Mega Gifts Can't Solve All Local Issues

I am in awe of some of the recent mega-contributions that have been contributed to address our societys fundamental issues. What caught my eye a few days ago was the $2.3 million donation to the University of California Immigrant Legal Services Center and seven other organizations by Tom Steyer in support of immigrant rights. This could set a far different tone in our country in years to come.

Other recent mega-gifts have included the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to spend $3 billion on preventing, curing and managing all disease by the end of the century, and the Gates efforts to help a coalition eradicate polio. In 2016 alone, there were twelve donations given by wealthy donors that surpassed $100 million, plus another six totaling exactly $100 million according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy . And hurricane disaster relief in 2017 is running into the hundreds of millions, as five ex-presidents unite to raise more.

Good news, right? Yes and maybe no.

Here is my concern. While there are grand efforts to address societal problems, eradicate disease, lift the standard of education, provide international relief and restore our planet and its resources to something more palatable people, animals and local communities still need help.

Major initiatives designed to solve problems which have been decades or even centuries in the making are not going to be resolved in a matter of months or years. In fact, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has another 80+ years to go. Meanwhile in our own backyards there are children who go to school hungry, neighbors who will not have enough fuel to heat their homes, mothers without money to buy diapers, women who are escaping an abusive husband, pets who are abandoned on the side of the road and local land trusts trying to prevent over-development in a community which already has too many homes for its city infrastructure to support.

A friend of mine is the Chair of a small organization in our relatively affluent small town (less than 4,000 people). Their mission is very simple they provide food and fuel for families in need. Those who benefit from their services are seniors who have lived in the town for decades, single moms who are either recently divorced or lost a husband; families who are experiencing catastrophic illnesses or accident. There is no staff for this organization, no infrastructure, they are not looking to scale in the nonprofit vernacular. They are simply taking care of neighbors. Across our country there are organizations like this that depend on the generosity of their community. Fortunately, my friend was able to raise over $10,000 with her recent appeal enough to provide services for the next year.

Problems such as this will not go away. They are local problems, community issues and by mega-gift standards only require very modest support. But without modest support, there are serious implications of hunger, homelessness and worse on a very small scale. Mega-contributions hold great hope for making our world a better place but local communities must address local problems and issues that are here and now. And local residents must help.

In about a month from now, most nonprofits will begin their year-end fundraising appeals and encourage people to visit their websites on GivingTuesday. They will look to raise as much money as they can before the end of the year. What worries me is whether they will be able to garner attention for their causes in light of the far more glamourous causes that come our way. Their issues are not glamourous and dont attract mega-gifts. They are boots on the ground, some with Executive Directors and staffs who are grossly under paid, but fiercely dedicated. But they are making a difference in our local communities with very little fanfare.

They will never make national headlines, but they will make lives better. They deserve the support of their local communities and I hope they are not lost or forgotten in all the chatter of mega-causes and mega-gifts. Because the bottom line is we need both.