I never considered myself a philanthropist until I attended The Women’s Foundation’s 2010 Leadership Luncheon.  That was the day that I discovered there’s something for everyone who wants to give at The Foundation.

I have been a professional fundraiser for over 20 years.  I work with non-profit organizations to help them build stronger, more effective fundraising programs.  I love raising money for causes in which I  believe.

When you come down to it, fundraising is about two things: passion and relationships.  In order to be a part of an organization, to give your hard-earned money, you must feel passionate about the cause.  And with that passion, you will develop a relationship to the organization, both with the people doing the work and others who, like you, support the organization because of their passion.  These relationships grow and mushroom over time, bringing more people into the organization’s sphere, thereby bolstering its fundraising abilities.

Like most people, I have a few causes to which I am dedicated.  However, working in the non-profit world and not being a person who comes from wealth, I have a very limited ability to give money in sums that I think will make a real difference.  While I believe in the axiom that every dime counts, I also am a realist and understand that it takes large sums of money from a few dedicated philanthropists to achieve the change we are looking for.

As such, I have never considered myself a philanthropist.  Until now.

On October 14^th, I attended Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s annual Leadership Luncheon. I have attended many of their luncheons since they were founded, including the very first event The Women’s Foundation held a decade ago at which they made their first set of grants to a group of small but effective non-profit organizations helping women and girls in our community.

I have always wanted to be a part of The Foundation, but didn’t know how I could fit in.

Today, Washington Area Women’s Foundation is a giant in the philanthropy community of Washington, DC.  Last year, they gave more than a million dollars in grants to a wide range of organizations, and they sustain a number of programs to engage their donors in their work.  They don’t subscribe to the outdated belief that grant making should be conducted behind closed doors with a few members of a prestigious board making the decisions.  The Women’s Foundation truly believes that philanthropy should be a community project, and invites women from all sectors and strata of our community to participate.

Sitting at my host’s table at the luncheon, listening to one of The Foundation’s Grantee Partners offer a heartbreaking and heartwarming story of how the support of The Women’s Foundation made a difference to one individual, who has subsequently made a difference in the lives of the 1100 individuals sitting in that room, I realized the power of partnership.  The speaker was building a relationship with each one of us listening to her story, and she was compelling the large majority of us to pick up an envelope and give.

I was hooked.  It was the first time in my 20 year+ career as a fundraiser that I felt like I was truly sitting on the other side of the ask, and that someone really needed my help.  It was relationship-building writ large.  But it was also relationship building writ small.

Because I sat there and joined Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s 1K Club.  I am going to give $1,000 over two years so that I can be a part of this work and this movement to help women and girls in our community.  I have worked for many organizations that have focused on women’s issues; now I am going to give back to one as a donor and a volunteer.  I want to be someone who can make a difference.

I want to be a philanthropist.  And Washington Area Women’s Foundation believes that that’s just what I can be.

Karen Paul-Stern is the principal of KPS Development.

Please click here to learn more about the 1K Club.

When seeing a homeless man or woman, some people debate on whether they should give that person money or not because they assume that it will be used on drugs and alcohol. From my beliefs, I say that is not true. So, I talked to an expert to find the answer.

When giving back to the community, many people feel great about what they do. They’re very proud of themselves and believe it will come back to them. However, when seeing a homeless man or woman, some people debate on whether they should give that person money.

Why think twice?

I’ve heard people say, “all homeless people do when someone gives them money is spend it on drugs or alcohol.” I believe that isn’t true because when I see someone actually giving that homeless person money, he/she does not stick around to see where the money goes. So how can you tell?

Statistics show that many people become homeless for various reasons, such as lack of affordable housing, physical disability, and/or mental illness. So why does it have to be all about drugs and alcohol? The National Coalition for the Homeless states that only 30% of people in America become homeless from substance abuse.

A homeless person is judged just from the way he/she looks. When I’m out with my friends and they see a homeless man or woman, their first reaction to that homeless person is that he/she was a drug addict or alcoholic. Every fourth Sunday at my church, we go out, feed the homeless, and get to know their stories. From talking to some of the homeless people, many of them were high school drop-outs or their family didn’t care for them. So how can you judge someone you don’t know? Homeless people require long-term support, rather than condemnations.

Homeless people want to live ordinary lives like everyone else. They want a nutritious meal. They want a comfortable place to lay their heads every night. So why not give them money to support those needs? Some people may choose to give money directly to a homeless person. Others might feel more comfortable giving to a nonprofit that they know will provide the long-term support people need. Still other people may prefer a combination of both.

I asked Michael Stoops, director of community organizing at the National Coalition for the Homeless, whether or not it’s bad to give money directly to someone who asks for it. He told me that giving is a personal decision – it’s all about what you feel comfortable with, and he sometimes gives money to people on the street.

I intern at Washington Area Women’s Foundation, which helps women and girls thrive through philanthropy. We have a list of Grantee Partners that help many different types of people. Some help the homeless because there’s a great need for those services among women. Studies have shown that out of the population of single, homeless adults, 25 percent are women. Women make up 65 percent of the population of homeless adults with children. To help these families out, The Women’s Foundation collaborates with a non-profit organization that’s called SOME (So Others Might Eat). “So Others Might Eat” is the only interfaith, community-based organization in the District of Columbia that offers a comprehensive, holistic approach to caring for the homeless and extremely poor citizens of our city.

Great organizations like SOME encourage me to donate to nonprofits. However, it can be difficult to say “no” when someone in need approaches me on the street, especially now that I know the major causes of homelessness. In the future, I plan on doing both: supporting nonprofits that can help in the long-term, but also helping people who are just trying to figure out where their next meal will come from.

What do you think? Do you feel comfortable giving money to people on the street? Please leave a comment below.

Photo credit: Ed Yourdon via Creative Commons

Freedonia is an intern at Washington Area Women’s Foundation who enjoys writing blogs and hopes to write many more.