How I became involved in charity work in the USA

Statistics confirm that it is not individual large gifts, but millions of small donations that form the basis of philanthropy in the United States. Last year, according to the Giving USA Foundation, Americans donated more than $1 billion a day to charitable causes. I will tell you why donating is beneficial, how the Orange Penguin Foundation helps children with spinal muscular atrophy, and how I help the Orange Penguin.

Why I was disappointed, and then again began to believe in good

Today I am a volunteer fund Orange Penguin. But a few years ago I was ready to declare that I would no longer be involved in charity.

The foundation I started working with collected toys and clothes for orphanages in Belarus. Everything was great, my friends connected, we collected so much that my whole apartment looked like a warehouse. My happiness knew no bounds, because I understood that no child in need would be left without things.

I was not engaged in sending, only collecting. And when it came time to receive this package, the acquaintances who met her on the spot were, to put it mildly, surprised. Things turned out to be less in 5 than was collected. A similar situation repeated again. I despaired and decided that I would never do it again: it was difficult to prove that the orphans earn money, and I did not agree to participate in it.

I once saw on Facebook post from my friend. She wrote a book and said that she donates $5 from every book sold to the Orange Penguin Foundation. This fund has a strong reputation on social media. But due to the special specifics of the fund, I did not quite understand how exactly “Orange Penguin” works. I wrote to one of the fund’s representatives and offered my help.

I began to translate the stories of the children, who were helped by the foundation, from Russian into English. Without tears, reading these stories was impossible. These was a horror film in reality. But I decided that if my parents fight, then I also have no right to just leave.

Friends said: “These children are going to die anyway, what are you fighting for?”

So little by little, from the translation of stories, I moved on to the fact that I began to make small fundraising and attract people's attention to the fund.

Many friends did not support me, having organized it by saying that ... these children will die anyway, they say, what are you fighting for?

Spinal muscular atrophy of Verding-Hoffman. So the sentence of wards of our fund sounds. Yes, it is impossible to cure this disease. But it is possible to create conditions in which the child can be happy and develop, at home with a group of loving people.

Here, in America, kids with this disease are all getting insurance: equipment, medicines, a nurse. In the countries of the former USSR there is no such thing. Parents have to fight for the life of their own child. The Orange Penguin Foundation was created to help such families.

A distinctive feature of our foundation is that we do not send the collected money to families. With this money we buy the necessary equipment and ship it. We always make reports on each collection: how much was collected, what was bought with this money and where it was sent.

Photos from personal archive

• Belkyaviyaus Sasha is 3 years old, his diagnosis is spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The foundation collected money for a special stroller. Now the inquisitive and cheerful Sashka will be able to move around on his own, and not wait until he is carried somewhere in their arms. $4500 was raised for the necessary equipment for Sashulya.
• Lokaychuk Nastya 10 years. Nastya has a very severe form of cerebral palsy (CP). We bought a special chair so Nastya could sit by herself, a special tab in the stroller and another chair for the bathroom, because it is very hard to bathe the 10 baby for years, holding her hands. Now Mom and Nastya will be much easier. $ 1500 was collected.
• Shcherbakov Ruslan 9 years, he has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). We raised funds for the purchase of a special concentrator for a ventilator. He will help Ruslan breathe. $ 4500 was collected.

Photos from personal archive

It happens that we collect even more than is necessary, and then this money goes to the next child in line. But we have a long queue - and there are many children in need.

For 2016, $ 141 000 was donated to the foundation, which gave us the opportunity to help 96 kids! We are very grateful to everyone who helps us.

Often people come up with ideas, and together we create interesting events for which we collect money for the foundation. We hold jazz evenings, sales of books, a variety of master classes. Thus, we introduce people to our foundation and find new friends and associates.

Photos from personal archive

How does the USA support those who donate to the needy?

The law, which at the end of the tax year, when filling out the income statement, deduct the amount spent on charity. You can donate to non-profit organizations, communities, funds created for charitable, religious, educational, scientific purposes.

You can give to charity with the subsequent deduction from taxes money, property, real estate, securities. There is a detailed law description, how to determine the value of donated items.

Tax benefits may be one reason why 9 out of 10 US adults donate their money to charity. But, you see, the reason is not so important, the result is much more important.

According to Independent SectorIn 2016, each American family donated an average of $ 1 620 or 3.2% of their annual income. 95% of US residents donate money if they directly turn for help.

Saving one child will not change the world, but for one particular child, the world will change forever. The Orange Penguin Foundation helps children with spinal muscular atrophy, and I help the Orange Penguin. Let's do good together!

Read also on ForumDaily:

Charles Feeney: the man who gave $ 8 billion to charity

How the richest person in the world brings up their children

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.