With charitable donations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars praised so highly in the mainstream media, some citizens who are tight on cash feel intimidated and about contributing to a good cause. A new philanthropic effort started in the Greater Memphis region of Tennessee is targeting those kind-spirited individuals by collecting donations of $1 a day.
The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis launched the new group, GIVE 365, as an initiative to nurture philanthropy among younger contributors, reports the Memphis Daily News. The group hopes to collect $365 per person over the course of a year – a relatively low barrier of entry for donors.
"We really wanted to figure out a way to engage the next generation in philanthropy so we targeted young professionals," Melissa Wolowicz, director of grants and initiatives, told the Memphis Daily News.
Individuals that donate to the organization will also help decide how the grants will be dispersed. Half of the collected money will go toward projects that will be launched this year, while the other half will be placed into an endowed fund for future GIVE 365 grants.
The group encourages members of any age to contribute. Donations can be given either by an individual or in the name of a household. GIVE 365 hopes to have 365 members by the end of the year, giving them $133,000 to spend annually.
"We believe in this effort," Robert Fockler, executive director of the Community Foundation, told the news source.
Younger contributors are increasingly becoming a more active force when it comes to charitable donations. For example, the Visitation Elementary School Junior Board, comprised of students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, recently generated more than $2,000 for a program that will provide free music lessons for Kansas City children.
