I’ve donated to several charities in the past without really thinking about the impact of my donations. I simply browse sites, find causes in which I believe, and donate. Then….I go on about my business.
On December 17th of 2011, we received a phone call late that evening from a friend explaining that her husband had a massive heart attack and doctors didn’t expect him to make it through the night. The next day thankfully, her husband was still alive. The hospital started running tests and said he was staring to recover, but was still too weak for surgery so he was far from out of the woods. As days went by he continued to improve. Eventually he had gained enough strength that doctors were able to perform the surgery he needed to survive. At the time of this writing, (just over 1 month after the heart attack) he’s been moved to physical therapy to help regain his motor skills.
Needless to say, he’s out of work and our friend was by her husband’s side at every moment so she has been out of work as well. She phoned us to give us an update on the situation prior to her husband being moved to physical therapy. We asked how finances were to see if we could help, and she explained that they were getting behind. My wife and I put our heads together and told our friend about MicroGiving.com. Our friend started an account, explained her situation, and set her goal at $1,000. My wife and I both contributed and shared the post on Facebook. What happened over the next 4 days, left me absolutely speechless. Friends of ours, who had no idea who our friend that needed the support was, selflessly donated their hard earned money to help another human being. As I type this and think about it, I get a little choked up. It’s a great feeling to know that we’re surrounded with such awesome, giving people from all over the world. I can’t begin to tell you how fortunate we are to have these friends.
Not only did our friend meet her goal of $1000, she exceeded it by $220….and it only took about 4 days total to raise these funds.
My wife would call her about once a day and tell her how much had been raised. When the goal was met, she called us and just couldn’t explain how over joyed she was and how she couldn’t believe that perfect strangers would do something to help her family. She and her husband work hard and don’t like to ask for anything. She didn’t like asking for money now, but the circumstances were obviously very different.
With the money she raised, she’s able to make 2 house payments and buy food to feed her and her 2 kids.
Being able to see firsthand what these donations do for people and their families, really is an eye opening experience. I’ve never given anything away or donated money so I could pat myself on the back or brag about it in a post on the web. I’ve always done it because I truly believe what comes around goes around. I only share my experiences in hopes that I can inspire just one person to start giving somewhere if they haven’t given before. Initially, you’ll know you’ve done something good. But one day when it comes full circle and you’re able to see a friend of yours receive much needed donations, giving to others takes on an entirely different perspective.
As long as I’ve got something to give, I will.
P.S. I’m a HUGE animal lover and donate to the 4 legged world as well. : ) If you’re looking to donate to a cause for animals, PLEASE look for a local animal shelter in your area. You’d be surprised what people in your community are doing for our furry friends. You can probably find non-kill animal shelters that need food, cat litter, towels, laundry detergent, or other items. If you can’t afford to give items, please donate your time.