The students currently walking the halls, cramming books in lockers and entering class rooms, all receive one name: the Me Generation.
While this title does ring true in some aspects of teenage lives, the Me Generation does have the ability to focus on others. A University of California Los Angeles study by the Higher Education Research Institute found that in 2006, 67 percent of students entering college thought it was important to help others in difficulty. This is the highest percentage in 26 years. A majority of college students who think helping others is important does not reflect a generation consumed in itself.
Since teens have concerns for those in need, it is important for them to know how to correctly donate time and money. Research is an important first step.
Before one blindly gives to a charity, one needs to research it. Honest charities with the best interests for their causes and their donors in mind will have ways donors can discover more about them. For example, The American Cancer Society’s website is highly informational and includes pages that tell readers about the charity’s goals and practices. The site also offers contact information for those with further questions.
Most importantly, one needs to look into the financial aspects of a charity. Any credible charity should practice transparency. Their sites will have monetary documents recording the money received the prior year and the areas it went to like production and administrative expenses. An IRS 990 form ensuring the charity is a non-profit organization should also be among the site’s accessible documents.
An easy way to discover if a charity is credible is to look for the Better Business Bureau’s stamp of approval also known as the Wise Giving Alliance Seal.
This seal means a charity has gone under investigation by the Better Business Bureau, and the Bureau found that the charity’s governance, fund raising practices, solicitations and information materials, as well as expidentures, were up to par. A list of charities who have this seal can be found on the Better Business Bureau’s website.
However, if a charity does not have this seal, it can still be a valid organization. Charities that receive the Wise Giving Alliance Seal have to apply for it. The possibility remains that a charity without the seal did not apply. It is also possible the charity is local; the seal is only given to national charities. Those seeking further assurance of a charity’s credibility should check charitynavigator.com. The site provides accurate reviews of a charity’s financial credibility as well as the charity’s accountability and transparency.
Furthermore, even if a charity checks out as financially sound, it does not mean one should automatically donate. Giving to causes which are close to one’s heart allows givers to reap more benefits by knowing they helped someone they have personal ties to. A plausible example: a local student’s father passes away of cancer. If the student gives to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, he does well, but his effort could have meant more to him if he donated to a charity like The American Cancer Society.
Then, the student is not helping just someone. He is helping someone like his Dad, and helping a family who has experiences similar to his. Another benefit of giving to ACS is that the charity has local events like Relay for Life, which is on campus May 18. Being involved in a charity, as well as giving money to it helps one reap the benefits of the giving process because the experience becomes more hands on.
In the same vein as giving to a charity close to one’s heart, giving to a local charity can be of greater value to the donator.
Since local charities are close to the home, they are easier to become involved with. In this case, one can give his time, not just his money. Habitat for Humanity is a perfect example which emphasizes personal service through building houses and not just giving.
According to a British Broadcasting Company news article, “Charity ‘makes you feel better’,” “it is not having lots of money that makes us happy— it is spending it on others.”
There is science behind the statement, ‘giving makes you happy.’ A University of British Columbia study of 630 people found the ones who spent money on others were happier. Dave Ramsey, host of The Money Game, a talk-radio show with hundreds of thousands of daily listeners, says giving helps people realize the world does not revolve around them.
Giving, when done responsibly with careful research and thought, is an experience even the Me Generation can benefit from.