Give smart, with heart

Charity implies sharing one’s own or collective resources with others without expecting to receive anything in return. The only compensation charity brings is happiness and the euphoria that giving generates in the giver. Our resources are time, talent and treasure — any one of these can be shared as an act of charity.

The worth of charity is not measured in the absolute value of the item or service given. Giving one’s last shirt to another in need is much more worthy than a prince throwing a gold coin at a pauper. The value of charity may be measured in terms of benefit accrued to the recipient — satisfying a "need” is more valuable than appeasing a "want.” The former produces greater good than the latter.

Community organizations perform charity by collecting resources from members and distributing them among requesting recipients. Members trust the organizational know-how and donate or contribute without reservation. They expect the organization to have evaluated the needs and wants and determined their validity. This poses an additional responsibility upon the leaders of organizations to do their homework before requesting donations from their members. The requests are processed through newsletters, journals and the e-media. In the US these organizations also enjoy a tax-exempt status, enabling donors to receive tax benefits. Such benefits, if interpreted somewhat differently, mean the benefit to the contributor is equal to the government’s share of the contribution received from the individuals who cannot afford the cost of medical treatment.

Criteria for strict evaluation of applicants and necessary safeguards are in place to ensure that only genuine cases are entertained. The process of scrutiny includes both desk case paper appraisals and home visits to the applicants. In addition, trusts have professional teams to support development programs in various fields including health and education, along with rural livelihood, arts and culture, civil society and governance and youth initiative. These teams receive requests from across the country for work of diverse nature and ensure transparent and efficient programs that aim to improve the living conditions of people. Less endowed organizations and trusts can learn from them or request their assistance in forming their own team or have their beneficiaries apply to them first and be revaluated, and then supplement the requests if so needed. With current documentation and sharing technologies this is feasible and needs to be done.

Community media, both print and electronic, could heed these words of caution and restrain themselves from spreading emotionally charged requests which are not well researched. If they do consider it their duty to the people to publicize such requests, they may add a disclaimer that the requests have not been scrutinized, so that motivated givers are prompted to do their own homework. Accessing more assistance from unsuspecting donors or accessing not needed assistance is a social sin; those who look the other way and allow or promote such sins to happen are also at fault. The final word to all those who are charitably inclined is to do your homework and don’t be fooled. Responsible distribution of your wealth is your business. Give from your heart, but give smart. PORUS N. DADABHOY Vice president, India Development Coalition of America

Illinois, USA

porusdad@yahoo.com