In bad economic times, many worthwhile philanthropic endeavors suffer because potential donors possess far less discretionary income. However, there's a very important and effective way that individuals and businesses will certainly assist philanthropies and charities - volunteerism. Whether someone has suffered financially or not, lots of people continue to 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 could make an essential and valuable contribution. In today's economy, where governments are running huge deficits, and lots of worthwhile projects are now being put "on hold" or eliminated completely, especially by local and state governments, charities need volunteers as well as 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 cash on expenses, it can often "stretch" its funds further into important programing.

Some forms of volunteerism include: helping out with local area cleanups; working with others on local gardens; assisting in 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 charities overall expenses in occasions when government grants as well as other contributions may are already reduced and/ or eliminated.

In difficult economic times, donors need to be selective within their donations. A donor should look at the charity/ philanthropy's financial information, to examine the amount actually goes to programming. The higher the

percentage that goes to programming, the better comfortable a prospective donor should and does feel. Some excellent local charities still have high operating costs as a percentage 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 financial conditions changed, and schemists like Madoff separated so many from their money, it's more important than ever for folks to be as generous because they can afford, because charities need help even more in bad times than good. In bad economic times, charities need to stretch fewer dollars further because there are so many additional community needs that government has abandoned.

A donor need to 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 many religions that urge charity as a doctrine of its faith. If each of us will make a personal pledge to maintain a minimum percentage of donation, both in good time or bad, the world will be a more suitable place and there will be less suffering.