5 Steps to a More Generous Family
Rank your families generosity - In its latest report on charitable giving and volunteering, Statistics Canada reports that a small percentage of Canadians, approximately 25 per cent, account for more than 80 per cent of the country's charitable giving. Talk as a family about how you rank in your generosity. Are you where you want to be? If not, discuss how you can be more giving.
Start small - If you're looking for a place to start your charitable giving, you don't have to break the bank. Some families choose a percentage of income and give that amount away every year to trusted charities, trying to increase that amount by a little bit each year.
Donate to charity - Lots of organizations, churches and schools offer ways to practice being a generous family without having to come up with a never-before-done idea. Many of the them purchase gifts through the World Vision gift catalogue (
WorldVision.ca/gifts) as a way of helping others who are less fortunate.
Look at your community - In Jan Johnson's book Growing Compassionate Kids, she encourages families to look for ways to be generous in "life's normal moments." One tip she offers is to keep a "basic bag" in your car to hand out to someone in need. It can include things like a toothbrush, soap, a comb or washcloth. You will be helping out someone who needs a hand, and modeling something beautiful for your children.
It’s not just about giving money - Sharing what you have means more than money. What skills do you bring to the generosity table? How can you help a neighbour or community group with your gifts of time and talent?
