Sanguine Tenacious Tidings

Giving Rules {Rated E}

For Andre the Blog Monkey's Banana Bar

Week 2 / Category 2 prompt: If you won the lottery, raffle or a gamble (e.g, slot machine) what percentage would you give to Charity, if any what type of Charity would it be?

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As a child I was taught that I should give 10 percent. This was a teaching in the church I grew up in, I think. Pretty much as a teenager I earned some money baby-sitting once in a while and cleaned house and worked in the garden at my aunt's home.

I lived almost all weekends and some weekdays with my aunt and uncle. They paid me for the work I did. My uncle tried to teach me the value of earning. They often took me roller skating and I wanted my own skates and skate box. My earnings from them went to the project of buying my own skates. With other earnings from a few babysitting jobs, I tried to give my tithe.

In my wanderings through research for Journalism classes, I came across a statement, that a lot of wealthy people give 1 percent of their earnings to charity. One percent of one million is ten thousand. In any event at the time, I thought the percentage for a millionaire or billionaire was kind of stingy.

During my first marriage. My husband gave from his salary through the Air force. Whatever the percentage was it was taken out when checks were issued. I only had one job at that time, and it lasted one week. When he died, I tried to tithe his life insurance money. I was criticized for the donations.

I stopped going to church during a period of time burdened down with raising children on small salaries and running a farm without income. I forgot about tithing, just gave as I found places to give, which were the salvation Army Kettle on the street at Christmas, a dollar to a child collecting for a sport in school, just small amounts here and there.

When we went to church again, I gave as the plate was passed during Sunday service and still the small places where people were asking for donations for some project.

Some years ago, the local rural electric company started a program for people who get behind in their electric bills. It is rounding up. If your bill is 94. 15 dollars and you pay 95, the extra is put into the fund to help others who are having trouble paying. This happens at Walmart once in a while, when there is a drive for the food banks. If 50 people round up by 50 cents, you have collected 25.00 dollars for charity. Sometimes the post office collects canned goods for the local food bank. I put out some canned goods. I really like to use the rounding up programs. A small amount goes out without notice. It ends up in a bigger pot of contributions.

One of the reasons I stopped giving was because of small salaries that did not reach our needs as a family. I gave the children growing up very small allowances. They did chores after school and always helped me with farm work. They never earned what, that help was worth in dollars. We struggled with home heating costs. I canned and froze supplies all summer to keep us eating healthy food.

One of the reasons I quit giving out money because money coming in never changes and the needs inside of my family were never easy to meet. For a while If it meant us or them, I chose us.

Now if I won a lottery or other monies, it would depend on how much after taxes I would get, and what my needs are. I am presently hoping before January to start a giving program in a very small way.

I give at Christmas to St. Jude Children's research hospital. They don't seem to resent the small gifts I send. I am trying to start before the end of January to give small amounts to them 6 months of the year, and to the Anna Shelter. No guarantee I will be able to follow through on this plan.

Anna Shelter is a no kill animal shelter. They have given care to several animals I took into my home. a large percentage of animals, cats, dogs, and birds I have taken in different times are someone else's cast offs.

Two other places make me wish I could just give are the Wounded Warriors Project. Also, there is a group who collect money to drill wells in Africa. So, villages will have fresh water supplies.

Giving is an interesting subject. Over the years I have watched news about big donations to different needs. Also, about the donations to large organizations being used improperly sometimes. When government has to step in to reorganize it is a shame.

I believe by paying my bills and keeping us off the welfare rolls it is a help to society. Even if it means I am left with not enough to give a large amount. Our television is inundated with commercials about people collecting money for their organizations. Sometimes it is so impersonal.

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