Conversations About Faith and Finances

Humankind: Bolder Giving

by | Jul 2, 2012 | Quick Notes

Last week as I was driving from North Carolina to Philadelphia I was listening to NPR’s humankind (one of my favorite radio programs) which was discussing the role of charities and giving. Some people give no charity at all. But of Americans who do, the average family donation is 2-3% per year. This program examines how people arrive at the amount of their charitable contributions, where the money is contributed to, and what holds donors back from giving more, especially if they could afford to without hardship. We profile an initiative known as Bolder Giving, which asks those who are inclined to donate to charity to dig a little deeper, because the extent of need is great, and sometimes goes unmet. We hear from Christopher and Anne Ellinger, co-founders of the movement, who cite their own decision in their twenties to give away most of a family inheritance, because they felt – even on a modest income – they had “more than enough”. We also hear from Kathy LeMay, who tells her provocative story of growing up poor and now raising hundreds of millions for charity. She observes that true charity is more than just writing a check; but also a way of giving from the heart. Take a listen to the program by streaming or downloading the...

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