September, 2020 - Jimmy Lustig | Lustig Family Foundation

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we socialize, communicate, work, and live. As humans, we feel more fulfilled when we are caring for those in need. Giving back to society can be beneficial to your health; it helps reduce stress levels and make you feel happier. Helping others, especially during this pandemic, is essential as we try to unify communities to fight against the epidemic together. With everything currently on pause, you may be wondering how to help those in need. Here is a list of how you can give back to the community and make a real difference:

Stay in touch with friends and family

Stay connected with people in your inner circle. Find out what they have been up to, how they are doing, and determine if they’re prone to stress and anxiety. Take some time to video call your sister, send your friend a message, and regularly call your parents. Keeping in touch will help everyone reduce stress and feel loved during these uncertain times.

Donate money to non-profit organizations

Many non-profit organizations are currently struggling to make ends meet, especially with the current economic instability and fundraising events canceled due to social distancing measures. Many charity organizations are adjusting to the unprecedented demands in the different areas they serve. If you have more than enough, donate some to charity organizations of your choice. Besides financial donations, you can also grant other things such as blood, clothes, and foodstuff. If you were recently infected with the coronavirus and made a recovery, donate blood to research centers to help scientists find a vaccine.

Support local business and restaurants

By now, many businesses have closed down due to stay-at-home and lock-down orders. There are so many businesses and restaurants in your area owned by people from your community and are struggling with revenues and sales. Consider buying take-out from your favorite local restaurant at least once per week.

Share a message of hope

Take an afternoon off and leave little notes around your neighborhood with messages of inspiration and hope. Write encouraging words on the sidewalk and put up inspirational flyers. You can also use social media to send thank your notes to front-line workers.

The donation process has come a long way from the traditional cold-calling and pen-and-paper methods of yesteryear. Sites like PayPal, GoFundMe, Indiegogo, and similar crowdfunding platforms have simplified charity organizations to just a few clicks and keystrokes. Consequently, charities are seeing greater increases in donations than ever before. 2018 alone reported a whopping $31 billion in online donations.

However, despite the convenience of online donations, the risk of accidentally donating to a fraudulent charity has largely stayed the same. But instead of printing fake fliers or spoofing phone numbers, fraudulent charities are developing fake donation pages. This risk requires that donors continue to research charities before they donate their money to them just as they did in the past. You can research a charity organization in several ways:

Check how often the charity appears in your favorite search engine’s results.

Charities that have little to no mention on websites other than their own should raise some red flags. While this can sometimes happen to a legitimate charity with a newer website, it can also suggest that the charity is not as active as it claims to be. That lack of activity can be an important indicator of fraud.

Besides Google, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, and other social media networks are another great way to check out what people other than the charity itself are saying about the charity you’re interested in.

Use third-party evaluation and rating sites.

Third-party evaluation sites provide donors with impartial information about charity organizations. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends BBC Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, and GuideStar to start.

Use the IRS’ Tax Exempt Organization Search.

Charity organizations that are on this list are more likely to be legitimate than charities that are not. Additionally, contributions to charities on this list can be deducted from your taxes when you itemize your donations.

Beware of solicitations online, over the phone, and through direct mail.

Charity organizations that solicit you by these means of communication often try to rush or pressure you to donate. This kind of behavior is the hallmark of scammers. Legitimate charities give a potential donor ample time to research their organization to decide whether their mission is right for that donor.

Jimmy Lustig is an active philanthropist. He and his wife created the Lustig Family Foundation.

Month: September 2020

The Importance of Giving Back During a Pandemic