Joanna Krotz, in collaboration with Town&Country, has just published The Guide to Intelligent Giving. This is a book that needed to be written ─ a definitive guide covering everything from discovering where and how you personally should give to practical considerations about taxes and picking advisors.

While we have written here before about the power of giving, Joanna’s book is full of inspirational stories about those who have “decided to wield the power of one” by making the decision to give their time or their money to change the things in the world that they want to change.  A superb writer, Joanna does a terrific job of balancing their stories  with important information anyone considering should know.

I was delighted to learn that women are giving more than ever before. And, they are giving more that men do. Krotz reports that according to the latest IRS reports, women gave $22 billion dollars in 2005 compared to the $15 billion they gave in 1997, when the last gender analysis was done.

Source: The Intelligent Guide to Giving

So if you haven’t found your philanthropic passion yet, you need to get started.

Other reasons this book a “must read”:

• Giving smart requires more than just writing a check; you should make sure that the money you give works as hard for your charity as you worked to earn it.

• While money matters, your time, skills and attention matter too. A lot.

• Be smart about to whom you give. Check out the charities carefully.

Something else that will please you – the publisher will donate $1.00 to unicef for every book sold.

TAGS: charity. philanthropy, living a rich life, living your values

I want to tell you the story of a woman I’ll call Maria.  For over 15 years Maria has worked for me and a number of my friends.  She’s been a nanny, cleaned our homes, helped with special projects around the house and now tends to some of our aging parents.  We give her as much work as we can but even with this she still lives at the poverty level. 

Maria came to Los Angeles from Guatemala so that she could earn enough to send money back to her family.  Maria’s sister eventually joined her here in the U.S. and together they continued sending money to their parents until both parents died.  One day about ten years ago Maria woke up and her husband had disappeared, taking with him the car she used to get to and from work and leaving her with a one year old baby and teenager.  Despite all of this, she kept working — working hard.  Then last year her only surviving relative, her beloved sister who she helped raise from childhood and who was more like a daughter to her, was diagnosed with cancer.  We all hoped for the best, but poor people in the this country don’t always get the best medical care. 

Today they are removing Maria’s sister from life support.  The cancer has spread throughout her body and there is nothing more that can be done.  It’s just a matter of days until Maria’s last family connection in this country will be gone.   My friends and I are providing emotional and financial support because we love Maria and believe women should help other women – there is no way she could pay for a funeral otherwise and not everyone wants to pay her for the days of work she missed caring for her sister.  The Board of the Bloom Again Foundation voted to award her a grant of $1,000 to supplement her lost wages. 

We all know a Maria.  Someone who makes our lives easier but who doesn’t have it so easy themselves.  It’s why Carol, some other good friends, and I started www.bloomagain.org.  Right now Maria is having difficulty making it through from day-to-day but one day she will “bloom again” — with help from people who want to make a difference for the poorest of the poor in our country.  I’ve asked for your support before and I’m asking again.  It most likely won’t be the last time I ask.  Thank you to those of you who went to the Bloom Again website and made donations through Paypal or who sent checks from a little to a lot.  If you haven’t done so yet, we ask only that you visit the website, learn what we’re all about and decide if you can afford to help a woman in need.  Your contribution is tax deductible and if you live in the U.S. you can refer women in transition or need to us for grants that will help them to bloom again.  If your company has a matching gift program please let us know so that we can make your contribution grow even further.  And if you wouldn’t mind, we would appreciate it if you would this along to friends who might also want to make a difference in the lives of women who aren’t as fortunate as the rest of us.

TAGS: Women and Philanthropy, women helping women, women living in poverty

Last night I was privileged to attend the Women for Women 2008 Gala Dinner. This incredible organization was started 15 years ago by Zainab Salbi, who, as a 23 year old, not only wondered what she could do to make the world a better place but took action. Women for Women’s mission is to assist women in war torn countries economically, socially and emotionally.

I encourage you to read more about what they do (simply amazing) but that’s not the main purpose of this post, rather, it is about how paying attention to the things that really matter can help to put things into perspective.

All too often lately, I know I have been focused on the economic situation and feeling badly about it. Last night, it was easy for me to see that my concerns are small in contract to those whose lives are truly in chaos.

We’re almost always better off than we think we are. And giving to others is a sure-fire way to feel richer.

TAGS: giving back, volunteering, Women for Women, Zainab Salbi

Lynne Rosenthal wrote a story for Women’s enews describing her evolution as a donor; she gave $1,000,000 to the Ms. Foundation because she was passionate not only about the causes the foundation supports but also the way it provides funding.  She wrote that it is:

“…a philanthropy that is horizontal and democratic, not vertical and hierarchical…. it is a culture that is just and right and that creates lasting social change.”

We may not have the largess that Lynn has, but we can still benefit from her story and her philosophy of giving.

• Give as much as you can as often as you can. 
  Lynn got started with a $25 donation.
• Be thoughtful – and selective – about the charities you support.
  Take a good look at how the money you give will be used; check to be sure that the charity is real and that a decent percentage of the money you give will reach the people you want to help. 
• Keep track of your donations.
  It’ll make things a lot easier when tax time rolls around if you have good records to document your donations.

You don’t have to give a million to feel like a million when you support causes close to your heart.   As Maya Angelou said, ” I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.”

TAGS: charity. philanthropy, contributions to women, living a rich life, support, taxes, Women and Aging