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FEATURE
May 2012 The Galleon
the foundations for improvement The Galleon explores the wide world of charities and how they impact the community. We examine how to research charitable organizations, what volunteering options exist at Spanish River and how students create clubs to boost their college applications.
Students choose charities with caution Jamie Brecher Feature Focus Editor
It is difficult to decide between the variety of charities and volunteer options given in today’s world. Charities can range from protecting the environment, helping out the needy and funding research aimed at preventing diseases. While there are contributors who donate to a certain cause due to a personal connection, others may donate to the same one just because they think it is a worthwhile purpose. “Personal donations, by helping one person at a time, can impact society for the better as a whole,” Sharmin Siddiqui, the future president of Habitat for Humanity, said. There are many different charities in the world today devoted to raising money or other items for their cause. However, an underlying issue is how
legitimate these charities really are. These organizations may not always work to solve the problem they are advocating. There are a number of things that can go wrong when sending money to an organization that seems to be a valid and genuine cause. One way to know that the funds raised for a cause are being put to proper use is to give to groups that are widely known. Junior Joey Birchansky, president of Key Club, chose the Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization as the club’s current charity to donate to because he has volunteered at many of their events and knows its director personally. Donating to well know charities gives supporters confidence that their donations are being used properly. Siddiqui, familiar with Habitat for a number of years, is positive that her time and effort is being put to use. “I am confident in Habitat for Humanity because I know that my
hard work will impact others in a life changing way,” Siddiqui said. Another step to make sure that charitable efforts are not put to waste is to do research on the organization in question. By investigating charities, prospective donors are able to learn about who and where their money would go to. The recent KONY 2012 campaign has sparked a great controversy about the legitimacy of charities. Junior Jordan Epstein, a supporter of the movement, is having second thoughts about advocating this cause. “I was shocked to discover that only 30% of the donations given would be used to fund housing for African families,” Epstein said. “Looking back, I should have done more research on where the money was going.” Likewise, Birchansky investigates possible charities by meeting with their organizers and discussing where the donations will be going.
“I walk into places [charity offices] to make sure funding will be directly benefiting the people who the organization claims to be helping,” Birchansky said. After funding charities, it is important to check in on how they are operating. “After we [Key Club] donate money or items that we raised, one of us [officers] always visits that organization to make sure the money is being put to good use,” Birchansky said. By researching the goals and motives of charities, prospective supporters can be reassured that their donations are being used properly. Donating to well-known organizations is a plus in that the public has already established them as legitimate. The bottom line is to know where donations are going and what they are being used for. This way, possible patrons know that your support is only going to further advance our well being in the world.
Photo Courtesy of Samantha Shear Photo Courtesy of Samantha Shear
Habitat for Humanity members receive instructions for working on the house at hand.
Members take a break from their work to take a group picture.
Photo Courtesy of Renee Richar
Key Club members paint faces at the Levis JCC Buddy Bash, a carnival for children with special needs.
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