Giving in Twenties

Graphic idea credit The Pedal Co.

Did you know that giving can be non-monetary? Say it louder for the people in the back! You can support your favorite charity year-after-year and literally give $0. Not that I would suggest that, but it is possible.

Now that I've got your attention, let me introduce myself. My name is Madison. I am Project Director at eMite, but I also juggle our marketing, social media, and a little in between. I am in my early 20's, as are a good majority of my friends and peers. Your twenties are an exciting phase of life where you may have just graduated from university and started your first job. You begin to feel independent and plan for your future, but everything is still very new. To be brief, it's where you're making money, but not rolling in the dough, if you know what I mean. 

You can experience your "twenties" earlier or later in life. It's different for every person. 

During this phase, if you want to support a charity, it can be a bit discouraging. Sometimes you don't know where to start; you don't think your $5 will make a difference, or you may feel that you cannot give at all because your bank balance matches your age. I'm here to tell you that's not true. 

I've been there, and I've been disheartened --- wondering if my little will even make an impact. Does it even scratch the surface? 

But I've learned something in my few years here. My 'little' combined with hundreds of others' 'littles' isn't so little at all. As Helen Keller perfectly said, "Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much."

We have a young donor who gives $7 a week or a dollar a day. We have another supporter who likes every picture we post and another who replies to our weekly newsletters with words of encouragement or guidance. Our social media volunteer supports us by giving of her time and skills. We even have a donor who sends us weekly articles for inspiration on our next Giving Encouragement post. They are all supporting eMite in the best way they can. Each of them brings value. 

The truth is we need giving of all kinds, including likes, shares, reposts, shoutouts, or simply a comment letting us know we're on the right track. It's incredibly encouraging. 

So the next time you're scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, and you come across a post from your favorite nonprofit, remember you can give too.