Youth Philanthropy

Can someone be a philanthropist if they're no better than the people that they're helping? That's the question today folks.

Philanthropy is the generosity to improve all people's lives by helping them. Typically this is a financial aid. Typically, the biggest philanthropists are also extremely affluent. My school has a project for all grade 10's in which they have to act as philanthropists and help a local charity. The group that can present their charity the best will win $5,000 to donate to the charity. This made me wonder, what types of people can qualify to be a "philanthropist"? By dropping 5 cents to a homeless man, does that make me a philanthropist? Being a teenager, I am not financially independent yet and neither is the homeless man. Wouldn't it be better for me to keep my money/resources and work hard to earn a living so I can give significant financial aid than to try to give small help when I myself cannot provide for myself? By trying to help when I am not independent, doesn't that hinder my possibility to give a large donation in the future?

So my opinion now. $20 isn't going to completely poop on my life and ruin my future or anything so giving like that is reasonable for anyone to do. But a project like the one presented at my school where it can cause time conflicts, forcing you to choose between commitments. If I chose to stop playing Basketball or something so I have more time to be a "philanthropist", that would have a significant impact on my own life, closing a door of opportunity. To keep this short, I think philanthropy should be more focused on sharing one's wealth, not voiding your own to give to another.

So based off of that, I don't think kids can be counted as "philanthropists" but they can donate or give back to the community. A philanthropist is someone who is able on their own and has decided to share their own wealth.