Giving
to Charity
Giving Wisely to Charities
The key to wise giving is being informed about
a charitable organization before you write your
check or donate your time. Here are some tips
for giving wisely and additional resources to
help guide you in making charitable donations.
Be an informed giver. Ask questions before you
give. Give only when you feel comfortable that
your donation will support an organization and
activities in which you believe. If a solicitor
calls, find out how much of your donation will
actually go to the charity.
Refuse high-pressure appeals. Legitimate charities
won't rush you to donate.
Ask for written information. A legitimate charity
will be willing to send you information before
you donate. Ask for information on the organization's
mission, how your donation will be used and proof
that your contribution is tax deductible.
Call the charity. To avoid falling victim to sham
solicitors, contact the charity directly before
giving a donation by mail or to the person knocking
at your front door. This will allow you to make
sure the solicitation you received is authorized
and legitimate.
Watch out for similar sounding names. Scam artists
often try to take advantage of names that sound
or look like those of respected, legitimate charities.
Don't send cash. For your security and tax records,
make your donation by check. Jot down the official
name of the charity on your check for record keeping
purposes.
Be wary of a group that offers to pick up your
monetary donation. A legitimate charity will have
an official address where you can mail your donation.
Be wary if an organization thanks you for a pledge
you don't remember making and offers to send someone
to pick up your donation. If ever in doubt, check
your records for any pledge or donation.
Fundraising appeals for police, firefighters and
veterans. Solicitations on behalf of these types
of causes often draw favorable responses from
donors. If you would like to know more about such
appeals, please consult the Attorney General’s
brochure on Fundraising Appeals for Police, Firefighters
and Veterans.
Keep the right records. Make sure your donation
is tax deductible from federal and state income
taxes. Donating to some tax-exempt organizations
may not necessarily result in a tax-deductible
donation and some organizations may even try to
use terms like "tax I.D. number" or
"keep this receipt for your records"
to suggest they are tax-exempt charities when
they aren't. For record keeping, a canceled check
or credit card statement generally is sufficient
for IRS purposes when you donate less than $250.
For larger donations, you will want to get properly
worded receipt from the charity confirming your
donation. And, remember, your tax deduction is
reduced by the fair market value of any gift,
meal or other incentive received from the charity.
Consider alternative forms of giving. Consult
with your tax advisor about the many ways to support
a charity. These alternative forms of giving include
charitable gift annuities, gifts in-kind, and
endowments.
Volunteer. Giving of your time and personal skills
can be as valuable as financial donations to nonprofit
organizations. You can also benefit by meeting
people who have shared interests.
With all the news about natural disasters happening
everywhere, the world has enthusiastically reached
into its pockets to help. News about goodwill,
good deeds, and acts of kindness, should be regularly
broadcast, but maybe bad news is more profitable
to broadcast.
However, let me stick to the point of this article.
In order for nature, and the universe, to flow
in harmony, we should all regularly give to charities,
whenever it is possible to help someone in need.
This is practicing Yoga "off the mat."
"Saving for a rainy day" is one thing, and hoarding
money, is quite another matter. By all means,
save some money, but always remember to give to
those in need, without expecting something in
return.
To put it simply, selfishness creates a dead
end, or stagnation, within the universal flow
of all things. The universal law of cause and
effect (karma) will always override.
Just as stagnation within your body is unhealthy,
the same law applies to the universe and all things
within in it, including money. Stagnation will
cause an infection of the body, mind, or spirit.
This is the exact opposite of Yoga practice, where
we seek to unify body, mind, and spirit in harmony.
Remember Nishkamya Bhakti, and take the time
to research the meaning of the word again. We
should give unconditionally without pursuing a
reward. It is also good to give anonymously and
not to tell anyone. Giving is also good for your
inner being and your self worth.
Take notice of how lucky you are in this life.
Be content with what you have by appreciating
your family, friends, and achievements. Look at
the improvements and rewards you have seen, since
you started practicing Yoga.
I will leave you with a short story and something
to think about. Last Christmas season, a man,
who was dressed as Santa Claus, worked outside
a local store with a legitimate charity's sign
and donations bucket. Many people, including me,
gave to him.
Within a few days, local police had chased this
man through the parking lot and arrested him.
It had been discovered that this man was allegedly
an imposter and did not represent a charity at
all.
Is this man a criminal? I think not – he was
a beggar who practiced deception. In some countries
and cultures, like mine, begging is not tolerated
at all. This man resorted to deception in order
to beg. He did not rob people of their money.
This is not an endorsement of deception or begging,
but I want to make you aware of the fact that
when you give to a beggar, that is charity too.
Don't worry about which charity to give to - just
give something. There are good forces at work
that will distribute your donations evenly.
Always remember that Yoga is for the improvement
of physical, mental, and spiritual health. If
you think Yoga is only about physical mastery,
asanas, and a beautiful body, you have missed
the "big picture." Yoga offers so many benefits
for mental and spiritual health, that they should
never be ignored.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and
the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura
Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has
been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995.
He is a master instructor of martial arts, with
multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching
credentials, and was recently inducted into the
USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga,
martial arts, and fitness to children, adults,
and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently
he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for
You? For Yoga students, who may be considering
a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Article Source: EzineArticles.com/ |
