Giving Money - and where it comes from

Has anyone in your family had a serious illness? Doctors know how to cure or treat some diseases. But there are still many diseases that doctors know little about. Finding a cure or a treatment for any illness takes research. That’s why people give money to help researchers do their work.

Medical research is only one area that helps those in need. People give money to help bring education, food, clothing, or care to people who live in poverty or who are victims of war or natural disasters, like hurricanes.

Often large companies decide to give big sums of money to worthy causes. Here are two quick examples:

• Microsoft’s Bill & Melinda Gates give huge amounts of money to help relieve hunger and poverty, support learning, and treat disease all over the world.
• McDonald’s builds Ronald McDonald Houses near hospitals so that families with seriously ill children have a nice place to stay while their child is being treated in a hospital. 

Saving to give

Helping others in need is a responsibility that most people understand. But Giving takes planning. Sure, you can buy yourself yet another cool pair of jeans, but maybe you could put that money to better use. You could give those dollars to organizations that help shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, or buy books for schools in very poor areas of the world. Did you ever think of that?

Or you can save a little at a time to give to others.  Adults know that the best way to make sure they save for Giving is to set aside a part of their paycheck when they get it. You should do the same, setting aside part of your allowance or earnings each time you get “paid.”

Think about this. If you get a $4 allowance, and you set aside 40¢ each week, you will have a generous gift at the end of a year. Just do the math! What’s 52 times 40¢? Even small change adds up!

Talk to your parents about giving. You might want to give money all by yourself to a cause that interests you. Or maybe you’d like to add your money to your mom or dad’s contribution and make a family donation.