Posted in Triplett & Carothers on March 2, 2025
How do you get started in the world of philanthropy? An annual gift during the holiday season marks an opportunity to express gratitude and create impact. Your neighborhood may be the perfect candidate for your generosity. You would probably be pleased to support progress in the vicinity for those who live or work next door, with whom you interact personally, some of whom you may count as friends. These are the people who will benefit directly from local improvements to schools, libraries, parks or health care facilities.
Making and witnessing a difference
You can see firsthand how your money and efforts make a visible difference on your doorstep. Your donations can also go further in a small community. Although we would all like to vanquish poverty and disease everywhere, now might be an ideal time to “think global and act local.” In choosing your forever home for retirement, you have made a critical commitment to a specific place.
It need not only be a financial donation. Your time is valuable, too. There are multiple ways to participate while enjoying the collaboration of the entire neighborhood. You might consider taking part in neighborhood cleanups to make nearby streets look their best. There is usually a regular need for food drives and educational outreach, such as mentoring or tutoring programs. If your pre-retirement background included management or professional skills, you might draw upon them in community services requiring accounting, marketing or project management. Retirees who have extra time are often good candidates for board memberships.
The possibilities are wide. You could assist with food deliveries, animal shelters, community gardens or hospices. Or how about becoming a foster grandparent?
You can experience rapid gratification after giving by just looking around. It is satisfying to observe local business growth and revitalization. You and your neighbors together can start to enjoy the tangible realities of cleaner air and water, or the expansion of green spaces. Although it may take some patience, you may eventually be able to celebrate improved educational outcomes from local schools. Most exciting, in a tightly knit community especially, you might succeed in inspiring others in a ripple effect.
What goes around comes around
Your good deeds come back to repay themselves with interest. Whether their philanthropy is focused on the ‘hood or encompasses grander causes, retirees themselves directly benefit at a personal level. Their charitable activities help them preserve a sense of purpose, particularly when they can see results after they have left their jobs. They may relish the pride of simple accomplishment, along with the emotional satisfaction of being valued and appreciated in the community. Those who volunteer time may also maintain some professional identity associated with a former career.
Do not forget the tax benefits of charitable giving. It may be practical to work through a community foundation. These organizations facilitate and pool donations to support local programs and incorporate a range of grantmaking, from donor advisor funds and endowments to scholarships and giving circles. Staff members will often meet you one-on-one, get to know you and develop an individualized approach for you. They can partner with you to structure tax advantages applicable to 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
Finding local recipients
- Start by checking right outside your door — what are the challenges on your block, on your street or in your town?
- Ask friends which local causes they regularly support.
- Follow local news media, newspapers, TV and radio.
- Maybe you enjoy local history (like a town museum) or sports.
- Follow social media platforms such as Instagram or X.
- Search community boards, libraries, places of worship, city halls.
Leverage local knowledge and relationships, building from the bottom up. It is a chance to engage other donors and share collective enthusiasm. Visit nearby charities and ask questions freely. Meanwhile, look up some of these major online directories for local connections: Charity Navigator, America’s Charities, Candid (formerly Guide Star) or Charity Watch. Make sure their finances appear solid and that their activities align with your values.