The Season of Giving

Giving Tuesday 2019 has come and gone, with billions raised for charities across the world. I recently read an article on Barron's about a man who made a 1.1 million dollar donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. While he was participating in Giving Tuesday, he made the decision to donate that day for a more specific reason. The donor said he knew that "the organization was going to be able to leverage his generosity and be able to share that message with their donor population and the broader public."

It's stories like these that bring me so much happiness when sometimes the news seems to lack anything of that nature. He didn't donate for the recognition that he was philanthropic and so great, but because he knew that the recognition would mean more people would donate as well. I think this is a great lesson for other wealthy people who like to give, to proudly share with whatever audience you have that you are giving, so they will be more inclined to do the same.

Looking at this through the lens of public relations, charitable giving has long been used as a strategy for companies and wealthy individuals to show they care so that more people will use its goods or services, watch their show, whatever the end goal may be. I know personally I love it when I go to a restaurant and know part of my bill will go to a charity, or that every time I order through Amazon Smile I am giving to an organization I love and it builds trust with a company. I think that more organizations should promote what they do to give back, but also urge their clients to do the same through whatever platform they have to show that it's not just for the recognition.