Tis the Season of Giving: Is it Better to Volunteer or Donate?

As we begin to embark on holiday celebrations and look toward the new year, there’s no better way to end the year than by giving back. Take this holiday season to make a difference in the lives of people experiencing hardships.

Volunteering or donating has a positive effect on your psyche. There’s definitely a feel-good moment connected to giving—whether it’s monetary donations or volunteer hours. The fact is, giving to others physically gives us pleasure and makes us happier.

Being pre-approved for an auto loan may also help you negotiate a great price. Because your lender has pre-approved you for a certain loan amount, you may be able to use that as a bargaining tool to purchase a more expensive vehicle for a lower price.

Studies consistently show there is a physiological reason we feel good with acts of charity. It’s known as our pleasure and reward response, which is triggered by brain chemistry that recognizes rewarding stimuli. Researchers refer to this as the “helper’s high” and “giver’s glow.” One study even found that when you make a charitable donation, your brain acts in a similar way to when you eat chocolate. (来源:greatergood.加州大学伯克利分校.edu)

Should I Volunteer or Donate?
Are you more likely to give away your time or your money? Are you an advocate like Bono of U2, or a philanthropist like Bill Gates? An influencer like Oprah, or an aid worker like Mother Theresa? This is the time of year when a bit of introspection can help guide you in how you can approach the giving season.

If you aren’t pre-approved for an auto loan, you may spend a lot of time shopping for vehicles that are outside of your budget. Buying a more expensive vehicle than you can afford could cause financial problems. If you miss any of your monthly payments, it could also harm your credit score or even result in the repossession of the vehicle.

A simple answer to these questions might be that when you have the money and not the time, 你捐赠, and when you have the time and not much money, 你选择做志愿者.

Questions to Ask Before Volunteering

Volunteering offers a unique set of opportunities to those who welcome it. Some questions you might ask before volunteering include:

How much time do I have?
Do I want to work alone or with a group?
Do I want an ongoing assignment or a one-time/short assignment?
Where can I make a difference?
What do I want to learn most from the experience?
我关心什么?
Does this opportunity fit within my vision and ethics?
Can I speak with previous volunteers? (Big red flag if you can’t!)

捐赠

不止1个.5 million nonprofits operating in the U.S., according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. With such a crowded marketplace, how do you choose which one(s) to give to? Knowing what you are passionate about is a good place to start. When you’ve narrowed down your list, learn more about each candidate by asking these questions:

你是做什么的??
What are the annual goals and needs?
How much employee/board member turnover have you experienced in the last two years?
What’s your most successful program and why?
How do you measure the progress of your programs?
How do you communicate with donors?

在线捐赠

People are more open-hearted now than at any other time of the year – 30% of all donations occur in the month of December. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. (In 2022, it was held on November 29.去年是2美元.7 欧元 dollars was raised on Giving Tuesday. The online average gift amounts exceeded $128.

Ways to Give That Won’t Break Your Budget

If your budget won’t allow monetary donations, consider giving your time. Many charitable organizations survive through the efforts of volunteers. Some need more volunteers than normal during the holidays to help cook or serve the holiday meal, or to gather goods collected from holiday food drives.

You can always try one of the more traditional methods of giving as well:

贡献你的技能
献血
捐出你的东西
组织一次旅行
筹集资金
成为器官捐献者