Since itās the holiday season and thereās lots of talk about donating to charities, I kinda want to bring something up.Ā
Iād like to encourage young people (those of us who can afford it anyway) to consider becoming aĀ regular donor to a local organization.Ā
Iāve put the emphasis onĀ āregularā, but theĀ ālocalā is also important here. Because itās small local organizations that have a hard time with financial security. I canāt speak for what itās like to work for a large charity. I work for a small local museum. We donāt have celebrity endorsements or ads that are televised all over the nation. Our cause isnāt something we can expect millions of people all over the world to care about (like clean drinking water or hunger). The only people we can reasonably expect to care about us are locals.Ā
Currently, a huge percentage of our donor base is elderly. And it can be a bit concerning when donors pass away faster than new donors come aboard. We could really use some more young donors.Ā
I think many of us young adults are accustomed to donating to causes as they spring up. A gofundme here, a youcaring there. And thatās really important work! I donāt want to diminish the good that people do. And sometimes a one-time $5 donations is all we can do. But if youāve got the stability to do it, Iād encourage you to consider not just who you give to, but the way you do it.Ā
Places like my museum cannot exist or function without the locals who donate to us every year.Ā
