On November 15th, National Philanthropy Day honors those who give back to their communities.
The word philanthropy comes from Latin and Greek philanthropia which gives us kindliness, humanity, and love for mankind. From this, we take the philo (tending to, fond of) and join antropos meaning mankind or human beings.
Philanthropists give of their time and money in ways that provide a lasting impact. Some of the ways philanthropy changes the world include:
- supporting education through scholarships, grants, foundations and more
- foundations supporting scientific research
- development of charities
- funding grants to programs for local, national and international needs
- encourage art through grants and foundations
- invest in advocacy platforms for the underprivileged
The day recognizes philanthropists for their many significant contributions, help and good deeds and for the differences that they have made in our lives and our communities.
While philanthropy is giving and kind, it is a type of gift that strives to replace social ills with solutions. Philanthropists see issues and try to solve them. Charity often is a tempory solution for a tempory problem. When the issue persists, we seek a cure. There are instances of philanthropy that can overlap with instances of charity. The difference is that charity relieves the pains of social problems, whereas philanthropy attempts to solve those problems at their root causes.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY DAY
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Volunteer
Go out and find a volunteer opportunity that interests you. Possibilities range from visiting sick patients in the hospital, packing boxes for a food pantry, and even gardening at your local park.
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Give a shout out on social media
Bring awareness to this important day by talking about it on your social media accounts. The more people that know about this day, the better.
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Donate to charity
Donations can come in the form of time or money, so even if you’re a little strapped for cash, there are still ways that you can make a major difference.
