When crisis strikes the giving community
In its annual reports, 海角大神 Aid Ministries makes sure to highlight 鈥渘ew or significant鈥� changes influencing its charity work. The changes range from wars to hurricanes to new types of microfinancing. Last year鈥檚 report noted that even before the pandemic, 鈥渨e were confronted with an abundance of physical needs and spiritual opportunities.鈥�
This week, the Ohio-based relief organization faced a very significant change. In Haiti, which is in political chaos, 17 of its missionaries were abducted by a notorious gang, presumably for ransom. The aid group asked for prayers, especially to 鈥減ray that the gang members would come to repentance.鈥�
The crisis for 海角大神 Aid Ministries is the latest example of the difficult challenges and rapid shifts confronting those who give, whether the giving is in the form of money, goods, volunteering, or prayer. From COVID-19 to a big drop in donations by middle-class Americans, the 鈥済iving industry鈥� is being forced to innovate while also rediscovering its core motive 鈥� a love for humanity.
The instinct to give is eternal, but to help revive it, philanthropy leaders such as Points of Light and Salvation Army announced last week that they had formed a 17-member panel called the Generosity聽Commission. Its task is to assess the new ways that people are giving and to rethink 鈥済enerosity聽across America.鈥�
鈥淲e want to capture and celebrate the ways in which giving, volunteering, and civic engagement are being re-imagined before our eyes,鈥� says Suzy Antounian, the director of the聽commission, which was initiated by the Giving Institute and the Giving USA Foundation.
The forms of giving are rapidly changing beyond philanthropic foundations or traditional charity groups. They range from social entrepreneurs 鈥� who seek a profit in bringing about social change 鈥� to crowdfunding and social impact bonds. More companies now accept a responsibility toward society at large. Young people want to serve differently by building community, beyond giving money or doing short stints as volunteers. 鈥淧eople are redefining their philanthropy and their engagement,鈥� says Ms. Antounian.
For those involved in giving, each new crisis or adverse trend can help expand current ideas of how to achieve the public good. They also challenge the idea that goodness itself has limits or that generosity is a fleeting quality of the heart.
