The Voice
True CharitySunday, November 13, 2011 By Lauren Culbertson
Organizations that sell a product and donate its profits to a cause have wonderfully good intentions. However, they often seem to miss the whole point of philanthropy, which is the personal desire to dedicate time and/or money to a cause one feels passionate about. People should not give to a charity primarily because they receive something in return, such as a rubber bracelet or the satisfaction of having the “in” item, but because they truly feel that their money will make a difference somewhere out of their reach. Today, TOMS Shoes is the most booming charitable organization. In just five years, the organization has already been able to donate more than 1,000,000 pairs of shoes to over 20 countries worldwide. Its “one for one” campaign quickly resonated with the public because it appeared to be a convenient way for young, middleclass adolescents to do something “good” while also gaining a new pair of shoes for themselves. Yet, it appears that something is lost in translation. TOMS has become a fad. Although many people know about the campaign, it would not be surprising to hear that they bought the shoes mainly because of its popular trend. Even those who do buy the shoes for its charitable purpose may not be completely aware of where their money goes exactly. Recently, there have been multiple investigations proving that by handing out shoes in these foreign countries, TOMS is actually putting local shoemakers out of work. So even if a little girl in Cambodia is handed a new pair of shoes, the laborer just down the road is unable to feed his family because he cannot sell a pair of his own. In contrast, look at the organization Charity:Water. When you give to this charity, you don’t receive something in return that you can wear or flaunt around school. Instead, through a feature called “Dollars to Projects”, Charity:Water is able to track every dollar donated or fundraised. Within 18 months, any donor is given proof of exactly where their money was contributed by photographs and GPS. This alone should be all that any philanthropist needs in return. Another factor that sets organizations like Charity:Water apart from others is that, unlike TOMS, which gives indigent populations a product, they are providing them with a procedure. One hundred percent of the money given to Charity:Water goes towards funding projects like the construction of water wells, rainwater harvesting systems, and rehabilitation/medical centers. The native people are able to work on these projects beside Charity:Water volunteers and learn how each correctly functions. Then, when the volunteers leave the country, the native people are able to continue to reap the benefits of these gifts own their own, whether it be clean water or simple medical procedures. These are key things that are vital in order for a charity to be truly charitable: it must provide donors with a direct connection to where their money is used, and it also must teach instead of simply handing out diminishable materials. There are countless charitable organizations throughout the world today. All have good intentions, but beware of the fads. But before you give away your money, do some research, find something you are truly passionate about, and ask yourself, “how will I know I will truly be making a difference?” |