Now that the last bits of Thanksgiving dinner have been repurposed for the very last time, we are headlong into the holiday shopping season. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, you will likely spend time this month pondering and purchasing gifts for family and friends.
You may also be among the millions of individuals making a gift to a charitable cause. While Giving Tuesday has passed, our mailboxes — physical and electronic — continue to fill with requests for donations. It’s no wonder: Fully 30 percent of annual giving occurs in December; 10 percent occurs on the last three days of the year.
In donating, we put the interests of others above our own to enhance community well-being. In fact, the word “philanthropy” comes from a Greek word meaning “for love of mankind.” Along with helping others in need, acts of charity give us pleasure that goes beyond satisfying our altruistic desires. In a 2017 article in The Atlantic, Alexia Fernandez Campbell writes that charitable giving activates the same two brain parts that control our enjoyment of food and reactions to cute babies. Simply put, donating money makes us feel better, mentally and physically.
Noted San Diego philanthropist Malin Burnham believes that there is more to philanthropy than check writing. When accepting the Philanthropy in Peacemaking honor from the National Conflict Resolution Center earlier this year, Malin noted that 99 percent of charitable gifts are made only after someone asks. Because of their pivotal role in fundraising, he considers the people asking to be philanthropists. His view extends to volunteers, who contribute their “shoe leather and brain power” to charities.
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“As far as I’m concerned,” Malin says, “they’re philanthropists, too. There’s room for everybody to play.”
As you think beyond December, how might you become a San Diego philanthropist? The needs in our community are great and resources (to find the ideal volunteer opportunity) are abundant, including sites like Volunteer Match, HandsOn San Diego and Live Well San Diego. Just a few hours a month can make a real impact on the causes that matter to you and infuse your life with more meaning. I am reminded of Mahatma Gandhi’s words: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
As rewarding as the work may be, the reality is that we already lead demand-filled lives. The prospect of yet another commitment can feel overwhelming. Allow me to introduce you to someone who’s figured it out: Nico Marcolongo, a Marine Corps officer who saw two deployments to Iraq and is now the senior program manager for Operation Rebound at the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
I met Nico earlier this year, when he was named a KPBS and National Conflict Resolution Center Community Hero. Nico helps injured veterans strengthen their mental and physical well-being and reintegrate into the community through participation in sports — work born of his own experiences with post-traumatic stress. He joined Operation Rebound in 2008; since its inception, the program has assisted more than 2,700 veterans.
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Nico spends his free time giving back to others. For the last 20 years, he’s run the Buddy Bowl, a nonprofit that raises money for military, law enforcement and children’s charities through an annual flag football tournament series. The Buddy Bowl is played in four locations around the country and includes challenged and able-bodied athletes of all ages on the same field of play. In addition, Nico volunteers alongside his wife to honor veterans in hospice care, to whom he gives commemorative pins. And recently, he acted in “What Happens Next,” a Cornerstone Theatre Company production about veterans returning from war.
Nico laughs at the idea of being called a philanthropist. “That’s only for the Rockefellers,” he says. Over the next several months, I will introduce you to other San Diego philanthropists who are making a difference in our community. I invite you to join them.
Steven P. Dinkin is president of the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC), a San Diego-based organization that is working to create innovative solutions to challenging issues, including intolerance and incivility. NCRC is nationally recognized for its conflict management and communication strategies. To learn about NCRC’s programming, visit www.ncrconline.com.
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December 08, 2019 at 08:02PM
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