Encouraging Philanthropy at a Young Age: Teaching Your Kids To Give To Causes

In our family, I have involved my kids in fundraising activities from the time they were old enough to walk.  Whether I'm raising money for Cambodia or Creative Commons, I try to include them in some way.  We have dinner table discussions on why it is important to support causes, particularly programs in Cambodia like the Sharing Foundation.  My kids have posed for photos in t-shirts, emptied their piggy banks, helped me make fundraising videos, contributed clothing or other items to drives at school, and have attended lots of fund raising events.

As someone who works in the nonprofit sector, I understand the importance of giving - and trying to pass that down to my kids.  I was curious about my colleagues, who work for nonprofits and are parents, what do they do to encourage their children's spirit of giving at a young age?

My colleagues who support the The Sharing Foundation also make fundraising for their favorite cause a family activity.  Take for example third-grader Sophie, the Cambodian daughter of a Sharing Foundation supporter in Maine.  Sophie created a flier to sell Cambodian/American flag pins and raised $350 for Sharing Foundation.   Notes Sophie in the recent Sharing Foundation newsletter, "Not many people in Cambodia are as lucky as we are, so I decided I just wanted to help give them money to buy food and water, because I was from the country."

Be A Role Model of Generosity

Hans shared a story about how his wife donated her hair to Locks of Love which sparked a conversation with their 4 year old about children who are in need.  He notes, "So we model the values that we hope our children will emulate, and support charities that our kids can see connections to."  Roxana Gheorghe suggests the PSA Partnership and agrees, "It is an interesting subject because generosity is a characteristic typical to all cultures, ages, races and people. Parents and relatives are the best role model for their kids in sharing generosity, that is,generosity is passed on from generation to generation."  Katrin Verlcas adds, "Talk about, read about, and surround yourself and speak with inspired people and their work who are making the world a better place. Name your children after them."

Host A Giving Is Better Than Receiving Birthday Party

That's some great advice based on personal and professional experience from Amy Jussel who is the Founder and Executive Director of Shaping Youth.   For the holidays, she has hosted a kindergarten "angel" party where the kids were "angel donors" for families in need, depositing their unwrapped toys and gifts as admittance to the fun.   The idea is basically giving rather than receiving wrapped in a party theme.  Amy says that now that her daughter has entered her teen years, they segued to more complex themes.   She warns though, "I've found that you have to follow your kids' leads to enroll them in THEIR passions, not necesarily yours, as they get older."

Create a Holiday Tradition of Giving

Happy Katie recalls her own childhood traditions of giving, both during the holidays and year round. "My parents encouraged us to donate 10% of our weekly allowance to charity. We also had a Christmas tradition where instead of giving each other gifts, we sponsored a family and bought them presents instead. That was one of the best holidays traditions we had. We basically, what it came to was creating a family culture where giving and being charitable was not only promoted and smiled upon, but recognized as a regular activity we did on our own and as a familial unit."   

Looking for an alternative gift to help a child?   Save the Children has just launched an inspiring and informative catalog that lets you and your child explore a map of the world and imagine how simple gifts, vitamins for infants, library books for kids in rural America, or an apple tree in Ethiopia are extraordinary resources. 

Amy Sample Ward reminds us that your kids don't have to give cash only.  "Time, enthusiasm, expertise, skills...it is important to keep all of these things in mind when choosing a group to support and how to support them."

Let your Kids Make the Decision

Kayta Andresen from Network for Good has fantastic idea last holiday season, "Give with your kids day"
"Give your child—or someone else’s child—$25 to spend on charity.  You can give them $25 to spend at Network for Good (which has every charity based in the US) or Global Giving (which has a bunch of international projects) or the charity you work for.  Let them choose how to spend it, either by letting them pick the charity or by designating their donation to a special project.  Spend it together online, checking out pictures and project descriptions."

Share Giving/Gaming Opportunities Online

Amy Jussel of Shaping Youth Blog shared a story of how she and her daughter played the Freerice game, a new, quiz-style vocabulary builder that rewards correct answers with ten grains per bowl to feed hungry children, distributed by the U.N.’s World Food Programme.  Not only was her daughter able to contribute to a good cause by playing a game, the experience also brought up a ethical dilemma.

Money Savvy Piggy Bank and Spend, Save, and Give Allowance Policy

Celeste for the studio 501c3 blog suggests this piggy bank, with separate slots for investing, saving, spending, and donating is a great way to teach kids about devoting a portion of their income to
charity.  Katrin Verclas says her family's allowance policy is:  1/3 for spending as you wish, 1/3 for savings,
and 1/3 to give wherever you wish.

Donate or purchase a toy for a child in need

Another great way to teach kids about charity is to engage them in buying or donating something that they are familiar with--toys!  Celeste suggests Able Play where kids can research toys that are appropriate for kids with disabilities, and then buy and donate one to a local hospital, school, or day care center (perhaps after asking the staff at the center about what is most needed in terms of the age range, or disability of the children who would play with the toy).

Neha Yellurka suggests Toys for Tots is a great way to introduce children to charity. "For the holidays, instead of asking for a toy for themselves, encourage your child to pick something out that they would like another child to have!"  Another option is Get Well Gamers which brings video game systems and games to children's hospitals by collecting used game systems and other donated product and sends them to children's programs at hospitals.

What are some ways that you have encouraged your children to give to charity --either around the holidays or year round?

Additional Resources

Learning To Give
Youth In Philanthropy
Children for Children Foundation
Kids Can Make A Difference
Youth Noise

Comments

[Reed]

Great material Beth. Wanted to let you know that AFP has a Youth and Philanthropy News Blog http://afprc8.blogspot.com/
Also AFP has a variety of resources on its main website
http://www.afpnet.org/youth_in_philanthropy
We are currently undergoing some website construction in this area so stay tuned for more.
Reed

[Neha]

I've been doing this every morning! Its a fun and interactive site that gets us all thinking... not just about vocabulary :)

[Neha]

Oops! I meant the Free Rice project - I'd encourage everyone to check it out - very fun!

[Nancy E. Schwartz]

Beth, thanks so much for compiling these very useful models and experiences. This is the challenge I face -- our daughter Charlotte is 4 1/2 and we've built giving into her life since the get go. For example, part of our weekly Shabbat dinner is tzedakah (giving money -- from her piggy bank and ours -- to others). Then we started a toy drive to collect gifts for kids who have none. And her pre-K class traveled to a local grocery store, with contributed money, to buy Thanksgiving food for local families who were too stretched to do so.

So she has a lot of giving in her life, but I don't think she really understands what's going on. When asked at the time of, she parrots back what we (or teachers) have told her, but an hour later, she says she doesn't know. Of course, she doesn't forget a detail on her her waning inventory of Halloween candy.

I'm wondering if you or your readers have any suggestions about how to make the practice of giving truly meaningful for a young 'un?

Thanks,
Nancy

[Lisa @ Corporate Babysitter]

This is a great post. We've been doing a variation on the piggy bank -- using plastic butter containers. Each week my daughter's allowance is split among spending, college, and charity. She takes her charity giving very seriously. I've often made suggestions but let her decide. She saved more than $100 over the many months and ended up buying supplies for Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota. I was so proud of her!

Anyway, just started reading your blog as I am in the process of establishing of 501c3. Thanks again for the post.

[Katya Andresen]

I love the free rice site - it's very sticky (pun intended). Thanks for highlighting it. FYI we're trying to get even more tangible with kids (and adults) at Network for Good with our new Good Cards. You can send someone a stored value card that can be redeemed for any charity.

[Living By Learning]

Great list! As a parent and scout leader, I'm always looking for ways to encourage kids to help make the world a better place. Thank you.

[J. Erik Potter]

Hi Beth. You've got a plethora of great stuff here. I've already had to check out 4-5 links from this one.

We're just getting going on the whole giving thing with our two boys (3 years and 1-1/2 years).

http://www.jerikpotter.com/2007/12/nature-vs-nurture.html

I worked at an at-risk youth organization for a little over a year. It was an eye and world-view opening experience for me. The overwhelming thing I was hit with was how lucky and blessed my childhood was. I want to instill that in my children. Not everyone has the "luxuries" we have. A vast majority of the world doesn't even have the "necessities" we have.

I would highly recommend your readers get involved with any kind of at-risk or homeless youth project - mentoring, toy/book drive, food drive, soup kitchen, whatever. See first hand that life isn't easy for everyone. Once your kids are old enough, bring them along. Show them how they can help by being a hero for them to emulate.

[Steph]

My daughter went last summer on a housebuilding trip to Cambodia and had a marvelous time. They are putting together a group for this coming summer. Check out: www.pillowsforpeace.org/blog/?page_id=4. My sister also ran a fundraiser at her school and sent the proceeds to the Cambodian nonprofit. The school kids were so happy to buy wells and piglets!