Jimmy Lustig | Lustig Family Foundation

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

Month: July 2021

Alternatives To Donating Money To Charity Jimmy Lustig

Alternatives to Donating Money to Charity

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On July 29, 2021

In James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy

While donating money to a charity is a great way to give back, it’s not the only thing available to those who want to help their communities. In fact, there are plenty of alternatives to monetary donations: you can volunteer your time, donate items you no longer use or need, and so much more. Here are some ways to do so.

 

Time

 

If you don’t have the money to spare, you can easily donate your time to help a cause that’s important to you instead. Working for a nonprofit organization, for example, is a great way to lend your time and expertise to something you’re passionate about. Not only that, you could potentially make money or qualify for student loan forgiveness through your volunteering.

 

If you do decide to donate your time, however, make sure not to exhaust yourself and take some time for yourself. Pick one or two causes to volunteer for in your area after doing thorough research and stick to them. 

 

Outside of nonprofits, you could also join the Peace Corps or Teach for America to make a difference. These year-long commitments can take you around the world and let you offer your teaching, building, or medical skills to those in need. Just be aware of the issues with “voluntourism” before signing up.

 

Community

 

You don’t have to join an organization to help others. More often than not, you can actually do more good by helping those in your local community rather than traveling across the world. Help your elderly neighbors with their yard work, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and build houses, or even volunteer at your local animal shelter to take care of animals and find them a good home.

 

If there’s a political cause you want to join up with, search for protests happening near you and get involved with it to make your voice heard. If the protest is far away, gather a group of friends or family who want to join you and split the travel costs. Facebook events can connect you to local protests if you’re not up for traveling far. 

 

There are plenty of other ways to give back to your community—all you have to do is some research to figure out how. Connecting with groups on social media can make you aware of events happening around you and get you involved in ways you wouldn’t think possible. Money may be a great donation, but there’s far more that people can offer to make the world a better place.

What To Look For When Choosing A Nonprofit To Support Jimmy Lustig

What to Look For When Choosing a Nonprofit to Support

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On July 29, 2021

In James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy

What should you look for when you want to donate to a nonprofit organization? There are thousands of these organizations in the world, all of them with various causes they’re supporting and in need of monetary donations. How are you supposed to choose the right nonprofit for you? Doing some research on the different organizations will help you determine what organization will work best for you so long as you know what to look for. 

 

The first thing you should ask yourself is what you believe in. What are you looking for in an organization? What mission do you want your money going toward? What you donate to should matter to you, so come up with a list of questions to ask yourself while browsing through potential nonprofits: is this an important cause to you? What sort of issues are you looking to help improve? Do you want your money to be donated locally, nationally, or internationally? 

 

Once you have these questions answered and a few organizations picked out, check the mission statement of each one. Nonprofits may have similar broad goals, but how are they addressing their causes? One organization might focus on finding homes for rescue animals, while another might focus on training dogs to visit hospitals or the elderly in nursing homes. Some organizations may focus on raising awareness for an issue only, while others are more solution-based. Determine which nonprofits align with your goals and values by finding all of this out on the organization’s website. 

 

Also, consider their tactics and the company they keep. Reputable nonprofit organizations never pressure people to buy or use a specific product or service and are always open about their finances and programs. They’ll never ask for your personal information, such as bank statements, so if an organization does, stay away. Additionally, figure out if the nonprofit is actually beneficial to the ones they’re supposed to be helping or if it’s just benefiting its founders. You can figure this out by looking at their sponsor lists—are the sponsors companies you’ve heard of? Are they on the board of the nonprofit? Do they have the same or similar addresses? This could be a sign that something is amiss. 

 

Look for where your money will be going. You work hard for your money, so you should feel confident that the money you donate is going to the cause you want to help. Programs, grants, research, and more should be clearly defined on the nonprofit’s website, as should a list of financial audits, the board of directors, the privacy policy, and documented success. If the nonprofit is larger, check sites like Charity Navigator to see how people rate the organization.

 

Finally, trust your instinct. If you’re looking at an organization and have a bad feeling about it, find another nonprofit to give your money to. You should be comfortable with your donation, not uncomfortable, and confident that your donation will be used correctly.

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