We were honored to hear from fellow Rotarian Karen Hrdlicka at our June 21st meeting. Karen provided the following recap of her presentation which can also be viewed by clicking here or copy and paste this link in your browser https://youtu.be/YlcOvuL6rsk
Here is a recap she provided:
The word “philanthropy” simply means “love of mankind”. Paul Harris started Rotary in 1905 so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Now it is also an organization that seeks to solve complex humanitarian problems both globally and locally. Certainly a way to “love mankind”. As you know, Rotary International is intentional in how they achieve results. Shouldn’t you follow that example by being intentional about how you love your community?
The 4 T’s of Philanthropy is simply a framework that allows you to intentionally think about the way you show up in the community around an issue you are passionate about. If every person found a cause and was intentional about how they affected that issue, we could make a real difference in the world. The 4 T’s are:
- Time
- Treasure
- Talent
- Ties
Our very own Virginia Wojno-Forney is a great example. Last week she was honored by the Women’s History Project with the Imagination Award. Her passion is preservation. She gave her time volunteering with Progress through Preservation. She used her treasure by giving her own money to preservation projects in our community. She used her talent of vision to help envision a run down urban area into Cascade Lock Park and other projects. She used her ties with the GAR Foundation, city institutions and volunteers to achieve preservation goals. By using all 4 of her T’s towards a goal of preserving history and beautifying our community she produced real results.
Consider how you can be intentional as well. What are you passionate about? Where do you want to make a difference in the world? What change do you want to make in the community?
Time Find a nonprofit organization that is working in that area and sign up to be a volunteer. According to a study done by Volunteer Hub the value you bring to that organization as a volunteer is $28.54 an hour. In return a Cleveland Clinic study showed that when you volunteer you get a health benefit by strengthening your body, improving your mood and lessening your stress. 96% of volunteers reported the action enriched their sense of purpose in life. In Ohio, 33.2% of citizens 18 years and older volunteer. Imagine the difference it would make if we could increase that to even 40%.
Treasure Donate to that nonprofit. Many people have non-cash items (i.e. appreciated stocks, IRAs required minimum distributions, cryptocurrency, etc.) that can be donated through a donor advised or endowment fund at a community foundation and liquidated to give to nonprofits. Don’t forget to check if your company has a matching donation program. It is estimated that between $4-$10 billion is left on the table each year from corporate matching gift programs.
Talent Nonprofits are constrained in terms of the staff they can afford. Giving talent leverages specific skills. Board service is a great way to support a nonprofit organization you are passionate about. However, if that is not available or conducive to your schedule, consider project based work like setting up computer systems, social media management, or any other project that you are skilled to perform and the nonprofit needs.
Ties This is probably the easiest one of all, but no one thinks about it as an intentional step. As Rotarians we get how important networking is and this is just connecting it to a nonprofit. When you volunteer, bring along a friend. When you have to say “no” consider saying “no, but let me introduce you to…”. When you see a nonprofits social media post, share it and tell others why you love that nonprofit.
The Akron Community Foundation opened the Center for Family Philanthropy for the very reason of getting more people involved in supporting the nonprofits in Summit and Medina counties. If you are passionate about changing something in the world, our doors are open to help you think about how you can make a difference. And Karen Hrdlicka, as a fellow Rotarian, is always willing to take your call or have coffee to help you be more intentional in how you show up in the world and make a difference.
Respectfully,
  | Karen Hrdlicka Director, The Center for Family Philanthropy Akron Community Foundation 345 W. Cedar St., Akron, OH 44307 330-436-5640 | www.akroncf.org |
