Photo by Liza Summer
Whether you own a business or are thinking of making a personal donation, there are so many reasons why you should give to charity.
Discover six reasons why you should start donating to charity, from more altruistic reasons, such as to help those less fortunate than yourself, to more selfish ones like lowering your tax bill.
- Based on personal experience
If you have had direct personal experience with a particular charity, why not make this the year you decide to give something back?
Maybe someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer or has needed an urgent blood transfusion. Whatever it is, when a charitable organization directly impacts your life, many realize that they want to support you in one way or another.
- To make a difference
When you choose to support a charity, whether that be one that is helping people in your local community or a national charity such as the American Red Cross, you have the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives.
Even a small monthly donation allows charities to continue carrying out crucial work that can mean the difference between life and death for some people.
- To give a sense of belonging
Sometimes, life can be hard, even for those who are fortunate enough to have a roof over their heads and a stable income. However, when you get involved with a charitable cause, there is a sense of belonging and a feeling that you are all in this together.
Some charities even offer memberships and regular events that enable you to connect with other like-minded individuals to organize events and to effect real change for the future.
- To feel good
On a purely selfish level, when you give to charity, you feel good about yourself and your choices when you think that you are making a difference to those who are in need.
In fact, research suggests that people who regularly support charitable organizations experience better life satisfaction and are less likely to experience feelings of depression than people who don’t.
- To save on your taxes
Did you know that charitable donations are tax deductible? In fact, they are the most of the best tax-saving methods available.
If you are self-employed or run your own business and have donated to charity over the course of the tax year, then make sure you itemize it on your tax returns to make sure it is deducted from your total.
- To set a good example
If you have children, giving to charity or getting involved in a local community project can help instill good values in them. Furthermore, when other people, such as family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, see you making a difference, they may be inspired to act, too.
Although you may not think that your actions will greatly impact the world around you, you may be surprised how many people you can motivate when you decide to support a local charity.
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