- Charity shouldn’t be compulsory, but you should be charitable.
- Financial contributions are often very helpful for nonprofits, but they’re not what they need the most.
A lot of good is done through the Giving Tuesday initiative. And the organizations who benefit from a surge of giving certainly aren’t going to turn their nose up at any support they may receive. Furthermore, an end-of-the-year reminder that prompts someone to offer up a contribution that might have tax benefits is ultimately a win-win.
Still, I stand by the two statements at the beginning of this article.
Charity shouldn’t be compulsory, but you should be charitable. I’ll address this from a different perspective: Christian doctrine does command giving to the church. However, the action of giving is what matters more than the gift itself. What is in focus is the attitude of the heart, not the sum in the plate.
The same principle applies to conservation nonprofits. Don’t feel like you have to give something on Giving Tuesday or any other day so that you can check off some box or keep up with the virtue signaling Joneses. Give because you want to. Give because you want to give back. Give because you believe in who you are giving to, what they are doing, or hopefully both.
Which leads me to the idea that financial contributions are often very helpful for nonprofits, but they’re not what they need the most. Nonprofits, especially conservation groups that generally rely on literal boots on the ground, need investors. Investment has a financial component, but true investment speaks, serves, and shares as much as it spends. Join a board. Go out into the field one weekend a month. Man a booth. Bring coffee, edit the newsletter, or leverage some other skill that you have. Cheerfully drop a few coins in the coffer, but do so on your way to something else.
All that said, give today if you are at all inclined. After you click the donate button (or maybe even drop the envelope in your mailbox) think about what your next step might be. You can, and should, go somewhere.
Although there are many worthy “fly fishing” nonprofits out there, I do have a recommendation if you want to give and/or get involved:
The Mayfly Project is a 501(c)(3) national organization that uses fly fishing as a catalyst to mentor and support children in foster care. The Mission of The Mayfly Project is to support children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity for foster children to have fun, build confidence, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors.
Want some stories from the men and women who serve kids in The Mayfly Project? Here are two interviews with mentors.