Every year during the holidays, my family makes a point of adopting an elderly person and a child. Even during those years when we struggled, we kept up that tradition because we knew that no matter how bad off we thought we were, there were others in worse circumstances.
This year, I've done the agonizing, the buying, and the ribbon tying as usual. And I'm pleased at what I accomplished. The boys are going to go insane when they see the play hut they're getting. Hubby is going to die of happiness when he opens his guitar. Jerry and Jessica are going to crack up when they realize that sis and I spent nearly an hour perfecting the big boxes we put their shopping cards in. But, I know it's not enough. For them it certainly is. But for others... what I spent doesn't even touch on their situations.
The economy is terrible for many people. My family hasn't been hit very hard and for that, we know we're incredibly lucky. But, for the first time, my sister and I didn't select a name from the tree or shop for children or elderly people we will never meet. This year, what we would have spent for those individuals, we're giving instead to the sector that has been hit so hard by the economic situation and yet, has received so little attention. Non profit organizations.
I don't know the statistics so I can't quote those here for you. I can't tell you how many non profits have had to stop doing what they do best this year. I can't tell you how many people have been affected because of it. And I can't even tell you that my donations are going to make a difference for all of those we're giving too. But I do know that those organizations are in just as much trouble as the next person and need help just as badly as do those individual families.
Even here are ProgressiveU, we've felt it this year. We had to scale back the most recent scholarship competition and we're not even certain there will be a spring scholarship competition. Giving scholarships so that other students can pursue their dreams has always been at the heart of what ProgressiveU does. But, the donations that are the lifeblood of organizations such as ProgressiveU have all but stopped and those organizations are having to make agonizing decisions about what the future holds.
Those decisions are never easy, particularly for organizations designed with the sole intention of helping others. Telling those organizations they can't keep doing what they've been doing is torture. The mere thought of not watching another scholarship competition unfold here is torture. We may not be able to give full ride scholarships, but for the person that isn't even sure college is possible... that $1,000.00 goes a long way.
Having been in that position here, I can't stand the thought of another organization having to face that same predicament. So, this year my family and I are making donations to those non profits that, while small, still manage to do very big things. Maybe it won't be enough to save them... but I do fully believe it will be enough to offer them a little ray of hope that all is not lost. And even small reasons to hope can have a very big impact. If I can give that... not picking that name is worth it.
And I encourage all of you to consider doing the same with your favorite small non-profits. One dollar. Five dollars. One hundred dollars. It's those small donations that have kept them swimming this year and will, quite likely, keep them swimming for a while to come. It may not seem like much, but believe me... it's more than they have today and, quite possibly, exactly what they need to keep going.
You're absolutely right! Every little bit helps. There are so many people out there with so little. Every little donation can really mean the world to many people. To be honest, struggling to make ends meet myself, I have been at least trying to donate canned goods or other items I have around the house that I am not using. No matter how bad my own life is going, I know that there are always people out there who have it worse off than myself. Don't let not for profits become obsolete; please do your part to help others, no matter how small the contribution in your eyes, it could mean the world to someone else.
Most of us here who live in US or other part of the developed coutry spend money on things like coffee or some other small things with out even being that affected. If we can donate only 1 or even a couple of dollars that could do much more that we can imagine.
We are all so blessed! We take so much for granted! Thank you for your call to action. We can all give a little more because, as you said, their is always someone with less.