A Broke College Student’s Guide to Philanthropy

In this course, Philanthropy and Civil Society, we are asked to think about how we can spend $10,000 in order to make a difference in the Binghamton community.  In order to use this money effectively, we are asked to think like philanthropists who have to make informed decisions on how they want to spend their money.  We’re supposed to learn about the decision making process and investigate non-profit organizations so we can spend these philanthropic dollars in the best way, and supposedly, carry on these skills in the future.  But how can we continue to be philanthropists if most of us are probably going to be stuck in student debt after college and can barely afford to eat in Marketplace?

The first image that comes into my mind when thinking of a philanthropist is a millionaire who throws money at a charity and adds this self-proclaimed title to their growing list of accomplishments.  Philanthropy does not feel like a selfless act of generosity, but an act of generosity that adds a character token that screams to be noticed–”I’m a good person!”  In practice, philanthropy seems to be known as big, publicized donations and everything else is simply reduced to unnoticed efforts. 

In the first week of classes, we learned that philanthropy is not limited to those who have money but that anyone can be a philanthropist.  Philanthropy is defined as an altruistic effort to better human welfare, to show compassion towards the community.  The videos we watched in class extend these acts of generosity to not only include the donation of money but also the donation of time or voice.  So, as long as one supports a cause they care about, anyone and everyone can be a philanthropist.  And maybe, even a broke college student like me can make a difference.  Although it may not seem as if we can make a huge difference compared to someone who can donate millions, it is the goodwill and intentions behind our actions that makes our contributions just as valuable.  In a society that struggles with the increasing gaps of privilege, it is our responsibility to support and uplift those of marginalized groups in any way we can.  

In Destin Bundu’s TED Talk, “Philanthropy from a Poor Person’s Perspective”, he talks about philanthropy in his household.  Although his mom and he didn’t have money to give away, they still wanted to better the lives of others.  Bundu talks about his first philanthropic act as a child, which started after he saw a commercial that claimed that five cents a day could help a starving child in Africa or South Asia.  His disbelief that five cents was enough to actually help someone in need inspired him to contribute in other ways, which resulted in him packaging and sending clothes for children in Sierra Leone every year.  Bundu emphasizes this message: Philanthropy doesn’t always have to be in a monetary form, especially when that avenue of action is not available to everyone.  Wealth is also not the only defining characteristic of privilege.  Privilege also comes in the form of having a good public school system, a bed to sleep in, and just living in America.  If we think about and recognize privilege in this way, then we are all in a position to help improve the lives of those who do not have these advantages.  In class, we have already learned about how our values can shape our decisions on what kind of causes we would want to support.  Even when our $10,000 runs out at the end of the semester, we can still be philanthropists in our own way.  There are limitless ways we can spend our time, such as volunteer work or political advocacy, or we can donate what we do have like Bundu has.

On the monetary side of philanthropy, however, it is still possible to make a difference with small efforts.  Although it may not seem like small donations can help people, it is the collective action of selfless individuals that make a difference.  In her TED Talk, “You Don’t Need to be Rich to be a Philanthropist”, Melissa Kwee puts this idea very simply: “The sum of many small parts has an enormous impact.”  Whether it is the donation of $1 or $10,000, we can be a part of hundreds of others who are also contributing.  

If you’ve ever made a purchase at Buffalo Exchange, a chain thrift store in the United States, you might have participated in their Tokens for Bags program.  Instead of getting a plastic bag after you purchase clothes, the cashier will offer a token that you can place in one of the three boxes by the door.  These three boxes represent three different local charities, supporting different causes, and you can place the token for whichever cause you resonate with.  For every token, five cents will be donated to that charity.  The first time I experienced this, I was pleasantly surprised by the brief decision-making I was given to make a small contribution to a cause I cared about.  Even though it was just five cents, I was able to incorporate philanthropy into my daily life through a simple activity like shopping.

Perhaps these acts of generosity may not seem equal, especially because money is easily measured and easily compared.  But if we frame acts within the definition of philanthropy provided by the readings, we can understand that compassion comes in multiple forms.  Compassion can take place in the form of using your time and skills, and it can only be strengthened by the selflessness of many more.  Philanthropy is about resonating with a cause and exercising one’s values in a way that can help others.  In this course, I hope that we learn more about our values and how we can exercise them.  There is always an impact and significance behind our actions, so even if our bank accounts are empty, we can still make meaningful changes.

Maggie Wang