It doesn’t have to cost you money

As the Founder of One Simple Wish, an online giving platform supporting current and foster youth, I have seen firsthand the massive growth and acceptance of online giving. Over a decade ago, when we first launched, skeptics were certain our society may never be ready to hand over their credit card information online, yet now, it is almost impossible to imagine a world without this type of philanthropy. And, amidst a global pandemic, online giving has proven to be a vital resource in the fight to support our fellow citizens with access to food, technology and so much more.

A day doesn’t seem to go by without being invited to give to a cause; whether through Facebook or GoFundMe, or dozens of other charities and giving platforms. It’s hard to choose where to place your hard-earned and much more limited funds, and even harder to know if you are really putting the money in the place most aligned with your intentions.

Below are some tips I’ve compiled through years of leadership and work in the online giving space. I hope that they will be as helpful to you as they have been to me. If you’d like to add to this list or ask me. My email is below.

1. Set your intention. Much like they do in yoga, it’s always important to start by thinking about who, why and how you want to help. For example, is there a specific group or person you are trying to reach? Do you want your support to be kept local to your area? Do you want control over your gift? Do you expect to hear follow up on how your money was used? Do you want to be personally thanked? These questions will be important to ask yourself before you hand over your donation.

2. Start local, if you can. There are so many people in need right now and it can be overwhelming to determine whose needs are greater or where the needs are greater. The answer to that is; there isn’t an answer. Need is incredibly subjective and should always be looked at with context and perspective. I suggest you start with the people closest to you to make the most substantial impact. If you can help your family, a friend, or a neighbor; do that. Not only will it alleviate the stress they are feeling, but it also alleviates the stress on larger organizations as one less person (or more) will be coming to them for assistance.

3. Do your research, especially if you are going to give to an organization for the first time. Yes, even if Ellen tells you it’s a great cause. There are amazing sites out there that rate nonprofits for everything from efficiently to transparency to effectiveness and more. Guidestar.org is a free resource and it only takes seconds to look up information about a nonprofit. CharityNavigator.org is another incredible site, but keep in mind that it does not rate all charities as they choose only a handful to review periodically. When looking at sites like these, read reviews, look over their financials and if you have questions, ASK THEM. Any reputatable charitable organization will be happy to tell you more about how they operate. There is always a Contact Us section on any charity’s website. Use it.

4. Ask people you trust who they give to and why. Like helping you choose a good restaurant or a great pair of running shoes, your friends and family and the people you trust can be the best source of reliable feedback on giving. You don’t have to get uncomfortable and weird about how much you want to give. Just ask them what their experience was like and go from there.

5. Rethink what “giving” means. Right now there are SO many ways you can give back. One of the most valuable ones is with your time. Zoom, Google Hangout, FaceTime and HouseParty are just a few of the free tools available to help you stay connected or reconnect to the people you care about. That is giving! But you can also take this a step further. Consider inviting a new friend to the group; someone who may be interested in the topics you usually discuss or who likes the same wine as you or just someone you think could use a laugh or some company. Sure, it might be awkward at first, but sometimes the best things are born out of allowing ourselves to be temporarily uncomfortable.

6. If you choose to help someone by fundraising, please ask them and consider the consequences! Many platforms like Facebook and GoFundMe, allow you to create a fundraiser for yourself or someone else. These can be amazing, but they can also be a giant pain in the butt later. First, if the fundraiser is not for you, ask the person who you are doing it for if it’s ok for you to do it. Make sure they know how much they can receive before tax liabilities kick in (ask an accountant!) and also make sure they are comfortable with the fact that their story will be out there for all to see. Sadly, there are lots of trolls online who look for people who are recipients of large fundraisers and begin targeting them for scams. Make sure the person you are helping is aware of this and has a support team to help them if this should occur. Also, set a realistic goal and close the fundraiser when it reaches that goal or slightly surpassing it. A fundraiser meant to raise $10,000 to pay off a bill doesn’t need to then raise $100,000. Yes, it’s amazing. But like cake, think about all the other people who really want a piece. And they deserve the help too. Getting a large sum of money can be wonderful, but, as mentioned above, it can also create tax burdens, exposure to scams and take away from other needs that could be met with the overage. Stick to the plan.

7. Gifting people doesn’t have to go through charity. Another awesome thing about all the tools we have now in our daily lives is that you can use them to gift others with something to brighten their day. Send someone a gift card to GrubHub or DoorDash or UberEats with a “Dinner’s on me!” note. Go to Amazon and send a friend your favorite book. Support small, local shops by gifting friends and family with products from their website. All of this is giving; even if you can’t write it off.

This is just the start. I could talk about this for days. I hope that some of the above tips will be helpful to you in determining where, when and how to give. Most of all, I hope you realize that your ability to give is a gift; whether that is monetary or not. So use it.

I’m not religious, but I end with this quote I love from Matthew 10:8, “Freely you have received, freely give.”

Happy Giving!
-D 

About Danielle Gletow (that’s me!)

As a foster-adoptive parent, Danielle Gletow created One Simple Wish, an innovative online platform that connects current and former foster youth with people who want to help fulfill their critical needs. The organization, which began in her home in 2008, has grown into a multi-million dollar nonprofit that boasts a network of more than 1200 social service agencies in nearly every US state. One Simple Wish has helped over 100,000 kids and young adults impacted by foster care by providing them with essential support including laptops, sports equipment, job training, tuition, arts and music lessons and so much more. OSW’s been featured on Nightline, Good Morning America, NBC, and CNN, among others. Danielle has also been named one of Family Circle’s Most Influential Moms and a Top 10 CNN Hero. In June 2018, Danielle founded Trenton Animals Rock to provide support and medical care to abused, abandoned and injured animals in Trenton, NJ. Danielle currently resides in NJ with her husband, daughters and many dogs. Contact Danielle at danielle@onesimplewish.org