Sunday, May 18, 2014

How to Become a Philanthropist

Philanthropy is often associated with prominent and renowned people. In the past few decades, we’ve heard of famous movie stars, such as the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Paul Newman, or top notch entrepreneurs and businessmen, like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, becoming philanthropists.
The association of these well-recognized people to philanthropy should not be something that discourages anyone from becoming a philanthropist. To become a philanthropist, all it takes is determination, passion and the drive to do well in your chosen field.

Here are some ways you can figure out how to make a difference and become a philanthropist:

Find your Passion
To become a successful philanthropist, you need to figure out what you truly care about. If seeing homeless people in the streets evokes a strong sense of sadness in you, figure out what you can do to help. This could be your calling – to end homelessness in your community. Another example is that if one of the people you love is suffering from cancer and you have a zeal for supporting others who are going through the same emotional roller-coaster, then organize a group that meets once a week to provide advise, support or company for people who need it.

Remember, to become a philanthropist, you need to have passion.

Spread the Word and Support the Cause

Another misconception that people may have is the link to thousands of money. When people think of philanthropy, people are quick to link writing cheques, sending it to a charity, and, figure, the work is done. Yes, philanthropy does involve raising money for the cause. However, it takes more than that. A number of causes need people to volunteer their time and educate people about that particular issue. For example, let’s say you’re raising money for researching the cure for HIV. Spreading the word could mean informing people of the common misconceptions people have of HIV patients and inspiring them to help others who are suffering from the disease.

Remember, to successfully become a philanthropist, you need to be able to inspire others.

Connect and Collaborate

In order to spread the word and advance your cause, you need to connect with like-minded people or anyone who can help you and your cause. You can contact small businesses or your local municipality to see if an opportunity is there to work with them. Don’t do it on your own. Remember, the more your work with others, the easier it is to spread your cause. Also, if you work with other people and organizations, you end up having more resources – be it people, money and time.
Remember, to become a philanthropist, you need to seize the day and take advantage of the opportunities available and work with others to advance your cause.

These are some simple ways to become a philanthropist. No matter how small your effort, it makes a difference. In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Original Source: http://philanthropistlist.com/2014/05/become-philanthropist/

Saturday, May 17, 2014

How to Be Charitable and Start Giving Back

The concept of charitable giving emerged with the spread of Christianity thousands of years ago as a Theological Virtue–an inherent impulse to help and love all people selflessly and unconditionally. Historians think that charitable giving arose from the Christian custom of tithing, or giving a certain amount of your income and assets to those who were less fortunate. Tithing and charity are also analogous to other world religions such as Judaism, Hinduism and Sunni Islam.

Charitable Giving

The Need for Charitable Giving

The world is now home to over seven billion people. Some are happy, prosperous and looking forward to each day with hope and optimism.
Others are not so lucky. Why is that? Where did civilization go wrong in making sure all people have access to the necessities of life, such as food, clothing and a place to call home?
No one knows that answer to that powerful question. Philosophers, sociologists, political scientists and other heavy thinkers may speculate on why suffering exists in the world but analyzing the reasons behind poverty won’t help the fact that millions of people need help through no fault of their own.
“You may never know what results come of your action. However, if you do nothing at all, there wil be no results.”–Mahatma Gandhi

Making a Difference in the World and in Yourself Starts with One Simple Act of Charitable Giving

We are alive because it feels good to be alive. We love waking up each morning to warm sunshine, the smell of brewing coffee, the sound of children laughing as they head off to school and the comforting companionship of our loved ones.
When you contribute to a charitable cause, you are helping somebody less fortunate than you are experience the same, wonderful things you experience each day. Imagine dreading to wake up in the morning because you know you are going to face another day without food, shelter, meaning or hope. Imagine trying to better yourself without the resources and encouragement that most people already have–family, friends, enough money to purchase nice clothes, three meals a day and transportation.
“Life’s persistent and most urgent question is–what are you doing for others?”–Martin Luther King Jr.

Making the World a Better Place for Everyone by Giving to a Charitable Cause

When the meaning of life seems elusive or vague, giving to others can give you a sense of purpose and of hope that one day, everyone in this world will find the peace and contentment of knowing they won’t be hungry, homeless or without a way to sustain themselves. Be the person to make that happen. Be charitable, giving and compassionate towards those who are not as fortunate as others.

Original Source: http://www.charitacy.com/charitable-start-giving-back/

Friday, May 16, 2014

Famous Philanthropists

Throughout times past there have been many famous philanthropists, from Aristotle to Victor Hugo, Benjamin Franklin to William Shakespeare, the world has been blessed with the presence of those who were highly privileged yet refused to turn a blind eye to those who were less fortunate.
As with anything throughout the course of history, philanthropy has evolved in many ways; in Ancient Rome philanthropy was built into the economic system, with the wealthiest Romans being expected to contribute wine and grain to the citizens as well as seeing to the upkeep of the city.

In ancient Greece the spirit of giving took on the form of liturgies or funding public tournaments, which benefitted not only the poor but the general public as a whole; in both societies it was believed that this giving was richly rewarded, through both the attainment of honor and the favor of the Gods.

Famous Philanthropists QuoteToday’s concept of philanthropy is an interesting mix of social awareness and sound business practice; famous philanthropists from Bill Gates to Warren Buffet, Richard Branson to Mark Zuckerburg, philanthropy has taken on a whole new dimension as social entrepreneurship has entered the mix.

While the more traditional forms of philanthropy, such as willing one’s money to charity after death have long been accepted and admired, today’s most famous philanthropists are an active and passionate breed; sure, they’re contributing enormous sums of money yet at the same time they’re rolling up their sleeves and throwing themselves into the fray in an effort to find powerful and sustainable solutions to solve the world’s problems.

Some of the most notable famous philanthropists are:


Bill Gates:


Is the rich world conscious of how the 4 billion of the 6 billion people live? If we were aware, we would want to help out, we’d want to get involved.

-Bill Gates

Bill Gates was the richest man in the world until he and wife Melinda donated approximately $29 billion through the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to help what Gates calls ‘the bottom 2 billion’, those who eek out a meager existence on less than $2 a day.

Passionate about making a difference, Bill and Melinda are famous philanthropists that have set an actionable goal to make a difference for the millions of children in the world under five who die due to preventable diseases; children who are lost at a staggering rate of one every 20 seconds.

The interesting part is that as of March 2014 Bill Gates had a net worth of $77.5 billion, making him once again the richest man on the planet; Bill and Melinda both are famous philanthropists who work tirelessly toward finding solid workable solutions to make the world a better place.

Warren Buffet:


If you’re in the luckiest 1% of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99%.

-Warren Buffet

A close friend and ally of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet has long been known for his being one of the top famous philanthropists; from raising $15.8 million through an annual auction to benefit the homeless of San Francisco to teaching free online courses aimed at teaching young people about the benefits of philanthropy and donating over $30 billion of his fortune to help those in need, Buffet’s capacity for giving is legendary.

Incidentally, Mr. Buffet is also one of the famous philanthropists of Bill Gates’ billionaire’s club known as the Giving Pledge in which membership is reliant on each billionaire pledging to allocate more than half of their fortune to social enterprises.

Richard Branson:


Ridiculous yachts and private planes and big limousines won’t make people appreciate life more, and it sends out poor messages to those who work for them. It would be so much better if that money was spent in Africa – and it’s about getting a balance.

-Richard Branson

Intrepid entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson is yet another one of the famous philanthropists whose generosity and commitment to social causes has helped to make a difference; from educational charities in Africa to supporting children with AIDS, cancer research and a host of other causes, Sir Richard is one of the famous philanthropists who is true philanthropic hero.

In 2013 he took his place among famous philanthropists who have joined Bill Gates in the Giving Pledge, and he has made the commitment to distribute over half of his fortune to finding sustainable ways to solve some of the world’s most devastating social issues.

While these three famous philanthropists are particularly notable in their passionate fight to even the playing field and distribute the world’s resources to those who live their lives oppressed by preventable illness, hunger and abject poverty, they are not alone.

From Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerburg to Anthony Robbins and Mohammed Al-Fayed, there are a number of famous philanthropists who are changing the world by giving not only their money but also their precious time to help make the world a more equitable and sustainable place; they are the new breed of philanthropist and they’re creating positive change.

It’s not just about being able to write a check. It’s being able to touch somebody’s life.

-Oprah Winfrey

Original Source: http://philanthropistlist.com/2014/05/famous-philanthropists/