When people talk about philanthropy, the first thing that comes to mind are wealthy people donating huge sums of money to organizations and causes that they care about. For example, philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates through their foundation support numerous charitable organizations. This high-profile couple is well-known for their philanthropy.
However, lesser-known and not-as-wealthy philanthropists live among us. Many good-hearted people give of themselves by donating their time through volunteerism as well as donating money to local charitable causes. The definition of philanthropy is the "altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to needy persons and by generosity to other socially useful purposes."
This past week, the Morgan Hill Community Foundation with co-sponsor Pacific Gas & Electric hosted their 4th annual Philanthropy Day Luncheon to honor such philanthropists in our community. More than 120 individuals attended the luncheon, recognizing the tremendous philanthropic contributions of time and resources from representatives in 20 different non-profit organizations.
Each organization nominated their own Philanthropist of the Year as a way of honoring the hours and dollars that it takes to keep their nonprofits operating. This year's theme was "The Magic of Giving."
Giving comes in many forms. The magic of giving happens when a gift is reciprocated and the giver unexpectedly receives something in return. Sometimes the giver receives a smile, a handshake, a warm feeling. When this occurs, the giver feels rewarded for the time, money, and effort he has given and is encouraged to continue to give.
A few years ago, the Morgan Hill Community Foundation received a grant application from the Emergency Housing Consortium at the Baccardo Center in San Martin. The application requested funds to purchases supplies and materials for the Artistic Heritage Project, which was a series of art classes to teach parents and children at the center how to create ornamental flowers out of bread dough, glue, and dye.
The grant application stated that these families were under stress as they worked through the issues that brought them into transitional housing. The stress and burdens of life were heavy upon them as they worked to move into something more permanent. The project provided an opportunity for adults and children to work together to create art. More importantly, the project provided an opportunity for families to spend time together without worrying about their uncertain future. The grant committee accepted their application and awarded the funds to the Artistic Heritage Project.
A month later a group of us went to the center to deliver the check to the director of the program. The event was supposed to be a simple photo opportunity. As we assembled in front to take a picture, a couple of kids overheard who we were and why we were there, and the news spread quickly throughout the center.
The next thing we knew, parents and their children were bringing out handcrafted flowers that they had made during previous classes. They gathered in the main office to proudly display their work. They happily demonstrated how the flowers were created. We were amazed at the wide variety of flowers, the vivid colors, and the level of detail they used. It was hard to believe that these creative works of art were made from bread dough, glue, and dye.
After the demonstration, these humble artists gently placed their handmade flowers in paper bags and gave them to us. We tried to refuse, but they insisted we take them, thanking us for donating to the center.
As we left with the gifts, a board member of the foundation turned to me and said, "This is what it's all about - making a real impact on the lives in our community."
The magic of giving happened. For a few brief moments, families forgot about their troubles and together learned to create something beautiful with simple supplies. The final product was not important, although the flowers were lovely. Their stress-free time spent together was a gift to them, and the flowers given back to us were a thank you to the foundation and to the donors who made that gift possible.
At the 4th annual Philanthropy Day luncheon, many of the guests had similar experiences with the magic of giving. It's the unexpected thrill that has so many volunteers and philanthropists in our community continuing to give of themselves every day.
Mario Banuelos has lived in Morgan Hill for 19 years. He has served on the south County Dayworker Committee and is a member of the Morgan Hill Community Foundation. He is married and has four children.
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