Why do people part ways with their hard-earned money to help others? Is it because it’s the right thing to do? Is it part of their beliefs to help those who are in need? Is it to help victims of natural disasters or terrible diseases that have been financially wiped out and have nowhere else to turn? Or is it just part of a culture to share the wealth? In many cases, it can be for all those reasons, but there’s also a physical and mental health benefit to giving to others.
A 2017 report from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute found people are happier overall when they give to others and the more they do or give, the happier they tend to be.
In fact, the science behind several studies shows giving money or volunteering time activates parts of the brain that secrete serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, increasing feelings of pleasure, trust, and positive relationships with others. In other words, giving just makes people feel good. Giving to others provides a sense of satisfaction, making one feel they have a larger purpose. It also builds a level of gratitude, not just for the recipient of the gift, but for the person giving because it instills a sense of thankfulness when they see how fortunate they are versus how little others may have.
In many cases, the givers don’t even have a direct connection to the recipient. Crowdfunding campaigns like Kickstarter and GoFundMe generate approximately $17 billion annually in North America, and 63 million Americans volunteer close to 8 billion hours of their time to nonprofits each year.
The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is an immense fundraising effort that allows people to choose from hundreds of nonprofits and charities that need help or to give in honor of someone they lost or who is fighting a debilitating disease. From animal rescues to cancer research, and saving the environment to helping disaster relief efforts, donations can be a one-time gift or an annual contribution collected monthly.
Read more: CFC urges donors to contribute to charities during coronavirus
To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the CFC’s theme this year is that anyone can be “the face of change.” Elyse Sparks Jackson works for the Social Security Administration and contributes through the CFC to No Hungry Kids and the American Indian Cancer Foundation because she says that no child should ever go hungry or not be able to enjoy food.
“American Indians, the natives of this country are often overlooked for everything, medical needs included,” she said. “Both of these charities are ones that help to care for those who are often forgotten about at their most trying times to continue survival and living. If one cannot serve, then one cannot lead. We are a village, and it takes a village to care for one another.”
Are you ready to be the face of change, make an impact, and feel good about it in the process? Find a nonprofit or charity and do something good for someone else — and your mental and physical health — simultaneously.
Learn more about the Combined Federal Campaign.
This story was written by Barrett Baker
