WHY WE GIVE continued from previous page
idea of philanthropy or social justice in America extends back to the 17th century with the enactment of the statute of charitable uses,” she says. “one arena that has continued to devote energy to
philanthropy has been the discipline of social work,” says Vecchiolla, who explains that the concept of charity has long been associated with social work due to its roots in dealing with poverty and the other struggles that plague society. Debby Dwyer ’69 who has worked in college admissions,
high school administration, and is a life-long proponent of giving and volunteerism sees the development of those virtues nurtured by family: “i grew up in a family that was very active in community service. We were active in a church and went into Boston to the projects with our youth group helping kids by bringing food, books, and clothing to families—it was our normal way of life and it became part of my adult life,” she says.
Giving: It’s Personal
WHATEVER THE scientific, cultural or historical foundations, there is also a very personal aspect to giving. No matter what the cause or charity, people have distinct reasons for giving. According to several people we interviewed there are as many reasons people give as there are people.
“i think giving is as personalized as anything you will ever
find,” says Julius Jones H’07, member of the yMCA Hall of Fame, honorary degree recipient, past commencement speaker, and donor to Springfield College. “Personally, my prime motivation in giving has always been helping young people college age and younger. i accomplish that by donating to Springfield College and other worthy causes like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. i also subscribe to the old cliché ‘you can’t take it with you.’” Phil Dwyer ’69 former CEo of the yMCA of Central
Connecticut Coast has his own personal reasons for giving in general and to Springfield College in particular. it has to do with his own background growing up in a single-parent family after his father died when Phil was young. The yMCA became his home away from home and his impetus for attending Springfield College to pursue a career working for the yMCA. “Springfield College for me was my coming out party, i was just an average kid in high school and it was only through the yMCA, and then Springfield College, that i learned leadership, and that i could be ‘better than i thought i could be.’ So i owe the generous and nurturing atmosphere of Springfield College a great deal for the life i had, for the opportunities for service and community,” he says. of course personal history and circumstances may also
be reasons people don’t give. For some, there is an innate sense of self-preservation and survival that can work against charitable giving. Marian Heard: “i know very wealthy people raised during the Depression or in poor conditions who can not bring themselves to give because of a residual fear that they could be poor again. There is something that will not let them let go and give. you can’t get around what your history is—it’s personal. Children learn what they live.”
The Art of Getting People to Give
So, THEoRETiCALLy people have a psychological, sociolog- ical and maybe even a physiological need to give. And, we also have seen that it can be very personal, but from a practical standpoint, how does one put all those things together to get people to give? A tough question, best answered by people who go out and ask people for their money, either professionally or on a volunteer basis. in her experience with the United Way, Heard found
“I grew up in a family that was very active in community service ... it was our normal way of life and it became part of my adult life.”
Debby Dwyer ’69 8
“... I owe the generous and nurturing atmosphere of Springfield College a great deal for the life I had, for the opportunities for service and community.”
Phil Dwyer ’69
that fundraisers can be more successful by helping donors understand the impact of their giving. “People want to see the results of their giving and, in most instances, they want some specificity rather than something just going into a big basket of giving. Most people want to feel like they have directed their money. At one time it was unheard of for the United Way to allow donors to designate gifts. But it changed from ‘We want you to help the elderly,’ to ‘We want you to help the elderly stay in their homes’ and then to, ‘We want you to help the elderly stay in their homes with someone to read to them, keep them company, maintain
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