Philanthropy by the Masses
A century ago philanthropic acts were primarily associated with names like Carnegie and Rockefeller. Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie gave most of his money to establish libraries and schools. Once considered the richest man in the world, oil industrialist John D. Rockefeller used
his vast fortune to benefit medical research, education and his church. More recently our community became the beneficiary of the largest gift given to any single charity at one time when the Joan Kroc’s $1.6 billion bequest to the Salvation Army built Coeur d’Alene’s Kroc Center.
Philanthropic acts are not limited to the likes of steel magnates, hamburger sellers or software-makers. In a December 2011 New York Times article, Olivier Zunz credits Christmas Seals with producing a revolution in philanthropy. First sold 104 years ago to combat tuberculosis, these inexpensive stamps gave the masses an opportunity to collectively attack a major disease. This movement raised funds and created awareness. The founders of the Christmas Seals program demonstrated the power of grass roots, and “mass philanthropy” took
off in a variety of fields. Today, multiple examples of collective philanthropy come to mind – March of Dimes, Easter Seals, and Red Cross disaster relief.
Through Women’s Gift Alliance our collective philanthropy accelerates what we can do for our community. We have become a part of a movement, and as our membership increases, imagine what our mass philanthropy can do in the future!