To make a $10 donation text HARVEY.
After reading this phrase stamped countless times all over social media in the last few weeks, my initial response was to donate. Then I remembered that I recently gave money to a club for cancer, so I took a step back.
I’m one to turn around when someone collecting money in the student center calls me out for walking past their table. I know I’m not alone in feeling pressured to hand over my Qcard and donate. But I also put the pressure on myself and think, ‘It’s just $1’.
But those dollars do add up. I’m a student who cares, but not a student earning a paycheck. Even with a job, I’d second guess a donation because I need to draw the line somewhere.
I can’t speak for other universities, but Quinnipiac students are incredibly involved. Not a day goes by where there aren’t students in the student center tabling to raise awareness or money for an event or cause. With variousfraternities and sororities on campus, it seems like there is always a philanthropy event happening, which counts for another way to donate both money and time to a cause.
If you can’t keep giving in but you want to rid yourself of feeling badly, then choose your donations wisely. Pick a cause that you feel most passionate about and when you can, donate to them.
But “donating” doesn’t have to mean giving money. Since I was young, my family and I always donated our used clothes that no longer fit to our local church. This method is free, promotes minimalism and is good for the environment.
You can also donate your time in the form of community service. There are plenty of community service clubs on campus and service opportunities available online. With one simple search, you can be on your way to giving back your time.
The Big Event, Quinnipiac’s annual community service day, is great way to get involved in the community with friends. Even just this one day of service makes a huge impact in the greater New Haven area.
If you do have the funds to donate to any cause that comes your way, then please do. But if that’s not you and you still want to help on a larger scale, there are other ways.
Scott Harrison, CEO of Charity: Water, a non-profit that provides clean water to developing nations, created a solution for those wanting to give back in large ways but can’t financially.
The mission: pledge your birthday and help save lives, instead of gifts ask for donations, according to Charity: Water’s official website.
The website takes care of everything and the only thing you need to do is share it.
“As I turn 40, I’d love to bring clean and safe drinking water to 40 villages in Tigray, Ethiopia for the very first time,” Harrison stated on his 40th birthday pledge page.
Harrison raised almost $400,000 and thanks to 185 donations, 12,704 people are estimated to receive clean water. Let those around you who have the money to spend and want a reason to spend it, donate for your campaign.
You can also purchase things like TOMS, where every pair of shoes purchased, another pair will go to a child in need, or Warby Parker, a glasses retailer that does the same but with a pair of their glasses.
Only have a couple dollars to donate this semester? That’s okay. Even if your first thought was to donate and then you realized that you couldn’t, be proud of yourself for caring at all.
Think about other creative and less expensive ways to give back. Ultimately, you’ll feel better actually participating in community service than you would by handing over a few dollars. You’ll also see the direct impact you made while giving your time.
