John has much experience working in the philanthropic world, and takes great interest in charitable goings on today.

New Book: A Pandemic Keepsake

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

Some of us will certainly want to put this chapter of our lives behind us, and forget about the terrible days we dealt with Covid-19. But others would like to have a keepsake to remember these days and how they got through them. Allendale resident Lorraine Ash volunteered to edit the new book “Corona City: Voices From an Epicenter” which is a compilation of first-person stories and photography that people captured during the first months of the pandemic.

Writers who contributed include the best-selling authors Helene Stapinski and Ilene Beckerman and many everyday people who wanted to contribute. The book was published in November by Magic Dog Press and all royalties from it will go to the organization called Feeding America. It’s a network of over 200 food banks helping people get through this difficult time.

Giving Back in Corona Times

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By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity

There are so many ways to give back.  During corona times the act of giving is even more important.  So many people have suffered in so many different ways that truly any type of giving would be appreciated. Even if one thinks they have nothing to offer, they would be surprised at just how many opportunities exist.

Take Mozes Victor Konig for example.  An Israeli based photographer, Konig’s work has definitely slowed down during the pandemic.  But rather than rest on his laurels or get depressed about the situation, Konig has been using the opportunity to give back to his community as well as those in other parts of the world.

“In the first lockdown I saw that people were scared, hunkering down and there was an increase in depression and anxiety,” Konig recalls.  “I initially started taking pictures of the ‘world without people’ as it looked to me but that was not helping my own personal mental health.  So I asked around and found that people would love to have socially-distanced photos.  I saw an opportunity and went for it,” Mozes Victor Konig says, explaining how his volunteer work was able to put a smile on people’s faces.

Konig went out and took photos of all sorts of people.  And houses. And dogs.  And then he sent them to their email addresses and refused payment.  “Take it as a gift.  Take it without money.  Just pass it on.  Pay It Forward.  Do a good deed for someone else during this time,” Konig said.

Animals: Making the Difference During Covid-19

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

So many people have been positively influenced by pets this year. While we’ve all be forced to socially distance and stay inside, the pets by our side have made all the difference. That’s why it was so nice to see this week, on Giving Tuesday, that Petco Foundation and the BOBS from Skechers gave $860,000 in grant awards to animal welfare organizations throughout the country.

The grants were given out based on stories that people submitted about their pet adoptions. 50 of the best stories were selected, and the money (ranging from $5,000 to $100,000) was given to the organizations that facilitated the adoption of those pets. The stories are all quite heartwarming and many can be seen here: petcofoundation.org/vote.

While reading the stories, people can also vote in the People’s Choice competition where the best five stories with the highest number of votes will get even more grants. Voting is until December 16th.

Top 10 American Cities & Their Giving

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

SmartAsset has a fascinating study looking at who gives the most in America, and how they give. It offers great insights into the patterns. They looked at 170 metro areas and used metrics which includes charitable contributions as a percentage of income, percentage of tax return and other factors. Here is a summary of some of their findings.

*Utah is the state to beat. They have three metro areas that led the study and that are the highest givers based on the criteria they evaluated.

*Most people who make charitable donations aren’t claiming it on their tax forms.

*The top locations, by order of giving, include

  1. Provo-Orem, Utah
  2. Ogden-Clearfield, Utah
  3. Salt Lake City, Utah
  4. Charlottesville, Virginia
  5. Charlotte-Concord-Gasonia NC-SC
  6. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
  7. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
  8. Richmond, VA
  9. Tulsa, OK
  10. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

See the whole study and learn more about what makes these places stand out.

Family-Owned Businesses Making Philanthropic Commitments

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By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity, Charity in Business, FamilyTagged: , , , ,

Family-owned companies are including philanthropy as a fundamental part of their business model, dedicating significant funds to worthy charities and causes.

Evan Metropoulos and Warren Buffett
Evan Metropoulos, left, with Warren Buffett. Metropoulos & Co. has signed Buffett’s Giving Pledge.

Evan Metropoulos, of Metropoulos & Co., says his family has translated its core values and principles to active charitable giving. The company became a signatory to The Giving Pledge, an initiative of billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, pledging more than half of the company’s wealth to philanthropy. According to Mr. Metropoulos, the company takes pride in its giving and its role in modeling good corporate practices.

“It has proven to be good for business, too. We are recruiting and keeping fantastic employees who are committed to what we stand for and give to. Our clients and the wider community want to be a part of generating positive change in the world.”

Evan Metropoulos, Metropoulos & Co.
van Metropoulos at the Clinton Foundation
Evan Metropoulos, left, with members of the Clinton family at a Clinton Foundation Millennium Network event.

Helping Veterans Every Step of the Way

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

Here is a heart-warming story. Semper Fi and America’s Fund are helping American war veterans with financial assistance and emotional support. One example is that of Retired Army Sgt. Stefan Leroy who said that representatives from the organization were in his hospital room at Walter Reed Military Medical Center before his family was when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan in 2012.

Stefan’s case manager helped him to find outlets for his motivation, including getting into cycling and racing. She encouraged him along the way and told him that he was capable. Septer Fi and America’s Fund even provided Leroy with an adaptive hand cycle and a rower that he could use to work on his strength.

He has since completely a few marathons including the Marine Corp marathon, the Boston Marathon and a triathlon in Santa Cruz, California.

There are organizations, like this one, making a huge difference in the individual lives of our veterans. And they certainly deserve the support.

Uplifting Stories around the Country

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

We could all use some great news right now and some stories of people helping each other. Reader’s Digest recently asked for stories of people helping each other around America and they voted on the best place to live based on those stories. They received thousands of entries, and each story is sweeter and more touching than the next. There was a  “Nicest Places” Advisory Council” which included famous journalist and author Mitch Album.

A few of the stories can be found about Alabama, Alaska, and Arizona. There are many stories here that will really inspire readers and perhaps help others to come up with thoughtful ways to help each other in their communities.

Keeping Up With Charity News

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

During these difficult times, you would expect charity to be down. Many people are seeing, however, that charity is actually up for some people and in some situations. It can be inspirational to read some of the stories about people who are still giving to others and are helping each other through these difficult times.

NBC has done a great job of consolidating their charity news into one location. A daily or weekly glance here can help people to keep up with the latest in American charity news and to see what others are doing in these critical times.

This article, for instance, is a fascinating look at how helping others can actually help you. Whether it’s financial assistance or helping others in various ways, there are real benefits to getting out of your own situation and looking for ways to help others.

Spreading Joy in Unique Ways

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

During the international pandemic, people have found interesting and lovely ways to spread joy to those in need. Certainly, giving charity to a charitable organization can enable your money to be spread among many. But it sometimes feels impersonal and detached. If you look at YouTube, you’ll see many creative ways that people have been giving extra money to delivery and service providers. Here is one lovely example. Enjoy!

Surprising News: Giving Actually Up This Year

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

We could all use some good news during these most difficult times. And here is some to offer. While many charities have been hit during these difficult financial times – a report from Lending Tree actually shows that about two-thirds of previous respondents say that they actually haven’t changed their giving strategy from last year. People also reported giving to locations that aren’t typically recorded since they can’t be written off on income taxes. These included giving to local relief funds and giving money to family and friends who have been laid off.

In addition, large scale corporate giving us up – and it’s up quite a lot. Fidelity Charitable saw a 28% increase in giving from the first six months of this year as compared to last year. Good News Network showed that Schwab Charitable had a 46% increase in DAF grants, which was actually the “most generous period of giving recorded in the history of one of America’s largest philanthropic funds.”

These are certainly uplifting statistics and ones worth reading more about.