Focus on Manatee | Inspiration from dogs during a tough time
Cat lovers, don’t come after me. But one of my favorite sayings is, “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” Your dog isn’t thinking about how productive you are, what an effective manager you are, or even who you’re voting for. Your dog believes you deserve enthusiastic affection and love just because.
As humans, we likely embrace this belief, and our better nature would agree that others are deserving as well. This is the reason we help neighbors, let someone into our lane in traffic, feel pleasure seeing our colleagues succeed, volunteer in our spare time, and make charitable gifts.
During times when we feel lost or distressed, the act of giving can make us stronger. It provides purpose, meaning and a feeling that we can control at least one thing—the ability to make another person’s life better.
It is not a surprise that many months into a pandemic, people have continued to donate, find ways to volunteer safely, and actively seek information to continue helping others. Our higher nature appeals to us to be useful.
Philanthropy is a concept that can seem distant to some. Really, all it means is the desire to actively engage in the welfare of others. Philanthropic acts range from enormous gifts that launch national initiatives to ten dollar donations made through Facebook campaigns providing meals for local families. Each one of them is important.
Some people believe that foundations or large corporate giving programs are responsible for most of the charitable contributions. The truth is that nearly 80% of all philanthropic dollars come from individuals and bequests, dollars that people just like you allocate to causes meaningful to them.
The overall impact of those gifts can be measured in lives that are changed for the better—the ultimate beneficiaries of the charitable programs as well as the person who made the gift. Studies have documented that giving can lower blood pressure, increase production of dopamine and other chemicals that make you feel good, and increase self-esteem. With depression and anxiety on the rise, this is a perfect time to add giving to your list of healthy habits.
Other studies over time have documented the primary motivations for giving. Tax incentives are clearly not the number one reason, a fact that would likely please your dog. However, if you are a Cruella De Vil with resources to give and not a care in the world for charitable causes, even you have new reasons to give this year. Philanthropic provisions in the CARES Act allow donors who do not itemize their taxes to receive an above the line $300 universal charitable deduction. This year, you can also make unlimited cash gifts to directly to nonprofit organizations and deduct up to 100% of your adjusted gross income.
At Manatee Community Foundation, we have been grateful to witness philanthropy continue to breathe life and energy into spaces that need nurturing. Every day, we receive emails and calls from people who are eager to deploy their resources for the good of our community. Some are longtime friends who have their own charitable funds at the Foundation. Others are strangers who donated their stimulus checks to our Manatee County COVID19 Community Response Fund, changing lives in our community.
As a donor or volunteer, you deserve to feel assured that the organization you choose to support is accountable to your trust. Every gift should achieve a gain. That’s where the work of the nonprofit comes into play. It’s their job to use your gift as designated and to let you know the outcome of what you helped to make possible.
Local organizations are working in overdrive to provide the increased levels of services needed, and the very best of them engage in thoughtful communications to report back about their successes and challenges. It motivates us and reinforces our desire to keep giving.
It is up to each of us to budget our time and money to make the wisest decisions about how to use them for the greatest good. Our dogs would likely implore us to use what we have with great enthusiasm. We can make our own lives better in the process.
Giving is not limited to financial donations or organized efforts. The sum of our kindnesses can build a better community during a time when we seem to be struggling relentlessly for civility on a national stage. Giving thrives without association to any political party, thank goodness.
So go ahead, be the person your dog thinks you are. (If you don’t have a dog, there are plenty of lovable pooches available for adoption at local animal welfare organizations.) If you’re a cat person—or even if you are not a fan of any animals—it’s all good. Your willingness to contribute time, talent or treasure makes the difference. We know you have much to share.
For some specific tips on year end giving, join my team for a free webinar on November 18 at 10 a.m. Visit ManateeCF.org to learn more.
Susie Bowie is excutive director of the Manatee Community Foundation.