“It is better to give than to receive.” Have you heard that one before? Of course you have.

This is timeless Biblical advice that is both powerful and, more importantly, very true. If you have had the opportunity to truly bless another with your time, talent or treasure, you know first-hand how incredible it feels to make a difference.

It is easy to see how the act of giving helps others. Those who are less fortunate benefit directly from the generosity of charitable folks, and society in general is made better when the “haves” provide assistance to the “have not’s” through their own free will.

What’s In It For Me?

In an ideal world, acts of charity would be performed freely and without the need for incentive. However, we do not live in Utopia and pure altruism is not the sole motivation for most charitable works. And the great thing is, there’s nothing wrong with that!

If you honestly assess why you give, you will probably recognize numerous personal benefits from your efforts. There is a sense of pride and self-fulfillment that accompanies a charitable act.

If you do something particularly generous, there could be substantial notoriety and even a degree of fame. Being known as “A Giver” is practically a universal badge of honor.

And, of course, there are the fabulous tax breaks! These are noble, worthwhile reasons to give, and there is no shame in acknowledging that you benefit from your generosity. After all, there is this old saying that goes “It is better to give than…”, well you get the point.

But Wait, Your Relationships Benefit, Too!

As someone who writes regularly about life and how it relates to marriage, relationships and parenthood over at Engaged Marriage, I submit that giving has even deeper and wider-ranging impacts. As you become a giver, you change the lives of not only the recipients of your charity, but (often much more subtly) the lives of those closest to you. Let’s take a moment to think about a few important relationships you may share.

• Marriage. I can tell you from first-hand experience that being married to a loving, giving person adds immeasurable quality to my own life. Those who achieve the extraordinary in their marriage are invariably selfless, generous and willing to put the best interest of others before their own. A self-centered, greedy spirit will never result in a successful marriage. If you want to be a respected and supportive spouse, you must develop the heart of a giver.

• Parenting. There is probably no relationship that more fully requires a charitable spirit than that of being a Mom or Dad. As good parents, we give up many things for the welfare of our children. We give up money, lots of time and sometimes a bit of our own sanity. However, if you have kids, you already know that what you give up to be a parent is repaid to you in multiples. This is likely the easiest relationship to recognize the real benefits of living with a giving spirit.

• Friendship. What characteristics do you most desire in a close friend? I bet you would look for someone who is trustworthy and shares common interests. But don’t you also, whether you realize it consciously or not, most enjoy associating with those who give freely of their time and are available to lend a hand or an ear when you are in need? Givers make the best friends.

• Career. There is a reason that many organizations require, or strongly encourage, their employees to give a small portion of their paycheck to a charity (such as the United Way). When you can see beyond your own self-interest and view the big picture in life, you are better able to serve others, including your clients and customers.

• Spiritual Life. Of course, the opening phrase to this post was taken from a Bible verse. The idea that giving is important for the good of others, the good of yourself and even the good of your soul is a common thread among all major religions. God even provides a suggestion for a worthy giving goal: 10%. The word “tithe” literally means “a tenth,” and it is still the benchmark for most that give advice on such matters, whether they have religious overtones or not. In my opinion, we are not asked by God to be givers solely for the benefit of others or to support our religious institutions. He asks us to trust and give our of “first-fruits” because he wants us to be givers first and see the world through unselfish eyes.

How Can I Get In On This?

The best way to realize the sometimes ambiguous benefits that giving brings to your relationships is by actually giving it the ole college try. So how do you become “A Giver”? You give. And you give generously. And you do it from your heart.

An excellent place to start would be to contribute to the Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser underway right here at My Super-Charged Life.  You might even win a free iPod nano!

Any small gift of charity is a worthwhile endeavor that will change you for the better. You do not need to be wealthy to be a great giver. In fact, money doesn’t even have to be involved. Remember, the tenets of true charitable works consist of time, talent and/or treasure. And the greatest part is that the best works of charity begin right at home.

Spend some quality time with your spouse, give your children the gift of a strong example, and live your life with an ever-present intent to help those you encounter. Tax breaks are great, but harnessing your own ability to impact and change the lives of others for the better is simply awesome. It really is better to give than to receive.

Dustin Riechmann created the Engaged Marriage site with the mission to help good people achieve the extraordinary in their marriage and their life. Please read a bit more about Engaged Marriage and see what it may have to offer you. You can also chime in on the conversation by visiting Engaged Marriage on Facebook.

Photo by Hamed Saber

So do Brad and Libby Birky!  They are the owners of the SAME Cafe located in Denver, Colorado.

Brad and Libby operate a very different diner.  According to their web site:

It is the intent of SAME Cafe to build a healthy community by providing a basic need of food in a respectful and dignified manner to anyone who walks through the door.

The SAME Cafe is a great example of an innovative and courageous effort to make a real difference.  It always starts with good people doing good things, doesn’t it?

So what makes this little restaurant so different?

The thing that stands out the most about the approach at SAME Cafe is that they don’t have any set prices.  You pay what you can.

They don’t have a cash register.  They have a donation box.

They also don’t have a set menu.  They serve healthy daily selections of dishes made from fresh, organic ingredients.

The Birky’s believe:

That everyone, regardless of economic status, deserves the chance to eat healthy food while being treated with dignity.

The name stands for “So All May Eat”, but this is not a soup kitchen.  It is a quaint little diner with wait staff.  It serves really great food.

It isn’t just the homeless that eat here either.  There are people from all walks of life at SAME Cafe. 

Many donate more for their meal than they would normally pay at a normal restaurant.  Why?  Because they too want to make a difference.  They want to be a part of what the Birky’s are doing in their community.

Treating people with dignity is what really sets them apart

I learned about SAME Cafe through the Making a Difference series on NBC Nightly News.  I was impressed.

What impressed me the most was their emphasis on treating everyone with dignity.  Brad and Libby Birky truly believe every human deserves to eat good food and be treated with respect while it is served to them.

In order to really get a feel for how this works, you have to see it for yourself.  I don’t normally embed video into my site, but I’m making an exception.

I really want you to see what is happening at the SAME cafe.

I encourage you to take just a few moments to watch this video.  It touched me.  The way the SAME cafe treats people is very admirable.

How you can help make a difference

Okay, so back to my original question, do you want to make a difference?

Here are a few ideas for how you can help:

1.  Make an online donation to SAME Cafe

One easy way to make a difference in the world is to join in on what others are already doing.  Obviously, it takes money to run the SAME Cafe.  They are a legitimate non-profit organization.  You can make a donation to SAME Cafe via their web site.

2.  Buy an item from the SAME Cafe wish list

On their blog every week, the cafe posts a wish list of items they need.  You could purchase one of these items for them and donate it.  This is a fantastic way to address a specific need that serves others.

3.  Volunteer at SAME Cafe

For those that cannot afford to give, but live in the Denver area, you can donate your time at the SAME Cafe.  You can help sweep up or clear tables or wash dishes.  It takes a lot more than just money to keep good things happening.

4.  Start a similar cafe in your area

Why think small?  You could start something like the SAME Cafe in your hometown.  I’m sure the Birky’s would be thrilled to know that their idea was spreading and being used to serve others.

5.  Carry forward the great philosophy

You’ve heard of pay-it-forward, right?  Well, why not carry forward the Birky’s fantastic philosophy of serving people who need help with dignity and respect?  You might not be into food service, but perhaps you could serve people in your community another way letting them pay as they can.

The opportunity to meet the basic needs of living are endless

I really appreciate it that NBC Nightly News is taking the time to focus at least a part of their newscast on the ways people are making a positive difference in this world.  It is refreshing to say the least.  I hope they keep publicizing great establishments and people like those at the SAME Cafe.  The needs are endless and opportunity abounds!

What do you think about the SAME Cafe?

Photo by avlxyz

Reading your nominations on a daily basis has been a very uplifting experience.  It is phenomenal to see all the good that is going on in the world!  I encourage everyone to browse through the nominations and learn more about some truly terrific charities!

At the same time, it breaks my heart to realize all the needs that exist.  I wish I had the resources to make a donation to each of the wonderful charities mentioned, but I do not.  Therefore, we have to pick a winner!

The winner of the charity donation giveaway!

I am happy to announce that Water For People out of Devner, CO was the charity selected to receive this year’s donation!

Amanda nominated Water For People as her favorite charity in comment #27 last Thursday.  I want to thank her for raising awareness on such a worthy cause.  Congratulations Amanda!

I have donated $138 to Water For People in honor of Amanda’s fantastic nomination!

The mission of Water For People

Water For People works in developing countries to improve the quality of life by supporting the development of sustainable and clean drinking water resources.  They also help to develop sanitation facilities and provide education programs on hygiene to further their mission.

Ultimately, they have a vision to provide all people access to drinking water and sanitation.  They also hope to eliminate suffering and death caused by water- and sanitation-related diseases.  Children are especially susceptible to waterborne diseases.

Clean drinking water is something many of us take for granted, but this is certainly not the case in many developing nations. 

Water For People works in countries like Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, Malawi, and West Bengal, India.

More information about Water For People and how to help

Clean drinking water is the most basic need for human survival.  I can’t think of a better way to make a difference in the world than by trying to provide people with water to drink and sanitation facilities to keep their water from becoming contaminated.

Water For People’s website is loaded with information about what they do and ways to get involved.  You should check out the Water For People FAQ if you want to learn more.  You can also make a donation online at their site.

I checked out Water For People at Charity Navigator and found that they have received the highest rating of 4 stars for six years running!  It appears that they are a very efficient and well-run organization.  This makes me feel comfortable giving them my donation.

Thanks again for participating in the donation giveaway!

I want to sincerely thank everyone that nominated their favorite charity.  It was great learning about so many fantastic causes. 

If you would like to give your charity another chance to win a donation, you can visit Pongo Resume’s $250 Holiday Giveaway: Nominate Your Favorite Charity.  You should also keep an eye out for when GreenStyleMom conducts her giveaway.

Thanks for participating!

Photo by Julien Harneis

There were some very interesting charities mentioned.  I hope you will take some time and look over the comments that I received.  There are a ton of great non-profit organizations out there performing fantastic things everyday!

The nominations are over, but the winner is still to be announced!

I have closed the comments on this giveaway and will not be accepting anymore nominations.  I hope you enjoyed sharing a little about your favorite charity.

I will be announcing the randomly selected winner of my donation in my post on Thursday. 

Please check back then to see if your favorite charity will receive my donation.

Thanks again for participating!

Being deployed during the holidays is a big sacrifice

I’ve been in their position before when I served in the Air Force.  Therefore, I deeply empathize with their situation.

In 1993, after the first Gulf War, I spent Christmas and New Year’s in Saudi Arabia protecting the “no fly zone” over Iraq.  Fortunately, at the time, I didn’t have children.  However, it was still difficult being away from my wife and extended family for the holidays.

I have a friend that is in Iraq now.  He left his wife and daughter a few months ago.  He will be deployed for 12 to 15 months.  That’s a huge sacrifice! 

Soldiers from every country make big sacrifices.  It doesn’t matter if they are deployed overseas or not.  Serving in the military is not usually easy, but showing support is!

It is very easy to show support and make a soldier’s day!

A very simple and easy way for us to help is by simply showing our support.  It doesn’t take much, but it will be greatly appreciated.

For Americans, I encourage you to take a few minutes right now and visit America Supports You.  If you are from another country, I hope you will find a similar site and so the same.

On the America Supports You site, you can send a message of support to a soldier.  It doesn’t cost you a dime and it will literally make their day!

You can also find links to other groups that support U.S. troops.  Here are just a few of the other ways that you can be of assistance:

• Donate Frequent Flyer Miles
• Help for the Wounded
• Military Family Support
• Phone Cards
• Send Care Packages
• Tragedy Assistance

As you can see, there are tons of ways to show your support.  I hope you will find something here that feels right to you.  I can assure you it will not go unnoticed!

Photo by Army.mil

I will donate up to $500 to the winner’s favorite charity!  All you have to do is nominate the charity of your choice by leaving a comment on this post.  I will randomly select a charity from the nominations and then donate $1 for every comment received.  It is as simple as that.

I have been greatly blessed this year and in the spirit of Christmas, I earnestly want to give back.  I thought this would be a great way to do it and to learn about some new charities along the way.

Guidelines for nominating your favorite charity for the donation

This is an excellent opportunity to spread the word about the charity of your choice!  Also, in order to make the donation, I need to be able to positively locate the intended charity.  Therefore, let me offer these guidelines to ensure your charity gets the consideration it deserves.

In your comment:

• Be sure to use the exact official name of your charity
• In 2 to 3 sentences, tell us who your charity benefits and what they do
• If you would like, leave a link to the charity’s website so I can find it
• Tell us what you particularly love about this charity

Following these guidelines should help ensure that all the necessary information is included to qualify your charity for the giveaway.

Rules for the charity donation giveaway

What would a contest be without a few rules, right?  I’ll keep it simple, but I do have to set a few boundaries in order for this to be fair and meaningful.  Here it goes!

1. All organizations nominated must be actual non-profit charities.  Please no “I’m my favorite charity” nominations!  A Charity where I cannot verify its official status will not be considered.
2. I will close the comments on this post on Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at 5:00 P.M. Central.  Only comments received prior to this time will be a part of the random selection giveaway.
3. Please only one nomination per person.  No spam comments!
4. I reserve the right to disqualify any charity that offends me or my beliefs.  I doubt this will be an issue, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
5. Again, I will donate $1 per legitimate comment to the charity nominated in the randomly selected comment below.  The maximum donation is $500.  I’d love to see 500 valid nominations!

Be sure to tell your friends so they can nominate their charity!

This is a great way to support your favorite charity without having to spend a dime out of your own pocket!  Why not let all your friends, so they can participate too? 

Spread the word! 

Note: My wife saw this idea in the December 2008 edition of Real Simple Magazine.  In response to the “Your Words” question of  “How Do You Give Back During The Holidays?”, Kristen from GreenStyleMom mentioned how she did this last year.  It seems like a fabulous idea so, I borrowed it.

Photo by dental ben

Has the economy changed your charitable giving?

Are you giving less to charities now that gas prices have topped $4.00 per gallon and the price of a gallon of milk is $5.00?  It has to be getting tougher for families to donate.  In my house, we give most of our charitable donations as a tithe to our church.  We have been giving about 10% of our net income for around ten years now.  We don’t really miss it since we’ve been doing it for so long.  As a result, I don’t see us decreasing what we give. 

Of course, a lot of the money that charities receive comes from corporate donors.  If their profits are less, then one can rest assured that their giving will go down.  After all, businesses have stakeholders they have to be responsible for and protect.  It will be interesting to see what charities receive in total donations this year.  I hope that individuals and corporations realize the importance of their giving and keep it up.

Impact and benefits of charitable donations.

I have personally benefited from the generosity of others after my home got destroyed by a tornado.  So, I know the importance of giving and I feel a sense of responsibility to donate and to encourage others to do so as well.  With so many people impacted in such extreme ways by the flooding in the Midwest and the fires in California, I can assure you the need has not decreased and neither should the giving.  We have to pull together as a country to get through difficult times. 

Of course, charitable giving is not completely selfless.  We get the following benefits from giving:

1.  Tax deduction

I’m not qualified in anyway to give tax advice, but I know that generally contributions made to charitable organizations are tax deductible.  So, instead of giving your hard-earned cash to the government, why not give some of it to your favorite charity?

2.  Good feeling from helping those in need

We’ve all heard the old adage that, “it is better to give than to receive”.  Well, it is true.  Haven’t you ever been more excited about giving someone a special gift than you were about what you might receive in return?  Giving to worthy causes is a great way to feel good about yourself.

3.  Improve your community

By giving to local charities, you are actually making your corner of the world a better place to live.  You then reap the benefits of living in a community you helped to improve.  The better your community the more economic development which can lead to higher home values, better jobs, and a better tax base.

Alternative ideas about giving when finances are tight.

If your budget just won’t allow you to give much in the way of cash, then you might consider these ideas to help:

1.  Donate your time.

A great way to make a contribution even when you don’t have any money is to volunteer.  You can even volunteer online if that suits your situation better.  Charities always need workers that are willing to do tasks for them.  My wife recently folded and stuffed newsletters for a local charitable organization.

2.  Recycle a single donation.

Microloans are an excellent way to make a difference.  As an added bonus, when you loan someone money, they pay it back.  Once the loan is repaid, then you can relend it to another foreign entrepreneur.  This makes a single small donation go a long way!

3.  Give items you no longer use.

You’ve probably done this before, but I thought it was worth mentioning anyway.  We could all probably be more intentional about this instead of waiting until someone calls us or until our next spring cleaning.  Why not donate your items today?  You could probably use the extra storage space!

4.  Apply snowflaking to charitable giving.

Snowflaking is a technique often used to gather small bits of money together to pay off debt.  However, why not throw your spare change in a jar at the end of each day and see how much accumulates over a month to give to charity?  You might be surprised how much these small sums add up to be at the end of a month or a quarter.

Don’t give up on giving because your budget is tighter.

I hope you won’t throw in the towel on your charitable giving just because money is a little tighter this year.  It is still important to be generous with what we have.  We still live in a very rich country and most of us aren’t recovering from the disasters that others are facing.  I hope I have provided you with ideas on how to continue making donations even in tougher economic times.

What other ideas do you have for finding ways to give when finances are tight?  Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!

Photo by Elaine Vigneault