In bad financial times, many worthwhile philanthropic endeavors suffer because potential donors possess far less discretionary income. Conversely, there is a essential and effective way that individuals and businesses can help philanthropies and charities - volunteerism. Whether someone has suffered financially or not, a lot of people will still be capable of volunteerism. The Jewish religions uses two terms: (1) Tzedaka- meaning charity or helping, and; (2) Tikun Olam- meaning repairing the world.

By volunteering, individuals may make a significant and valuable contribution. In today's economy, where governments are running huge deficits, and many worthwhile projects are being put "on hold" or eliminated completely, especially by local and state governments, charities need volunteers and contributions to meet their important missions. Individuals can volunteer their time and their own personal labor, to help philanthropies better cope by reducing their expenses. If a philanthropy (or charity) can save money on expenses, it can often "stretch" its funds further into important programing.

Some forms of volunteerism include: helping out with neighborhood cleanups; working with others on local gardens; assisting within the office, etc., at one's house of worship; transporting elderly, etc. to the supermarket or pharmacy; joining the Board of a local philanthropy; "pitching in" wherever needed, etc. All of these efforts reduce local community leaders charities overall expenses in occasions when government grants and other contributions may are already reduced and/ or eliminated.

In difficult economic times, donors need to be selective within their donations. A donor will want to look at the charity/ philanthropy's financial information, to look at simply how much actually goes to programming. The larger the

percentage that goes to programming, the more comfortable a prospective donor should and does feel. Some excellent local charities still have high operating costs as a portion of revenues, and if one feels strongly about one of those organizations, the most effective way to make others want to donate, is by helping the organization reduce its overhead. That is another area where volunteerism is both necessary and worthwhile!

While economic conditions changed, and schemists like Madoff separated numerous from their cash, it is more important than ever for individuals to be as generous since they can afford, because charities need help much more in bad times than good. In bad financial times, charities need to stretch fewer dollars further because you will find a lot of additional community needs that government has abandoned.

A donor should make sure that any philanthropy/ charity is responsibly discharging its duties, and striving to meet its mission, both effectively and inefficiently. Our politicians like to rhetorically support important causes, but many of these causes and mandates become unfunded, and charities and philanthropies must make up the funding differential. There are lots of religions that urge charity as a doctrine of its faith. If each of us would make a personal pledge to maintain the minimum percentage of donation, both in good time or bad, the world would be a greater place and there would be less suffering.