The notion of charity and its types

The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver. The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas" [19].

Charitable giving is the act of giving money, goods or time to the unfortunate, either directly or by means of a charitable trust or other worthy cause. Charitable giving as a religious act or duty is referred to as almsgiving or alms. The name stems from the most obvious expression of the virtue of charity; giving the recipients of it the means they need to survive. The impoverished, particularly those widowed or orphaned, and the ailing or injured, are generally regarded as the proper recipients of charity. These people who cannot support themselves and lack outside means of support sometimes become 'beggars', directly soliciting aid from strangers encountered in public.

Some groups regard charity as being properly directed toward other members of their particular group. Although giving to those nearly connected to oneself is sometimes called charity — as in the saying "Charity begins at home" - normally charity denotes giving to those not related, with filial piety and like terms for supporting one's family and friends. Indeed, treating those related to the giver as if they were strangers in need of charity has led to the figure of speech "as cold as charity" - providing for one's relatives as if they were strangers, without affection.

Most forms of charity are concerned with providing basic necessities such as food, water, clothing, healthcare and shelter, but other actions may be performed as charity: visiting the imprisoned or the homebound, ransoming captives, educating orphans, even social movements. Donations to causes that benefit the unfortunate indirectly, such as donations to fund cancer research, are also charity.

With regards to religious aspects, the recipient of charity may offer to pray for the benefactor. In medieval Europe, it was customary to feast the poor at the funeral in return for their prayers for the deceased. Institutions may commemorate benefactors by displaying their names, up to naming buildings or even the institution itself after the benefactors. If the recipient makes material return of more than a token value, the transaction is normally not called charity.

In the past century, many charitable organizations have created a 'charitable model' in which donators give to conglomerates give to recipients. Examples of this include the Make a Wish Foundation and the World Wildlife Fund. Today some charities have modernized, and allow people to donate online, through websites such as Xperedon or Just Giving.

Institutions evolved to carry out the labor of assisting the poor, and these institutions, called charities, provide the bulk of charitable giving today, in terms of monetary value. These include orphanages, food banks, religious institutes dedicated to care of the poor, hospitals, organizations that visit the homebound and imprisoned, and many others. Such institutions allow those whose time or inclination does not lend themselves to directly care for the poor to enable others to do so, both by providing money for the work and supporting them while they do the work. Institutions can also attempt to more effectively sort out the actually needy from those who fraudulently claim charity [15; p. 268-272].

Charity is usually meant for the orphans, widows, sick, disabled, and the aged people who have no one to look after them. Charitable causes and charity can be of several types. Nonprofit charitable organizations can range from shelters for the homeless, organizations for disabled, monetary donations, programs for youth, volunteering, hospitals, donating resources, animal rights organizations, health care clinics, military groups, emergency relief organizations, and human right organizations.

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on non-profit and philanthropic goals as well as social well-being (e.g. charitable, educational, religious, or other activities serving the public interest or common good).

The legal definition of charitable organization (and of Charity) varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates. The regulation, tax treatment, and the way in which charity law affects charitable organizations also varies [14; p. 128-130].

Our attitude to charity has changed. Historically the big charity organizations were the banks for good causes, providing the essential infrastructure to collect and distribute funds to help others, as well as build awareness and generate revenue through their shops, fetes and charity balls. Then in the mid-80s everything changed.

As mainstream charities increasingly promote the same global issues – poverty, climate change, AIDS, child welfare, third world debt, war/natural crisis – the organizations behind the causes becomes less distinct. Corporate mistrust and the global financial crisis provide further challenges for charitable organizations [4; p. 211].

Types of charities

Since charities cover such a broad range of missions we’ve found it helpful to break them down into the 6 different types of charities. Most of these can then be broken down further into subgroups [13; p. 240-242].

Animal Charities

Who doesn't love animals? Well, these groups may all love animals but they don't all love each other. This particular type of charity can be broken down further into four distinct groups.

· Wildlife conservation organizations

· Pet and Animal Welfare Organizations

· Hunting & Fishing Conservation Groups

· Zoos and Aquariums

Environmental Charities

Environmental Charities focus on ways to promote preservation, appreciation, and sustainable development for the environment. The two primary subgroups for this type of charity are:

· Environmental Conservation & Protection

· Parks and Nature Centers

International NGOs

International NGOs (Non-governmental organizations) are typically charities that are headquartered in one country but work in other countries. In some cases they overlap with other types of charities.

· International Development NGOs

· Disaster Relief & Humanitarian NGOs

· Peace & Human Rights NGOs

· Conservation NGOs

· Child Sponsorship Organizations

Health Charities

Health charities cover everything from supporting and treating the sick and disabled, working on cures for diseases, and promoting public awareness of specific health risks.

· Disease & Disorder Charities

· Medical Services & Treatment

· Medical Research Charities

· Patient and Family Support Charities

Education Charities

Education charities serve students from every age group, pre-school to graduate school and beyond. Some serve as the educational institutions while focus on making education more accessible and effective.

· Private Elementary, Jr. High, and High Schools

· Universities and Colleges

· Scholarship and financial aid services

· School Reform and Experimental Education

· Support for students, teachers, and parents

Arts & Culture Charties

These types of charities help preserve artistic and cultural heritage as well as celebrate the arts and our history.

· Museums & Art Galleries

· Performing Arts

· Libraries & Historical Societies

· Public Broadcasting and Media

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1945