortunate position of being able to afford medical insurance.
After the couple left the office, I approached the desk and asked to pay the balance of their bill. The receptionist was surprised and asked if I knew the couple. When I said 'no' she asked if I wanted them to get in contact with me. I asked simply that the bill be paid and the couple informed that the debt was cleared. I hope that my actions made a difference to that family but also the benefit I received from doing it and keeping it as my little secret, made it worth every penny.
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Giving close to home - is it harder?
The recent UK TV series 'How the Other Half Live' on TV One has got me thinking. I know – a reality show that makes you think! What is the world coming to?
It's refreshing to watch a reality show that isn't all about confrontation, exploitation or competition, but it is not an easy watch. Each week, the programme profiles a rich family and the poor family they are sponsoring. It takes the concept of international child sponsorship, but.... Read more.....
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Trade me treats
One December I sold my daughter's bike on Trade Me. I offered to deliver it to an address in an under privileged neighbourhood in our community. When I arrived the woman whod purchased the bike came out to the car and was thrilled with the bike', which was to be for her toddler daughter. She and I chatted for a while. She was heavily pregnant and due right before Christmas.
She noticed a baby bouncinette that I had in the back of the car, which I had intended to take to the Salvation Army. I offered it to her and she accepted, trying to give me money for it. I helped her to carry the things inside her tiny but immaculate flat. I met her lovely young daughter, wished them a Merry Christmas and best of luck with the baby and left.
I couldn't stop thinking about this lovely family so this is what I did. I bought a large courier box and filled it with new items of Christmas food, baby clothes, treats and toys and had the parcel couriered to the family. I didn't put a senders address or name on the box', but like to think that it put a big smile on their faces to know someone was thinking about them at Christmas time.
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What can I do?
Like many, I'm shocked and saddened by the devastating impact of the Christchurch earthquake but, as I'm based in Wellington, I also feel rather useless.
I've contacted family and friends in my hometown to see if they are okay and offered a bed, but the Cantabrians I know all prefer to stay close to home and try to return to normal routines as quickly as possible. (At least for now.) Read more.....
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Wedding Gift
I was invited to a weekend a couple of weeks ago. As a wedding present they asked for people to donate to a school in Madagascar as the bride was Madagascan. It was really lovely and a very generous idea. The couple were so pleased that people did this on their behalf. It made the decision of what to give so much easier, and they didn't end up with twenty seven cutlery sets, but lots of great feeling instead.
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Happy=Generous=Happy
Last week I found myself in a Wellington café, waiting for some friends and thinking about generosity and happiness and the links between the two.
Researchers have found that if you imagine going on a Hawaiian vacation, you’re more likely to volunteer your time and that if someone gives you a random, unexpected cookie, you’re more likely to help out. Read more.......
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Helping out a mate
I have a friend with cancer. As tragic as this is, it has been amazing to watch people's generosity – finding ways to help her. She has recently had to stop driving. You can imagine how difficult it is trying to get yourself and your child to the various appointments and activities. My sister had a brainwave – she has a friend who has time on his hands, so she put them in touch with each other. Now my mate has her personal chauffeur! He takes her to all her scans, appointments and chemo sessions. He didn't know her at all, but he said yes straight away – brilliant for both of them!
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How much do I give?
How many of us go on a guilt trip when we are bombarded by requests to support worthy causes? Think of the widow that Jesus saw giving the smallest coin in the currency of the day. She gave more than any of the rich donors.
If I give $10 each to 10 causes rather than $100 to 1 cause, my blessing is spread. If 1,000 people out of compassion give $10, this would equate to 10 rich people giving $1,000 each. Either way the recipient gets the same amount but this principle of many people giving little is better than a few giving much. Why? Jesus said that it is more blessed to give than to receive. So from this, 1,000 people who are blessed is better than 10.
Not all millionaires market expensive items. Mestral invented Velcro. His idea first met with resistance and even laughter, but the inventor 'stuck' by his invention. Together with a weaver from a textile plant in France, he perfected his hook and loop fastener. By trial and error, he realised that nylon when sewn under infrared light, formed tough hooks for the burr side of the fastener. This finished the design, patented in 1955. The inventor formed Velcro Industries to manufacture his invention. Mestral was selling over sixty million yards of Velcro per year. Today it is a multi-million dollar industry. The value of a strip of Velcro is measured in cents. Why do so many people buy Velcro? Because it admirably satisfies a need at little cost. Mestral makes his millions.
We have been conditioned to expect something tangible back when we give. When we learn to bless others by giving and expect nothing in return we are truly blessed. The Internet would be the perfect place to test this idea: Motivate 1 million people to give $2 each out of the goodness of their heart, expecting nothing in return. There are many who do give through compassion. Are there 1 million? So, next time you feel guilty about donating a small sum, think of the potential of many small gifts.
Remember, you are not responsible for the failure of others who don't give. Just give as best you can. Better than sighing and saying, "I can't give much to all these causes," and end up giving nothing.
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Giving for good
Our company, Ideas Shop, is currently involved in a couple of projects around giving and generosity and we have been talking about the topic in the office quite a bit.
Why do we give to charities and non profits? And how do we work out who to give to and how? Read more.....
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Buy1 Give1
Paul Dunn, co-founder of Buy1 Give 1 - http://www.b1g1.com/buy1give1 is coming to New Zealand March 7-9 to do 2 things: 1 to give the vision of New Zealand leading the way with generosity a serious nudge along the lines below. And sign up businesses to match the sale of their lines with a specific giving opportunity - for instance check out the recently listed Auckland City Mission listings.
I see B1G1 as a huge opportunity for our not for profit sector in New Zealand. It is working in other markets - lets take the opportunity to have it work here! Contact Leanne Holdsworth on 0272883844 or leanne@returntosender.co.nz to see how you can get involved in his visit.
Imagine a world of giving… If New Zealand was not only a generous nation, but also a leader for all other nations in generosity what would we see? We might see businesses implementing game change strategies – consciously looking for how they could share the joy of giving. Like when a retailer sold a television, they might match it with a gift of sight operation, when a supermarket gave a petrol discount voucher to a customer, the petrol company planted a tree for every voucher used. We might see kids glowing from not just their latest purchase at Smiggle but as they imagined a little girl in Pakistan receiving enough pencils to be able to write with for the year. We might see popular role models thinking talking about giving it a way that makes generosity sexy. We might see politicians thinking creatively and implementing strategies that makes it easy for people to give. We might see local parking tickets being accompanied by a soup-kitchen meal, so the recipient of the parking ticket also finds himself contributing. Examples are endless.
Let’s not let a lack of imagination get in the way – how about generosity being what we, New Zealanders are famous for, thereby helping other nations take on generosity just as enthusiastically. Imagine the joy that people felt as they gave when they purchased. Imagine the state of the planet if we build our capacity to be generous – toward each other and the planet. Imagine everyone having access to giving, not just those who are already thinking about it. This is an invitation.
With Buy 1 Give 1 - www.b1g1.com at the centre of our work, we are calling out to those who want to integrate giving and generosity into their sphere of influence. Giving is a source of joy and being generous makes us feel good – why wouldn’t we invest some time into playing – “lets make New Zealand the most generous nation on the planet and inspire other nations to follow”?
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A little help goes a long way
During the school holidays prior to Christmas my son and I signed up for helping at the Wellington City Mission. We enjoy contributing each year by way of cash or grocery donations but this year we decided to provide a hands on service by packing food parcels and making Christmas packages. It was also a way to give us an insight into the world of those who experience life differently from us.
We were amazed at the growing spirit of generosity and compassion by others around us. I always believed that when you did something good you never need to talk about it but then I reflected on this and thought that it would be great to share stories of support, to grow the concept and encourage others to feel what it really is "to give back" unconditionally.
The staff at the mission were so grateful for our assistance at such a busy time and we felt so good to be able to help that we are now going to be regular support crew!
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Generosity of spirit can easily be lost......
At Christmas it's good that our thoughts turn towards goodwill towards others. But as the year winds down there are many things that suggest we live in a negative world of human meanness, catastrophe and depression. How often do we hear it said that the world is going-to-hell-in-a-handcart and that things are getting much worse? Read more....
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Random act of kindness
Desperately short of time, but needing to pick up a prescription from our doctor, I was struggling to get into a parallel park. A woman parked in her car in front of me, saw me backing in and out of the tight gap - so moved her car forward allowing me to get in easily. When I came back she did the same thing again, moved her car so I could get out easily.
It was such a small simple act of kindness that changed my mood and lifted the way I was feeling.
I went on to have a better day and that had a positive effect on those around me, no doubt. I will also now move my car if the opportunity occurs or will do something similar and on it will go - making each other’s lives just a little easier.
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Helping the lost
Whenever I see visitors to Wellington gazing at a map, I stop and ask if I can help them find somewhere. It takes 30 seconds, is always really appreciated and is good for tourism :)
PS: A note for WCC - the most common request is "where is the cablecar?"