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December 2021

Friends in Philanthropy: December 2021 Issue

“My daughter told me she would rather be the kind of person who got scammed out of $70 than the kind of person who didn’t help a mama and her baby sleep in a warm place.”
– An anonymous parent describing a young woman’s
spontaneous act of kindness

If you’re looking for insights on the strategic side of philanthropy, you’ll find plenty in this month’s issue: financial trends to anticipate in 2022, lessons from the Haiti missionary kidnapping, and ideas for knitting your workplace back together by planning volunteer events.

But even the most analytical donor sometimes feels the impulse to cut out all the contemplation and just help someone in need on a whim. So for our final issue of the year, we’re also pointing you to 5 stories of philanthropists who were suddenly moved to perform acts of kindness for strangers without all the fuss.

We hope their experiences serve as a reminder that underneath all the chatter about tax law and expense ratios lies the true beating heart of philanthropy: the very human, very divine urge to lend a hand when you see someone hurting.

Get Inspired by These 5 Stories of Spontaneous Generosity (National Christian Foundation) – Yes, it’s wise to plan your giving. But sometimes you just want to do something kind on a whim—like stage an impromptu grocery trip to feed 600 people!

9 Trends That Will Shape Philanthropy in 2022 (Giving USA) – Nimbler planning, smarter measuring, and DAF growth galore. Here’s what donors and nonprofits will be talking about next year.

Habitat For Humanity’s First 3D-Printed House Gave This Family a Very Merry Christmas (CNN) – April Stringfield and her son got to move into their first home just in time for the holidays. Good thing it only took 12 hours to build.

What Should We Learn From the Haiti Missionary Crisis? (The Better Samaritan) – Thanks to a miraculous escape from their captors, all 17 kidnapped missionaries are now home safe. But what does this tragic situation mean for the future?

Reconnect Your Staff And Restore Culture Through Philanthropy (Forbes) – The rise of remote work makes team-building activities more important than ever. Here’s how your company can benefit by organizing to do good.

Photos courtesy of Unsplash.

Kinship United often posts content and opinions that are of interest to the philanthropic community that supports Kinship United’s mission. Nothing published by Kinship United constitutes an investment recommendation, nor should any data or content published by Kinship United be solely relied upon for any investment, tax, legal or financial decisions. Kinship United strongly recommends that you perform your own independent research and/or speak with a qualifying investment professional before making any financial decisions.

November 2021

Friends in Philanthropy: November 2021 Issue

“Are you sure Abraham? You sure you don’t want a Playstation?”
– Miriam Olagbegi, mother of a 13-year-old boy who used his
Make-a-Wish request to feed the homeless

Abraham Olagbegi deserved to spoil himself. The 13-year-old boy from Mississippi had spent the past year battling a rare blood disorder so serious it required a bone marrow transplant.

But when Make-a-Wish came calling, Abraham surprised everyone with his request: he wanted to fight hunger in his community by organizing a monthly free meal for the homeless.

But despite forgoing a tropical vacation or a chance to meet a celebrity, the Olagbegis don’t see their unusual wish as a sacrifice. They even plan to turn the idea into a permanent nonprofit, already dubbed “Abraham’s Table.” “It’s just so rewarding,” says his mother, Miriam.

As we head into the Christmas season, this month’s issue reaffirms a central tenet of philanthropy: that giving is its own reward.

Why a Teen Boy Used His “Make-A-Wish” to Feed the Homeless (CBS News) – Abraham Olagbegi could have asked for a Playstation. Instead he set up Abraham’s Table—and he’s just getting started.

What You Need to Know About Making Charitable Gifts in 2021 (Bloomberg Tax) – From donating appreciated assets to bundling your gifts, these tips will help you get the maximum tax benefit you deserve this year.

Who Wins When Cryptocurrency Donations Soar? (ABC News) – Bitcoin gifts are skyrocketing in 2021. But nonprofits are flummoxed by the extreme volatility of the crypto market, where a donation can lose half its value in a flash.

The Malaria Vaccine Is a Big Deal but Not a Silver Bullet (Wired) – After 30 years in the works, it’s finally here: a malaria vaccine. But there are still serious obstacles to driving down a yearly death toll of 400,000.

Firefighter putting out a fire in a burning car

VIDEO: Can Science Explain What Drove These Carnegie Heroes? (60 Minutes) – Running toward a burning car. Donating a kidney to a stranger. Could these heroes’ selfless acts be linked to a highly active empathy center in the brain?

Photos courtesy of Unsplash.

October 2021

Friends in Philanthropy: October 2021 Issue

“We’ve been very close to missionary doctors. . . . They’ve taught us how to become better Jews.”
– Businessman Mark Gerson on why he and his wife—both observant Jews—support Christian missionary hospitals in Africa

Some people might find it odd that a rabbi and her Jewish husband would give $18 million to support Christian-provided medical care. Not Erica and Mark Gerson.

To them it makes perfect sense. For one thing, the Talmudic emphasis on loving the stranger means they’re open to working with anyone to do the greatest possible good. For another, they see their donation as a simple acknowledgment of the facts on the ground.

“It’s not that we wouldn’t fund Jewish missionaries, but there are no Jewish missionaries,” Erica told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “We were looking to fund whoever can save lives in the most effective way.”

This month’s issue is a reminder of how powerful it can be when givers focus on the mission above all other concerns—and what rewarding relationships that attitude makes possible.

Meet the Jewish Couple Funding Christian Missionary Hospitals in Africa (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) – She’s a rabbi. He studies the Torah. Here’s why they gave $18 million to fund Christian-provided medical care.

How to Make the Most of Year-End Charitable Giving (Wealth Management) – The tax landscape has changed dramatically for donors over the last two years. Don’t let 2021 end without considering these tips.

How One Couple Ramped Up to 100% Giving (National Christian Foundation) – Roy and Joyce Mullen vowed to give away 1% more of their income each year. But a windfall and the CARES Act made them accelerate their plans.

What Will Happen to the Mutual Aid Groups The Pandemic Inspired? (AP News) – Highly informal aid networks helped people with food and rent when crisis struck. Now many are wondering: do we shut down, or ramp up?

From Inside a Ugandan Camp, One Refugee Gives Others A Voice (Christian Science Monitor) – Refugees’ stories are often told by outsiders. But now James Malish’s Facebook page gives them a direct line to the world.

Photos courtesy of Unsplash.

September 2021

Friends in Philanthropy: September 2021 Issue

“Just ask them how we as funders can be helpful to them,
and you’ll get some really interesting answers.”
– Foundation president Philip Li on a simple mindset shift
that defines “trust-based philanthropy”

Donors have a tough job. On the one hand, they want to ensure they’re maximizing the impact of their giving. On the other, they know attaching too many conditions to their support can actually backfire by forcing nonprofits to jump through hoops to get it.

But as you’ll see in this month’s issue, there’s no shortage of smart people working on this dilemma. Over at the Stanford Social Innovation Review, you’ll hear experts discuss how to balance “strategic giving” and “trust-based philanthropy,” two philosophies that seem almost opposite until you learn how to integrate them.

And elsewhere, you’ll find more tips for boosting your impact, from setting up a donation-matching campaign to tying philanthropy in with your business.

So if there’s one overarching theme this month, it’s that effective support doesn’t just happen—you have to will your way there with your wits and your wisdom.

Why You Should Sponsor a Donation-Matching Challenge (Charity Navigator) – An experienced donor explains how matching challenges have increased the effect of his family’s giving by up to 1200%.

Getting Into Family Philanthropy? You Might Have to “Set a New Table” (Wealth Management) – Before your multi-generational project can succeed, you may need to rethink some ingrained family dynamics. Here are 3 steps you can take.

How A YouTube Star Turned Viral Views Into Hurricane Aid—and Vice Versa (Dexerto) – In the wake of Ida, mega-popular YouTuber MrBeast distributed thousands of free meals to survivors in Louisiana. How does he fund his philanthropy? By filming it, of course.

Philanthropic Tie-Ins Don’t Have to Cost a Fortune (Forbes) – Give time off for volunteering. Train nonprofit staff. Here are 10 ways small businesses can support good causes without jeopardizing their financial health.

A man explaining information on a white board

AUDIO: Understanding Trust-Based Philanthropy and Strategic Giving (Stanford Social Innovation Review) – How should donors view their role? “Trust-based philanthropy” and “strategic giving” offer different answers, but these experts agree combining them gives you the best of both worlds. (20-minute podcast.)

Photos courtesy of Unsplash.

August 2021

Friends in Philanthropy: August 2021 Issue

“It’s like ‘what does he get out of it?’ Nothing, except that he wants to help people.”
– Donor Jackie Tian on Leon Feingold,
unpaid co-founder of House of Good Deeds

It wasn’t fair. Leon Feingold and Yuanyuan Wang had been engaged for less than a week when Yuanyuan found out she had terminal metastatic cancer.

But as devastating as that news was, something happened that made the situation more bearable: people helped. A lot of people.

Friends and family swiftly stepped in to get Yuanyuan medical care, to fly in her family from China, and even to plan a 300-person wedding in 7 days.

Many people would have succumbed to bitterness after such a cruel twist of fate. Not Leon. Five years on, he’s still focused on honoring his late wife’s legacy, and on repaying the kindness the couple was shown in her final months.

You can read more about Leon’s colossal effort to pay that kindness forward in this month’s issue. His story is a vivid reminder of what unites us as philanthropists: we all feel a duty to show gratitude for what we’ve been given—even if we can’t all volunteer 80 hours a week like Leon.

Leon Feingold Can’t Stop Paying It Forward (Christian Science Monitor) – A personal tragedy inspired one New Yorker to start the “pop-up charity” House of Good Deeds. Now he works 80-hour weeks for free to bring his neighbors what they need.

Should All Your Giving Be in Secret? (Gospel Patrons) – Gospel Patrons founder John Rinehart on why Christians should talk about their giving, despite the risk of indulging in self-seeking.

A Donor’s Guide to Afghanistan’s Complex Humanitarian Emergency (Center for Disaster Philanthropy) – Here’s how you can help the people caught in the middle of the country’s volatile political crisis.

5 Surprising Benefits of Donating Stock to Charities (Donate Stock) – Erase your capital gains tax liability with a smart giving strategy that’s gaining popularity.

A Special Team of Refugees Is Making History at the Tokyo Paralympics (SBS News) – Six athletes with disabilities are inspiring the world after overcoming conflict and oppression to participate in the games.

Photos courtesy of Unsplash.