Most everyone wants to give these days. It’s wonderful!
There is no age barrier. There is no race barrier, or economic barrier. 10-year-olds are giving part of their allowances to help build a school in Tanzania; people in their 70s are leaving on a volunteer trip in Brazil! Giving and volunteering are becoming a more integrated part of our lives, and increasingly internationally so.
We all have a story behind giving, and that’s important. Mine involves being struck by poverty at the very young age of twelve. It changed the course of my life, inspiring me on a path of giving and volunteering around the world.
Our story compels us to give, and to stay giving. So keep that vision close in your heart, and let it motivate you for years to come, as the need for your help continues.
At the same time, the issue of quality is paramount. In addition to your story, you have to trust. You have to feel confident about where you are giving, and that it will be used effectively. This is especially true when you are giving abroad, and even more so in a crisis situation. After volunteering and doing Development work all over the world, I saw the most amazing nonprofits – and also absolute fraud.
It’s one of the main reasons I started UniversalGiving™. UniversalGiving is a website that helps people give and volunteer with the top-performing, vetted organizations all over the world. All projects are vetted through UniversalGiving’s trademarked, proprietary Quality Model.™ 100% of each donation goes directly to the cause. You can learn more about us from our profile on CBS.
Our giving opportunities are a perfect choice for the holidays (or any special occasion!) Give your loved ones personalized gifts that reflect their individual concerns and make the world a better place: help a child attend school, or support an African entrepreneur with a loan and business training. We also have many NGOs helping survivors of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Another option is to give a gift certificate so the recipient can choose their own project or cause.
It’s not that you shouldn’t give or receive any physical gifts, but doing this will fill your heart, and plant a seed of giving in others’ minds…Be a part of UniversalGiving’s movement to “Create a World Where Giving and Volunteering Are a Natural Part of Everyday Life.” My view is that if you have the money to pay your cell phone bill, you have the money to give. It should be a part of your every day, whether it’s a donation, volunteering — or simply giving a smile, being a great listener, or emptying the dishwasher for your mom.
It is my honor to be a part of UniversalGiving. Every day our team gets up motivated to find the top ways you can give money and volunteer all over the world, and even in our own backyard. Give with your heart, and give with trust. Give Your 100%! That’s what UniversalGiving is here for.
Pamela Hawley is the founder and CEO of UniversalGiving™. She is a Jefferson Award winner (the Nobel Prize in community service) and a finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. She also received a Cole Wilbur Fellowship from the Institute on Global Ethics, and is an Expert Blogger on CSR for Fast Company. Pamela has been invited on three occasions to attend events on innovation at the White House. UniversalGiving has been profiled on CBS, FOX Business Network, BusinessWeek, Oprah.com, WomenEntrepreneur, NBC News, The Christian Science Monitor and The New York Times.
http://www.UniversalGiving.org
Facebook: UniversalGiving and CEO Pamela Hawley
Twitter: @UniversalGiving and @PamelaHawley
LinkedIn: UniversalGiving Page and Pamela Hawley
Blogs: Living and Giving (CEO blog) and PhilanthroPost (team blog)