Tag: Lustig Family Foundation

Fundraising Event Ideas

On May 17, 2023

Fundraising events are a great way to raise money for a good cause. Whether you are organizing a fundraiser for a charity, school, or community organization, there are many different types of fundraising events you can consider.

Auctions

Auctions are a popular fundraising event idea that can generate significant money for your cause. Depending on your preferences and resources, you can hold a silent or live auction. The key to a successful auction is to have a wide variety of items available for bidding, including unique experiences, gift certificates, and one-of-a-kind items.

Charity Walks/Runs

Charity walks or runs are a fun and healthy way to raise money for a cause. Participants can collect pledges from family and friends, and the money raised supports the cause. Depending on your target audience and resources, you can organize a 5K or 10K run or a walkathon.

Galas and Dinners

Galas and dinners are formal events that can be used to raise significant money for your cause. These events often include a silent auction or raffle and entertainment, such as live music or a keynote speaker. You can charge a ticket fee for attendance and offer local businesses sponsorship opportunities.

Bake Sales

Bake sales are a classic fundraising event idea that schools, churches, and community organizations can organize. You can sell homemade baked goods, such as cookies, muffins, and cakes; the proceeds support your cause. You can also add a fun twist by organizing a baking competition or a themed bake sale.

Online Fundraising

Online fundraising is a convenient and effective way to raise money for your cause. You can use crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter or GoFundMe to collect donations from people worldwide. You can also set up a donation page on your website or social media and encourage people to donate online.

Sports Tournaments

Sports tournaments are a great way to bring people together and raise money for a good cause. You can organize a basketball, soccer, or volleyball tournament and charge an entry fee for teams. You can also sell snacks and drinks at the event and offer prizes for the winning teams.

Talent Shows

Talent shows are a fun and creative way to raise money for your cause. You can organize a singing, dancing, or comedy competition and charge a ticket fee for attendance. You can also offer prizes for the winners and sell refreshments at the event.

Car Washes

Car washes are a simple and effective way to raise money for your cause. You can organize a car wash in a local parking lot or on a busy street and charge a fee for each car wash. To boost your earnings, you can also sell refreshments and snacks, such as lemonade and cookies.

Art Auctions

Art auctions are a unique fundraising event idea that can generate significant money for your cause. You can collect artwork from local artists or students and hold a silent or live auction to sell the pieces. You can also have a reception or cocktail party before the auction to showcase the artwork and attract potential buyers.

Charity Concerts

Charity concerts are a popular fundraising event idea that can unite music lovers and supporters of your cause. You can organize a benefit concert featuring local bands or musicians and charge a ticket fee for attendance. To raise additional funds, you can also sell merchandise, such as t-shirts and posters.

You can consider many fundraising events depending on your target audience, resources, and cause. Whether you organize a charity walk, gala, bake sale, or online fundraiser, the key to a successful event is to have a clear goal, a well-defined plan, and a passionate team of volunteers. By choosing the right fundraising event idea and putting in the effort to make it successful, you can raise money and awareness for your cause and positively impact your community.

What Encourages People to Give to Charity?

By Jimmy Lustig

On March 20, 2023

In Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy

Charitable giving is a vital part of society, enabling individuals to support causes they believe in and positively impact the world. Charitable organizations rely on donations from individuals to fund their programs and services. However, only some give to charity and those who do often do so for different reasons. So, what encourages people to give to charity?

One of the most common motivations for giving to charity is a personal experience. People who a cause or organization has personally impacted are often more likely to donate to that cause. For example, if someone has a family member affected by a particular disease, they may choose to contribute to a charity that funds research to find a cure. Similarly, someone who has experienced homelessness may donate to a charity that provides housing and support services for the homeless.

Another motivator for charitable giving is social influence. Friends, family members, and social networks often encourage people to donate to charities. Seeing others participate in charitable giving can create a sense of social pressure to give. This is why many charities encourage people to share their donations on social media platforms.

Incentives can also encourage people to give to charity. Many organizations offer motivation for charitable donations, such as exclusive access to events or merchandise. For example, some charities offer T-shirts or other items to donors who contribute a certain amount. Additionally, some companies offer donation matching programs, matching employee donations up to a certain amount. These incentives can make charitable giving feel more rewarding and motivate people to donate.

A sense of altruism is another motivator for charitable giving. People with a strong sense of social responsibility and a desire to positively impact the world are often more likely to give to charity. This motivation is often associated with people with higher levels of empathy and a greater understanding of the needs of others.

Finally, tax benefits can also be a motivator for charitable giving. Individuals who donate to registered charities in many countries are eligible for tax deductions. This can make charitable giving more financially appealing and motivate people to contribute.

Overall, many factors encourage people to give to charity. Personal experience, social influence, incentives, altruism, and tax benefits can all motivate people to donate. Charitable organizations can use these motivators to encourage more donations, whether by sharing personal stories, offering incentives, or making it easy for people to donate. By understanding what motivates people to give, charities can increase their impact and continue to make a positive difference in the world.

Highlighting Some of the Most Influential Philanthropists

By Jimmy Lustig

On June 16, 2022

In James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy

One of the most important factors that people can consider when it comes to living is giving. Being able to give back to the communities that you live in is a powerful way to create a deeper sense of purpose and make a difference in the world. In the U.S., there is a culture of philanthropy that involves high-net-worth individuals giving to various causes.

Some of the most prominent philanthropists in the world make their impact by giving back a portion of their wealth. Even if you don’t have the necessary resources to support a large number of charitable organizations, you can still give back to the communities that you live in.

Andrew Carnegie

One of the wealthiest individuals in history, Andrew Carnegie died almost a hundred years ago. Despite his passing, he is still regarded as the biggest philanthropist in the world. Due to the growth of the steel industry in the U.S., he was able to create a fortune that was worth almost $200 billion in 2007.

Over the course of his life, he gave away over 90% of his fortune. He established several schools and universities, as well as thousands of libraries and free public libraries across the world. He also supported the construction of thousands of church organs. Carnegie Hall, which is regarded as one of the most famous structures in the world, was also built as a result of his philanthropy.

Paul Tudor Jones

One of the most prominent philanthropists in the United States is Paul Tudor Jones, a hedge fund manager. He is known for his work with the Robin Hood Foundation, which focuses on providing education to children in New York. Through his fund, he has made real and measurable investments.

Through his network of fund managers, Jones could raise additional funds and partners for his charitable organization. He has also been able to create a network effect that has increased the impact of his work.

Bill and Melinda Gates

Bill Gates is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the history of the information age. Through his company, Microsoft, he has been able to become one of the world’s wealthiest individuals multiple times. He has given away over $100 billion to various charitable organizations. Through his partnership with Warren Buffett, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has focused on multiple global health and education issues.

Ray Dalio

Through his charitable organization, the Ray Dalio Philanthropies, the founder and CEO of the investment firm, Ray Dalio, has supported various causes. His approach to philanthropy is different from other prominent individuals because he doesn’t look for credit and instead focuses on making his donations in secret.

Through his charitable organization, Ray has been able to support various causes. He has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to fight human trafficking.

Warren Buffet

One of the wealthiest individuals in the world, Warren Buffett, is also one of the most generous philanthropists. Through his charitable organization, the Warren Buffett Foundation, he has been able to support various causes.

Due to his success in investing and personal frugality, Warren Buffett partnered with Gates to create the Giving Pledge, which urged America’s wealthiest individuals to give most of their wealth to charitable organizations. Through his philanthropy, Warren Buffett has been able to support various causes.

5 Educational Charities to Support

By Jimmy Lustig

On February 17, 2021

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy, Uncategorized

Children are the future. They will grow up to be the innovators of society. It is important we properly invest in their education to become members of an informed population.

We’ve compiled a list of 5 educational charities that commit themselves to help better children worldwide.

Pebbles Project

The Pebbles Project assists disadvantaged children in the West Cape of South Africa. Their website boasts that their primary focus is education, health, nutrition, community, and protection.
Support for this charity helps pregnant mothers and goes well into taking care of the children until they enter the workforce, prepping them for success.

Lightyear Foundation

This charity places heavy emphasis on teaching and educating children on STEM wonders in the United Kingdom. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The Lightyear Foundation emphasizes children with disabilities. Many of their programs and activities cater to the disabled. The Lightyear Foundation encourages them to consider STEM as a career path.

Mobile Education Partnerships

Mobile Education Partnerships, or MEP, is a charity based out of Myanmar. Many of the displaced communities in South East Asia rely on their support. MEP produces textbooks, trains teachers, and runs many projects to bring education to children in refugee camps and other war-torn areas.

The Turing Trust

Focused in Africa, the Turing Trust is a charity that teaches information technology to students in the countries of Ghana and Malawi. Their educational efforts have successfully reached over 55,000 students. They have also provided over 5,700 computers across many African classrooms.
Their efforts also target teachers to enable them to incorporate technology in their lessons as a teaching aid.
Recently, this charity has also extended its efforts into the United Kingdom to support students living through the pandemic with laptops.

Life Skills Educational Charity

The Life Skills Educational Charity is out of the United Kingdom. Their objective is to help children become socially conscious and aware of knife crimes, drugs, and the practice of cyberbullying.
Studies conducted by Nottingham University show that children who go through the program are more likely to seek help. They also yielded greater results in communication and listening compared to other control groups.

Conclusion

Children are a wonderful investment, and these fantastic organizations are working hard to enrichen young lives across the globe.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Latest Philanthropic Investment

By Jimmy Lustig

On February 17, 2021

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy, Uncategorized

Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. has been covertly making headways into the world of environmental research the last few years. In 2019, Downey Jr. founded the Footprint Coalition, an organization geared toward supporting scientific research and sustainability technologies. Earlier this week, Downey Jr. revealed a new arm of the Footprint Coalition at the Davos Agenda of the World Economic Forum: Footprint Coalition Ventures. Downey Jr. explains that Footprint Coalition Ventures will be the investment branch of the organization and that its mission will be seeking out and supporting companies that research sustainability.

Downey Jr. went into further detail on the goals of Footprint Coalition Ventures in an interview with reporters from Fast Company. Downey Jr. explains that creating Footprint Coalition Ventures will put the Footprint Coalition in a better position to help answer vital sustainability questions. Continuing, Downey Jr. says that Footprint Coalition Ventures have two types of funds, one for preliminary investments and the other for subsequent investment opportunities. Furthermore, the company follows a rolling fund investment schedule. In this manner, investors will be able transfer funds to companies on a quarterly basis, making Footprint Coalition Ventures more accessible to different kinds of investors. Downey Jr. adds that such a schedule opens the company to as wide a pool of investors as possible.

Footprint Coalition Ventures focuses on funding companies that research in six areas, including food and agriculture, energy, education, and advanced environmental solutions. Thus far, five companies, including Arcadia Earth and Cloud Paper, have received funds from Footprint Coalition Ventures.

Looking to the future, Downey Jr. says that he plans on using his status as a celebrity to raise awareness on the Footprint Coalition and sustainability ventures in general. While many other celebrities who are involved in similar organizations tend to keep a low public profile, Downey Jr. feels that it is his responsibility to use his platform to influence others. Jonathan Schulhof, who runs the day-to-day business of Footprint Coalition Ventures, points out that the company has used a YouTube video of Downey Jr. detailing the differences between plastic and polyhydroxyalkanoate, a new type of sustainable polymer invented by RWDC Industries, to help woo investors. Schulhof continues that such content can inspire audiences by making something extraordinary seem commonplace.

Five Great Books About Philanthropy in 2020

By Jimmy Lustig

On December 15, 2020

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy, Uncategorized

With so many options out there, how – and why – should people consider giving? The five books below provide many answers to these and other questions, making for fascinating reading, both inspirational and impactful.

One of the best guides to the giving process is the traditional Inspired Philanthropy: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Giving Plan and Leaving a Legacy, by Tracy Gary. Efficient covers everything from the basics of plan making, working with advisors, the right questions to ask non-profits, and much more. The inclusion of worksheets, resource lists, and descriptions of planning tools is beneficial.

The Promise of a Pencil, by Adam Braun, tells the story of how one man’s actions impacted thousands of lives globally. After encountering a begging child and starting with only $25, Braun built an organization that has helped build over 250 schools worldwide. Inspirational and uplifting, if ever there was an argument for the power of giving, this is it.

In The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of Our Inner Resources, Lynne Twist offers positive proof that changing our attitudes towards earning and spending money can make our lives more meaningful and fulfilling. Challenging everyday assumptions about society’s views of money, the author illustrates her journey from conspicuous consumer to non-profit activist in an honest, no-punches-pulled way.

Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody bring a fresh perspective in Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving. Moving between first-hand accounts and analysis of a new class of doner’s work, the book shows the impact of young rising stars of philanthropy in disrupting traditional giving models and creating entirely fresh approaches to the field.

Another disruptive approach to giving is Impact Investing: Transforming How We Make Money While Making a Difference by Antony Bugg-Levine and Jed Emerson. The new field of impact investing is thoroughly explained, showing how it’s possible to “blend” investment success with positive change.

This year, perhaps more than in most, it’s essential to consider how a charitable contribution can positively impact peoples’ lives. The wisdom and practical advice that abound in the five volumes discussed will hopefully inspire and energize in equal measure.

The Importance of Giving Back During a Pandemic

By Jimmy Lustig

On September 11, 2020

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy

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.

Philanthropy Trends of 2019

By Jimmy Lustig

On July 19, 2019

In Blog, Jimmy Lustig

With the better part of this year behind us and the mild weather months on the horizon, this time can be used to reflect on the trends that we have seen in philanthropic involvement this year so far. Identifying and analyzing current trends in philanthropy and how they have changed in comparison to previous years is the best way to make future predictions. We can use these trends to predict how societal involvement and philanthropic engagement should pan out in 2020 and even beyond.

Donations are increasing

Since the Great Recession, total charitable donations have been on the rise. Since 2014, the U.S. is continually surpassing their total donation amount year after year, with no evidence of this trend slowing down anytime soon. However, while most would attribute this to a rise in the number of households becoming involved in philanthropic engagement, it is actually more likely due to a larger monetary amount donated from the same number of households, on average. The donor pool is decreasing, while the donation amount continues to rise.

More millennial involvement

The millennial generation is the most recent age group to begin to enter the workforce. With this emergence comes a new generation of socially aware individuals with a salary and income to support their philanthropic desires. Millennials are a generation surrounded by social media influence where activities, like volunteering and donating to charities, are broadcasted. Seeing others involved in acts of kindness and volunteering is contagious to others, with help from real-time streaming and technology available on smartphones.

A rise in impact investing

Impact investing is the act of investing in companies that are intending to not only gain fiscal profits but also provide social impacts to benefit organizations that align with the company’s mission statement. This is not a new concept by any means, but it is an activity that has seen a rise in interest by many industries in recent years. Impact investments provide a way for donors to be able to advise and oversee their funds, which appeals to the businesses who are more considerate of making a profit while also doing good for society.

Technology making us more knowledgable

Philanthropists and donors are interested in knowing more about their charitable impact. Donors are becoming more focused on results and have been known to increase their charitable contributions when they are provided information on how their donation has directly impacted the organization and cause. Technological advancements make it easier to provide donors with this information. It is now easier than ever to spread awareness of organizations and even more simple to make a donation with the click of a button on a social media profile.

It is likely that these growing trends from 2019 will follow us into 2020. With technology and social impact progressing as it has been, there is no limit as to what philanthropic trends we might see in the near future.

Don’t Just Donate Your Money — Donate Your Time Too

By Jimmy Lustig

On June 29, 2018

In Blog, Philanthropy

When it comes to helping others, there are many ways you can get involved. The most obvious one is to donate money. But, donating your time is just as valuable if you don’t have the money to spare or want to see your impact first-hand. Nonprofit organizations rely on the generosity of others to keep running, as many only have a small number of full-time staff.

While giving monetary donations is helpful to organizations, when you donate your time you get to see your direct impact. Sending off a check every month doesn’t have the same feeling as giving up a few hours of your day to be spent helping others. When you donate your time to organizations, it’s an instant mood-booster. The knowledge that you’re helping others and making their lives better, in turn, makes you feel great.

Volunteering your time not only makes you feel happier, it also helps to give you a sense of purpose. Supporting organizations that are working towards goals that you feel passionate about help you to feel directly connected to the impact they’re making. If you feel you have a moral duty to help others, giving your time is one of the best ways to fulfill that duty. In some organizations, like a soup kitchen or an after-school program, you’ll get to work directly with the people you are helping and see first-hand the impact you are having on the lives of others.

Giving your time may also inspire others in your life to do the same. When your friends and family see how fulfilled you are after spending a day volunteering, they may feel a stir to do the same. Speak to the people in your life about how important it is to give back, and they may feel compelled to do so as well. Another way to get others involved with the organizations you care about is to make it a family affair. Set aside one day a month where your whole family spends time volunteering at a local organization.

If you don’t have the extra time to give to an organization, but want to feel more involved than just sending money, consider making item donations. Many organizations have lists of supplies they accept for donations, like cat and dog toys and food for an animal shelter. While you’re still helping the organization in the same way as a monetary donation would, it feels a little more personal and like you’re having a direct impact.