Faith and Philanthropy Archives | Dean and Marcie Whalen

Five Ways Philanthropy Improves Our Overall Well-Being

October 16, 2018 Dean and Marcie Whalen Faith and Philanthropy

Philanthropy is primarily about being generous and spreading goodwill. As you share time and resources for the betterment of others, your welfare is ideally not your first concern. Philanthropic acts that are driven by what you will gain from it are hardly genuine and ruin the purpose of the deed.

If you are a true philanthropist, you offer what you can without expecting anything in return. The end goal of the services you do is to improve and enrich the lives of other people. The most wonderful thing about it is that you often receive more than what you originally gave. As they say, every act of kindness comes back tenfold. Just read on to see how philanthropy improves your physical, emotional and mental well-being.

Prevents Ailments

Pills and supplements can help you stay in the pinnacle of health. However, if you want a natural way to keep diseases away, you may want to join a group that will allow you to give back to society. Numerous studies have proven that being charitable can help prevent illnesses such as hypertension, heart problems and dementia.

The health benefits of philanthropy can also result in a longer lifespan, as shown by a study conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan and published by the American Psychological Association (APA). This long-term study that followed a group of individuals revealed that those who volunteered for altruistic reasons live longer than those who volunteered seeking personal satisfaction.

Fights Stress

If you are always annoyed or upset, engaging in charitable activities can be an effective mood booster. When you set out to do something for others, you get preoccupied with new things that may lighten the mood. Furthermore, the feeling of satisfaction you get from knowing that you are doing something worthy makes you feel good about yourself.

The happiness factor involved in philanthropy is not based on a hunch, as research suggests a clear link to happiness and philanthropy. A study conducted by a group of psychologists from the University of British Columbia in Canada and the Harvard Business School in Boston found out that people who donate money to charity are happier compared to people who only choose to spend for themselves.

Builds Confidence.

Your simplest act may mean the world to a person in need. The thought that you can make such a huge difference for others will make you realize that you can do even greater things. If you are suffering from low self-esteem and are feeling down on your luck, it is a good idea to spend some time doing altruistic activities. Moreover, altruistic efforts are like learning sessions, so you increase your knowledge and sharpen your intellect, which can further build your confidence.

Develops Gratefulness.

Philanthropy will sometimes expose you to the not-so-pleasant things in life such as sickness, poverty or abuse. Instead of making you feel down or upset, it can instead open your eyes to all your blessings and develop a sense of gratitude. Gratefulness is the key to an optimistic and cheerful attitude that ultimately improves our well-being.

Fosters Relationships.

Humans have an intrinsic need to connect to others and philanthropy is a great way to reach out to others. The social interaction that takes place as you do volunteer work can result in genuine friendships. The positive relationships you form will enhance your sense of purpose in life.

The reasons given above show that altruism is a virtue worth pursuing for the right reasons. As you consider the needs of others before your own, the universe sees every good deed you do. In time, you will receive rewards for your selfless endeavors.

Top Reasons Philanthropy Should Be An Important Part Of Any Venture

August 14, 2018 Dean and Marcie Whalen Faith and Philanthropy

Earn a huge profit. An entrepreneur starting a venture would usually have this end goal in mind — and there is nothing wrong with it! If you invest a considerable amount of time and money for a project, you would naturally want to see gains.

So you design a brilliant business plan and plot foolproof strategies. To help ensure success in any venture though, you may want to consider philanthropy. A clear and solid corporate social responsibility immediately gives an enterprise a distinct edge over competitors. It would likely enjoy the following benefits too:

Boosts Morale

A company with great visions of success requires a team bursting with undeniable enthusiasm and confidence. You can easily keep a team’s morale high by making it a priority to include philanthropic activities in your business calendar. In the 2017 survey conducted by Deloitte, a professional services network, seven out of ten respondents said that participating in charitable work is more effective in boosting their morale than engaging in leisure activities.

Promotes Satisfaction & Increases Productivity

The thought that your action can create a positive impact on others can be so empowering that you can easily carry this vibe up to work performance. Thus, philanthropy can efficiently motivate a team to accomplish more. Aside from increasing productivity, altruistic efforts can also make someone happier. A research study from the University of Zurich in Switzerland published in 2017 reveals that generosity leads to happiness. If you feel good about the work you do, it would likely result in job satisfaction too.

Builds Good Reputation

One of the main challenges and concerns of a new brand is to gain the trust of clients, making philanthropy a smart move for any startup venture. An organization that includes giving back to the community in their vision and mission statements elevates the reputation of an organization, which increases the potential to generate high earnings. Furthermore, people working for the company will be proud to be part of it and will be confident that a favorable future awaits.

Opens Opportunities for Advertising & Network-Building

Advertising is a critical factor in the success of any venture because even the best idea, product, or organization will be doomed to fail if no one knows about it. This is why seasoned entrepreneurs willingly allow a big chunk of their budget to advertising. Surprisingly though, philanthropy offers a better alternative. Organizing events that will help a cause is an indirect way to introduce your brand to the community. You will know you are on the right track when people start associating your organization with good deeds and worthy causes. Aside from the free publicity, it also opens up opportunities to grow your network.

Leads to Better Teamwork

When you give staff or employees a chance to work together for a cause that will greatly benefit others, you also give them time to connect with each other. This, in turn, may lead to better relationships that can make working together a more enriching experience.

Some start-up companies may think that they can conveniently forget the idea of giving back to society until they see a steady flow of dollars coming in. However, including philanthropy right from the start of the planning period may just be the move that holds the key to success.

3 Ways To Teach Children About Philanthropy

June 21, 2017 Dean and Marcie Whalen Faith and Philanthropy, Parenting

Teaching your children about philanthropy is one of the best ways to establish a serving heart at a young age. But sometimes it can be hard to get them involved when they don’t fully understand the impact they are making. It can be hard for young minds to completely comprehend the purpose and reality of philanthropies and those who are on the receiving end of them. However, read these 3 ways to teach children about philanthropy and make sure they get the most out of their philanthropic efforts – even if it takes a little more explaining on your part.

Discover these 3 Ways To Teach Children About Philanthropy Early On

Encourage them to raise their own money for a charity

Remember the days when a twenty-dollar bill could buy you all you ever wanted in the world? A new toy or your favorite candy bar could turn any day around. This mentality still exists in young minds, and is still perhaps the reason for lemonade stands on summer days. However, the next time your children want to host a lemonade stand, or a car wash, or whatever it is your young entrepreneurs have their minds made up on, suggest making a donation with some of the money. As you encourage your children to start raising money for themselves, encourage them to donate a percentage of it, no matter how small, to a charity of their choice. In doing so, you will first empower them to pick a charity that interests them establishing a passion for a certain cause. And second, you will help foster a spirit of giving that they will keep with them for the rest of their lives.

Volunteer at a nursing home

Volunteering at neighborhood nursing home is a great service to introduce your children to philanthropy. At its heart, philanthropy is the act of serving others and that is exactly what your family will be doing when you volunteer to spend an hour or two at a nursing home. Consider visiting regularly, even if it’s only once a month, to make sure your children get the most out of the experience. By making routine visits, your children will get the chance to build relationships and the difference they are making will have more of an impact that will inspire them to continue to serving others when they’re older.

Take them to donate to a food bank

Next time you’re grocery shopping with your children tell them to pick out some canned goods or other nonperishable items and drop them off at the closest food bank on the way home. In doing so, you will introduce the idea that serving others does not have to be something remarkable in order for it to make a difference. Instead, it will teach them the fact that serving others can and should be an everyday activity.

3 Real, Tangible Ways to Make an Impact on Poverty

March 20, 2017 Dean and Marcie Whalen Faith and Philanthropy

As the wise Nelson Mandela once said, “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. You can be that generation.” It’s true. We can be a part of the generation that has a real, tangible impact on poverty, and perhaps, if we teach them well, our children can find a way to end the vicious cycle once and for all. In the meantime, there are some very real, very tangible ways to make a difference when it comes to poverty—both abroad and within your own community.

3 Real, Tangible Ways to Make an Impact on Poverty

Participate in Sustainable Philanthropy

It is not enough just to give a child clean water for a day, just as it is not enough to give a man a fish for a day. But, when you find a way to teach that child, or those children, how to fish for themselves metaphorically, you have the chance to make a real and lasting impact on poverty as a whole.

When we empower those who seem powerless, we don’t just change the lives of the people we work with directly; we also start a snowball effect that keeps rolling on long after we’re physically gone. That’s the meaning of sustainable philanthropy: when you don’t have to be present to have your presence felt ever after.

Start with Your Local Community

Many people make the mistake of thinking that only those in developing nations are in need of help. It’s simply not true. That harmful belief is what helps to foster the destructive cycle of poverty.

In order to have a real, tangible impact on poverty, it’s crucial to start with your home base. There are no doubt pockets of poverty in your town or city, no matter where you live. It’s a sad reality, but it’s one that can be greatly impacted and eventually eradicated if we direct attention to it and help out in any way we can. Reach out to your local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or women’s shelter. Look for volunteer opportunities as well as chances to donate necessary supplies.

Teach Your Children About Giving Back

In the end, this is the legacy we leave: the lessons we impart to our children about how to relate to their world. If you grace your children with philanthropic hearts and minds, that is what they’ll come to know. They’ll naturally adopt the mentality that helping others to help themselves is the best gift they can give to their brothers and sisters in Christ.

Teach your children about giving back to their communities and abroad in meaningful and lasting ways—that way, their generation will be the ones to end poverty as we know it finally.