America and its culture of generosity

Image Source: nydailynews.com

In 1853, a professor and preacher named Ransom Dunn would horseback 6000 miles to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to raise funds for Hillsdale College. The rural families populating then the upper Midwest were not rich. Nevertheless, they willingly gave $10 to $100 apiece despite them struggling to make a living. This horseback ride was an attestation that charitable giving in America has never been the exclusive province of the wealthy.

Throughout the US history, Americans from all walks of life have generously given for charitable causes. In fact, most of the generous Americans today are the working poor, says Adam Meyerson, president of the Philanthropy Roundtable Organization. He said further that Americans have given 10 times as much to charity as they have spent on professional sports, and twice as much as they have spent on electronics equipment.

Image Source: clarkhoward.com

This culture of generosity, which makes America one of the most charitable nations, is founded on two reasons. First, US citizens respect the freedom and the ability of individuals and organizations to make a difference. They do not wait on the government to create solutions. American people find solutions themselves. Such is the case for philanthropists Alex von Furstenberg and Donald Trump; both are working toward solving social illnesses. By supporting charitable and philanthropic causes such as the Operation Smile, they are gradually making change.

Image Source: xfinity.comcast.net

The second reason for the extraordinary American charity is that philanthropy is such an important part of the nation’s business culture. Wealth creation and philanthropy have always gone together in US. From Andrew Carnegie who brought public libraries across US to Warren Buffet, entrepreneurs have sought to be great philanthropists. It is not because they have money. It’s because they have the passion to help.

Know more about American philanthropy by following this Twitter page.

Building better cities

Image Source: Google.Images.com

It is commonly perceived that there is a wide gap between the rich and poor and that they do not share the same aspirations. But this notion is a far cry from what philanthropists do for the less fortunate. For the few who are blessed, their wealth provides the best avenue to create difference in society and help others who were born unlucky. Blessed as they are, the likes of the Rockefellers and the von Furstenbergs are reaching out their hands to those who need help.

Image Source: Google.Images.com

For the fortunate few, most funnel their wealth and money on improving education, health, communities, and the arts. The Rockefellers, the oil magnates, have been in the field of philanthropy since the 18th century. While oil magnate John Davison Rockefeller, who revolutionized modern philanthropy, has already passed away, his family’s efforts are continually felt through the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

Image Source: Google.Images.com

The von Furstenbergs are also noted for their philanthropy. Alex von Furstenberg, the director and secretary of The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, is one of the fortunate few who share their blessings with others. While he is of royal blood, he has made a name for himself in the field of finance and continues to support various organizations, including Friends of the Highline, City-meals on Wheels, and The Fortune Society.  

Know more about philanthropy here.

Forty-six million meals, sixteen thousand recipients, one mission

Image Source: CityMeals.org

Enfeebled by old age, crippled by recurrent mini-strokes, and disheartened by seclusion, 79-year-old New Yorker “Cono”* can barely move and leave his apartment. But even so, he asserts his preference for remaining at home, “For the rest of my life, I never want to see another ambulance or hospital,” he says. “I want to stay here, sitting on the porch; that’s my hangout 24 hours a day.”

Because of his infirmities, Cono has also been incapacitated from supporting himself nutritionally. Fortunately, Citymeals-on-Wheels has never missed out on providing him his daily fill, thus enabling him to stay within the comfort of his home for his remaining days.

Image Source: CityMeals.org

Now in its 31st year of operation, Citymeals-on-Wheels is a nonprofit organization that finances the preparation and delivery of meals to homebound and geriatric New Yorkers. It provides approximately 2.5 million free meals every year to Cono and 16,000 others.

Citymeals-on-Wheels thrives on the donations of philanthropists such as Martha Stewart, Alex von Furstenberg, and Lynda Resnick. Through their generous support, extraordinary people like Cono receive help every single day. More than the food being provided is the sense of hope that comes along with it—a priceless windfall to a noble mission.

Image Source: CityMeals.org

And with that, Cono, even in the eventide of his fleeting existence, will never go hungry or lonely ever again.

Alex von Furstenberg is a philanthropist who is currently affiliated with over 60 charitable institutions. More information on his supported organization may be accessed at his official website.

* true identity is concealed to protect subject’s privacy

Charity begins at home: Ways of cultivating sympathy

Charity is one of the noblest of virtues and is not easy to practice for anybody who has no innate compassion for giving. It is hard to be indulgent with others unless one is able to cultivate this virtue at home. This latest Alex von Furstenberg blog update introduces three ways of cultivating generosity and compassion at home.

• Teaching children to give - A giving attitude is a lesson that should be taught at a young age. Encouraging children to gather their allowance money for Salvation Army buckets, baking cookies for hospitals and nursing homes, and donating old toys, among others, can help them grow to become great philanthropists someday.

Image credit: greatschools.org

• Turning birthdays into a day of giving - Shari Nakakura, a mother of two, makes it a point that on occasions like birthdays, her family picks out a charity for their guests to give donations to.

Image credit: holistic-central.com

• Examining the difficulty for the working poor - Injecting the virtue of charitable giving at home is possible by looking into the lives of the disadvantaged. Parents can also enumerate the things that the family must spend money on every week so they can prioritize their needs over their wants. With their extra money, they can plan how they can give to others.

Image credit: 3quarksdaily.blogs.com

The home is the center of society where goodness develops. From the home, that goodness can radiate to neighbors, communities, and the world.

Find out more about Alex von Furstenberg and his philanthropy by following this Twitter account.