When you make a donation, you make a difference. When you make a difference, you feel good. When you feel good, you want to do it again.
I’ve got some good news for you; you can feel good every single payday.
Many people choose to make charitable donations throughout the year and often we hear, “I’d love to give, but right now things are a bit tight.”
We understand that and we sympathize with donors’ financial concerns, but donations don’t always have to break the bank.
Many businesses in our community offer their employees an opportunity to give a small portion from every pay to charity. By giving $5 or $10 per pay, it becomes a part of your routine budget. Quite often, people tell us they don’t even notice the money coming off their pay. Then at tax time, our donors will notice a tax credit on their T4 for their charitable donation.
When you choose to give through payroll deduction, you are teaming up with co-workers to make a significant difference. It doesn’t feel like you are giving too much at once and the impact of the joint donation is supporting the charity in need.
Many employers are inspired by the donations of their employees and decide to contribute or even match their employees’ gifts. This can result in doubling the impact of your donation.
So, follow me here for a second.
You work for a medium-sized business in Cape Breton. Your employer is passionate about charitable giving and improving the lives of people in your community. They offer you an opportunity to give $10 from each pay, biweekly, to a great cause. You are joined by 23 others on your team who also give $10 per pay. Your employer announces that they will match all your donations.
Now, you have collectively contributed $12,480 to an important cause in your community and you’ve all made a difference, while benefiting you at tax time.
Similar to payroll deduction donations is an opportunity to give monthly.
An example of this is at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation, where we have donors who give $5, $10, up to $100 or more every single month. Their individual gifts may not always feel like enough to strengthen health care alone, but collectively these donations fund new equipment, vital services, patient programming and so much more.
If anyone ever feels like their monthly donation is only a small help, they can be comforted knowing that it’s a part of a big difference being made by many.
Giving over time, whether it’s by payroll deduction or monthly giving, is an impactful way to spread your generosity over the year while making a big difference. You can be the reason why a child has access to vital equipment, or a mother can afford to travel for chemotherapy. Your $5 a week could offer a grandmother important comforts in her dying days.
When you spread out your giving, you’re spreading out your care and ultimately spreading your generosity throughout your community.
When it rains, it feels like no single droplet will water your lawn alone, but when the clouds open up and the showers start, you know that your grass will be greener.
Mark Inglis is the marketing and communications officer with the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation (@becauseucare) and has more than 10 years of experience in the education, communication and charitable sectors. He lives in North Sydney with his family.
