It’s Thanksgiving week. We are all thankful, aren’t we? If so, let’s show it in a tangible way this year? Consider participating in Giving Tuesday, a world-wide emphasis on giving and generosity.
Did you know:
- A higher percentage of people who give away 10 percent of their income (often called “tithing”) reported being “very happy,” compared to people who aren’t as generous.
- More people who tithe say their health is excellent or very good, compared to people who do not tithe.
- 44 percent of people surveyed who strongly agree with the statement “It is very important to me to be a generous person” say they are very happy, while of those who disagree, only 21 percent rate themselves as very happy. (All statistics are from Christian Smith in The Paradox of Generosity.)So, if for not other reason, give because giving is good for you.
If you’d like to get started on a path to greater generosity, but don’t know how, try these simple ideas:
- Have a discussion at Thanksgiving with loved ones about making a donation to a local nonprofit. Decide together which might receive your gift. Here’s a sample of nonprofits in Rome.
Give
- Make an extra gift to your church or synagogue. Many accept online gifts. If you can shop online, you can give online.
- If the tax benefits work for you, consider setting up a Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation. Many people can create a pool of money for giving, and save more tax dollars than they thought possible.
- Volunteer somewhere. For some people , time is the new money. It’s an invaluable commodity in our lives. Give yours by volunteering at any of the many worthy charities in Rome and Floyd County.
Who knows, maybe giving will make this the best Thanksgiving you remember.