Learning by Giving at Binghamton University 2019 edition

As many of you know, I am part of an organization local to my hometown called MadagascarConnect. Since this was the organization that I pitched and I do talk excessively about it, I’ll give a brief recap. MadagascarConnect is a program based out of Rhinebeck, New York that sponsors the travel of five student ambassadors to the island of Madagascar, biennially. The ambassadors work with several nonprofits local to the area, building connections and learning from leaders in the nonprofit sector. This blog post was inspired by Hannah’s comment on my last post regarding a phenomenon known as voluntourism. Voluntourism is a form of travel in which people participate in some form of volunteer activity, usually through a charity. Voluntourism has become a controversial topic in recent years; does it do more harm than help? Recently, I discovered an instagram account related to this topic. The account, called Barbie Savior, is a satirical account based on the downfalls of voluntourism. ...

Game Changers New York, Tomorrow, I will be speaking about an organization that is near and dear to my heart.   I have worked with Game Changers New York throughout my entire middle and high school experience and I cant wait to tell you all about this organization and the amazing philanthropic work it produces.   Last night, I had the pleasure of video chatting with Sara Blau, the founder and executive director of Game Changers New York as she gave me helpful insight and beneficial information regarding the organization.   Here is what Game Changers is all about: Game Changers New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in which its mission is to empower disadvantaged youth around the world by providing them the opportunity to become athletes. To achieve this goal, they donate collected sports equipment to children in need locally and globally. GCNY utilizes a multi-step process to achieve its goals. The process is set in motion with collecti...

Could you imagine living your life without knowing how to read? In Broome-Tioga counties, one out of five residents has a literacy problem that negatively affects their lives and 14% of the adult population cannot read at a 5th grade reading level. Without the ability to read, job opportunities are greatly restricted and simple tasks that people usually take for granted, like filling out a job application or reading a newspaper, are nearly impossible. In addition, there are many broader impacts of illiteracy that cause issues beyond the individual’s well being. Low literacy rates cost the United States $225 billion in reduced productivity and lost wages from unemployment. 90% of welfare recipients have subpar literacy levels and 60% of adult inmates are illiterate. Additionally, a child is twice as likely to be illiterate if their parent is illiterate. The Literacy Volunteers of Broome-Tioga Counties is a local organization that aims to assist adults in developing literacy...

It's always there, and only sometimes does it cooperate with us, but much too often do we forget how much we should appreciate it: our hair. Man or woman, our hair is often how we express ourselves, and is a large factor in our self-esteem. However, for those suffering through chemotherapy, or other illnesses that involve the loss of hair, this may not be the case. Hair loss in both males and females in associated with a drop in self-confidence and a loss in a sense of self. For those suffering through illness, these symptoms can bring additional hardship to an already tough situation. For children, however, this loss of confidence can be detrimental for their social development and emotional health. Thirty-five years ago, hairdresser Jeffrey Paul worried of this implication when his 15-year-old niece, Laura, was diagnosed with cancer, and thus, Wigs for Kids Inc. was started. Wigs for Kids is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to creating custom wigs at no cost to chi...

I know I can speak for just about everyone that the end of each semester is chaotic and stressful. Between final exams and papers, it is difficult to see the good things that have come out of the hard work. I’m talking about finally making a decision on which organization(s) will receive grants from our class. Reflecting back on this beginning of class, I remember thinking that I don’t love the idea of spending money that isn’t mine; I didn’t feel like I had any claim over where the money was going because we didn’t earn it or raise it like the graduate class. Now, I feel better about putting money towards an organization that we've vetted, discussed and voted on. In my other blog post, I wrote about what happens when the class’ decision and top choice doesn’t line up with my own. I feel pretty confident in the organizations I’ve narrowed my vote to (for the record, the American Civic Association and Truth Pharm). I think the handful of group projects we’ve had have let us discu...

Throughout our entire process this year, I never felt that I wanted to donate to Truth Pharm. I simply did not feel a connection to the organization or felt that this was the best place to donate our money. However, after our site visit, I felt a very emotional connection and desire to help Truth Pharm and I decided to reconsider. Before I explain the reasons why I believe they were able to change my mind, I will share information that I have gathered from reading a “classy.org” article titled  3 Psychological Triggers That Can Help You Win Donations . The first psychological trigger discussed was the “Identifiable Victim Effect.” This is done by focusing on individuals rather than statistics or larger groups. Deborah Small, a marketing professor conducted a study at the University of Pennsylvania together with her colleagues and she found that there is a significantly higher chance that people will donate based on their feelings and not logic. She suggests “introducing” possi...

The 21 st century has seen the rise of interest in renewable energy.   As the world has become more knowledgeable of the limited nature of many of Earth’s resources, the understanding of the importance of clean energy has expanded.   This lends itself to the promotion of new methods of generating power by many organizations and philanthropists in the current day.   One such organization is GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit organization based in California that was created in 2001.   This nonprofit organization focuses its work on both the availability of renewable energy and the efficiency of energy. The mission of GRID Alternatives is to “make renewable energy technology and job training accessible to underserved communities”.   This mission is significant to me for a number of reasons.   I appreciate that the nonprofit seeks to work toward long term goals.   The necessity of renewable energy is something that I believe will only i...