Give

Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others. ~Saint Augustine

What is the difference between something you need and something you want?

From education to a car to groceries, money is how we fund our way of life—our needs and our wants. What we need and what we want are two different things.

Needs are the basic things that are required for our safety and health, including food to keep us alive, clothing to keep us warm, and a shelter to protect us.

Wants, on the other hand, are items we desire but are not critical to life. These may include gourmet foods, designer clothing, a bigger house or a new car.

Understanding the difference between needs and wants is important to managing money and learning to share resources with others. To afford the items we need (such as groceries), we first realize we can't spend all of our money on things we simply want.

Beyond that, many of us need a reality check about how much we already have that we don't really need. I have posted this link on the Money page of this site, but will share it here as well.

The Decision About Where and How to
Give Can Be Very Personal

Haiti Mercy Mission

My youngest brother and his wife helped found Haiti Mercy Mission. Their website is still unfinished as most of their funds and energy go to the children of the Pignon area of Haiti. Through the donations of family and of churches, housing and food is provided for orphans. Schools are being established and health care provided.

The children are supported and educated through a child sponsorship program. From the Haiti Mercy Mission web site:

We currently have six primary schools, one high school and one vocational school that we are trying to maintain. At last count we had 1,869 kids in primary school, about 300 in high school and 12 students in the vocational program. All of these programs require uniforms, books, teachers' salaries and, hopefully, a lunch program. If you would like to help educate the kids with Haiti Mercy Mission, please contact us at the link below and we'll tell you what our greatest needs are right now. More about Haiti Mercy Mission

FARMS International

Our nephew serves on the board of FARMS International. From their web site:

FARMS International is a Christian ministry that serves the church by equipping families in poverty with the means for self-support. Working through the local church, FARMS provides loans, technical support for income generating projects and spiritual training for families. The result? Families find a biblical path out of poverty!

For over 40 years, FARMS International has worked around the world in places of deep need leading people to solid financial and spiritual ground. Today's rapid church growth among the poor elevates the urgency. Scripture states our responsibility to help poor believers. And FARMS offers us an opportunity to respond to the need. More about FARMS International

Esperanza Viva

Dear friends of ours founded this orphanage in Puebla, Mexico. We have spent time with them there and have sponsored one of the children. What began with one abandoned child they found on the street has become a ministry to thousands.

From their web site:

Esperanza Viva Youth Home rescues, trains, nurtures, and rehabilitates underprivileged, orphaned, abandoned, and street children and youth whose families are unable or unwilling to provide for them. Since 1994, Esperanza Viva has helped provide for and minister to thousands of children and their families, including full-time care for more than 300 children from different parts of Mexico. Our vision is to expand the youth home and its ministries to become The Living Hope Community, a facility that will eventually house 1,000 children and workers. More about Esperanza Viva

Some Advice on Choosing Where to Give

A site called, Charity Navigator works to guide intelligent giving. They provide information on over five thousand charities by evaluating the financial health of each. The guidelines are easy to understand and available free of charge. The Charity Navigator

Here are a few smart-money tips, courtesy of the Better Business Bureau, to help you get the best value from your donation, to make sure it goes to the right cause:

• Stick with your favorite charities... those you know or with which you have some affiliation. This is the single most important rule when making sure your donation goes where you want it to go. There are thousands of established, well-managed charities that need your help.
• Distinguish between the cause and the charity. Just because you care about the environment and endangered species does not mean you should automatically contribute to the "Whales 'R Us Foundation."
• Check out charities that sound good, but... Be especially alert for sound-alike charities that ride on the coattails of bona fide charities. For reports on organizations, contact the National Charities Information Bureau at (212) 929-6300.
• Pay by check or exercise extreme care when making a donation by credit card. Never give cash. Also, make out the check to the organization, never to an individual.
• Ask if the contribution is deductible for federal income tax purposes. Distinguish between tax deductible for you and tax exempt for them. It's a big difference. Tax exempt only means that the organization does not have to pay taxes. Tax deductible means you can deduct the contribution on your taxes.
• When giving used items, you are entitled to deduct their fair market value (not the original purchase price) on your federal income tax form. Since this is a common request, ask for a receipt and, if necessary, help establish a value.
• Avoid emotional and high pressure appeals... especially if your contribution is "urgently needed today." Take your time to do your homework and make sure this is the cause you want to benefit. The organization will probably not go out of business if you delay two weeks before making your contribution. If it does, you were wise not to contribute in the first place. When in doubt, feel free to say no.
• Toss mail appeals that do not clearly identify the charity and describe its programs. Just as important, appeals should not be disguised as bills or invoices. Just because you gave $25 to a charity last year, this does not mean you owe them that much or more this year.
• Contact the appropriate consumer protection agency if you have doubts about the integrity of a solicitation or simply want more information about the charity.

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world. ~Author Unknown

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