Dollar Philanthropy

Frederick D Greene's view of Dollar Philanthropists of 1909

Ok--- I admit it... I'm a bit vain.  I was Googling myself in search of new links to DP.  We all do it, right????? 

The problem with vanity searches is that they are so addicting.  They take a page right from BF Skinner's operant conditioning playbook.  Afterall, intermittent or variable reinforcement is the best way to keep one pressing that little lever in hopes of getting the prized food pellet.  You can search regularly and see nothing new... then one day, when you least expect it... a little jewel is revealed.

That is what happened this morning.  I found a NY Times editoral from March 24, 1909, by Frederick Greene called, "Dollar Philanthropists Needed."  I thought I would share... 

Dollar Philanthropists Needed

It is to be feared that the letter on preventable suffering in your issue of the 20th inst. expresses the attitude of many good people, whose aid, though small, might, if regularly given, go very far toward relieving the suffering which they regret.

By allowing one's self to be "held back by a feeling of hopeless insufficiency of the sum he is able to spare" one does a double wrong.  He stifles his own best impulses and defrauds the poor of succor which is precious even in the smallest amount and which will be mighty in the aggregate.

That one dollar which hardly seems worth sending is a great boon to the mother feverishly trying to finish five coats at 7 cents each, so that she may have 35 cents for the days work with which to feed her brood.  Another dollar will provide a pair of shoes for Jimmie, a school boy, who without them would be forced to play truant.

The New York Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor can make the connection any day of the year between the Dollar Philanthropist and some worthy person in distress.   Frederick D. Greene

While it takes a little more than a dollar to buy a pair of shoes these days, Mr. Greene's thoughts about squelching our own best nature and power of giving in the aggregate still ring profound.  Suffice it to say, Dollar Philanthropists are still needed today and there are many good organizations out there who need support for fulfilling their missions.

Thanks to jaja_1985 for the photo.

Giving Tree Give Card: Great Gift for the Person Who Has Everything

Friends and family tell me that I'm a good gift giver.  I often take a lot of time thinking about and selecting the 'perfect' gift for each person on my list.  However, as the holidays approach and I'm realizing that my growing girth is making me not so fond of tromping about the malls in search of proper gifts.  Thus  I've been looking for easy gift alternatives that can be purchased online. 

Having a lot of hard to buy for teenagers and parents, I've been pondering giving gift cards.  However, they seem so impersonal.  I know that being super pregnant at the holiday time will give me a pass this year.  I still want to give something meaningful.

While cruising around the internet this morning, I found a great option for gift cards that is meaningful because it allows the gift receiver to give a gift him or herself.  It is the Giving Tree Card, a Mastercard gift card where 10% of the value is given to the charity of the gift receiver's choice and 90% can be spent on a gift for them.  The come in $25, $50 and $100 denominations.  Another cool thing is that they come embossed with the receiver's name --- kids and teens will really feel special.

I especially like the idea because it makes it really easy for me to give the kids I know the extra funds for them to give away to a cause that means something to them.  I am always surprised to see what they choose to support.  Plus it makes them feel really good to do their part.

The card becomes available on November 1, 2007--- just in time for my holiday purchasing.  Drop by the Giving Tree website at www.givingtreelife.com to find out more.

 

Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children: Helping to Deliver Healthy Smiles

You know-- I kinda pride myself in understanding many of the health challenges of the low-income and underserved.  However, two weekends ago, I found myself standing at a ball park with my mouth agape... wondering how I could be surprised and disturbed by something so seemingly obvious. 

The Story

A friend of mine lives in a rural area of Georgia.  A couple of weeks ago, the hubby and I were down visiting and happened to attend a football game at which my friend's 4 year-old daughter was participating as a cheerleader. 

Sidebar:  4 year olds playing football looks nothing like any sport I've seen.  However, it closely resembles ants attacking a sugar cube and can provide some good quality giggles.

During half-time, the girls took a break and I got a moment to talk with a couple of them.  It took only a few minutes to realize that one of the girls had a dental bridge.  Then I looked around and notice that another one of the girls had a similar bridge.  Once the game and cheering started back up, I asked my friend about the two girls.  Her response left me speechless.  It seems to me that 3 of the 5 little girls (4 years old) had such significant tooth decay that they required extraction and bridgework.  Unfortunately, such problems were not uncommon on the other squads.  Further explanation, made me understand that in that community there was no dental office.  Furthermore, the average adult citizen had a poor understanding of proper dental care, preventive hygiene and importance of a low sugar diet. Subsequently, tooth decay becomes a problem in young children and they only get access to services once they start state-sponsored pre-k programs.  It is there that the teachers recognize the problem and arrange for dental care.

Once I saw the need I looked all around for a local charity that helps with educating and providing dental services to underserved and needy kids.  Strangely-- I found nothing... Zero... Zilch.  So I expanded to look nationwide. 

I found Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children in Tacoma, Washington.  While not a rural agency, the Lindquist clinic never turns away a child in need.  On their website they give a lot of statistics about the problem that I never knew.

• Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in America
• It affects half of all first graders and 80% of seventeen-year-olds
• Low and moderate-income children miss an average of 13 days a year of school due to dental problems
• It’s been determined that 80% of all dental disease is found within the low-income population within our community.
• According to the 2000 Surgeon General’s report, “Oral Health in America ,” tooth decay is the single most chronic childhood disease – five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.

As always, if you know of a local organization that does similar work, use this post to prompt you to drop a little dollar their way.  Also be sure to leave a comment here with a link to the organization.

Send your Dollar Today
If you'd like to give to Lindquist, here's the details.

Network for Good ($10 minimum):  Click Here
Through their website:  Click Here
Through JustGive ($5 minimum):  Click Here

Thanks to Jeff Carter for the photo.