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April 15, 2021 // //  //       //  Opinion

We the People… Provide Support to Organizations Doing the Work to Make a Difference

This week, Nijha Diggs, senior director of public relations at Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft charity, and I presented to PRSSA students at the annual PRSSA Leadership Assembly. We put together an interactive hands-on exercise that provides students with real-world experiences. While thinking about getting prepared for this, I’ve reflected on the impact the last year has had on the nonprofit community.

It seems once every millennium our society has to deal with the drastic impact of a major pandemic. Plus the impact of numerous issues related to health equity, racial justice, food insecurity and climate change. Government and corporate entities constantly investigate different ways to address these issues.

Their efforts are not good enough. Progress is too slow, and the following generations and their children will have to deal with what baby boomers and Gen Xers leave behind – and they are not happy. And, I don’t blame them!

Today’s generation expects all of us, including businesses and government, to live with more purpose. They want us to help and support each other, not point fingers,  lay blame or make excuses. They want us to work to make a difference and find solutions, so they can leave the world a better place for their children.

We have all learned about the power of our voice and the power of voting. Every vote counts. But what do you do when voting is not enough? What about when government cannot respond fast enough, or when people suffer here and around the world?

One of my favorite Captain America quotes is: “Most of us are going somewhere we know, that doesn’t mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives. And we’re going to win. Whatever it takes.”

Well, it is going to take a long time, and those who will lead us will come from nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, businesses and government learning how to work together. And it’s going to take us, the people, to support organizations we care about to make a difference.

A recent survey implemented by Smile Train, examined how Americans prioritized donating their time and money to charitable organizations in 2020. The “Caring Amid Crisis: How COVID-19 Influenced American Donations” report analyzed findings from a survey on consumer donation habits prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic and sought to understand how the pandemic changed Americans’ perspectives on donating.

Most Americans (91%) stated it was more important to support charities and fundraising events now versus prior to the pandemic. In fact, 41% of Americans said their donation patterns increased, with 31% saying their giving amounts also increased.

What this showed me was HOPE! Hope that people will do the right thing and hope in helping others get through some of the darkest times our country has had to deal with for so long.

Other additional key findings from the survey included:

  • Most Americans made a monetary donation to charitable causes during the pandemic: 56% made donations, 15% participated in virtual fundraisers and 15% volunteered in-person at local charity/community events. Among those who made a monetary donation, almost a third (32%) said they donated more than $500 since March 2020.
  • Older Americans focused on monetary donations, while younger Americans donated their time.
  • Most Americans wanted to donate to organizations helping children or providing food for individuals who were homeless.

As we saw spikes in donations to racial justice and health equity organizations, I feel hopeful our families, friends, communities and associates want to make a difference. But they will do it in the way they are most comfortable. They will stand up for the biggest issues we deal with today and pivot during a crisis to help those most in need.

Let’s use this information to work even closer together. Do not be afraid to ask for help for your cause or mission. Help those that truly need it! And let’s make sure we do our best to help the next generation who can help the following generation.

Scott Pansky is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. He supports the agency’s education, culture, volunteer and mentorship initiatives. 

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