Editorial of September 28, 2023

All in a Day’s Work

Philanthropy, which has long been defined as love for humankind, has been lurking in the minds of our civilization for at least 2,500 years. It was first written in the works of the Greek playwright, Aeschylus, but the combined concept of “philos” (loving) and “anthropos” (humankind) existed long before the invention of the written word. Indeed, from the first, civilizations around the world were built with the idea that empathy—caring for and understanding the needs of others—was critical to their shared survival and growth.

In the United States, philanthropy began in the thirteen colonies. In 1710, the Puritan theologian Cotton Mather wrote “Bonifacius: An Essay to Do Good,” which advocated philanthropic benefaction as a way of life. Later, Benjamin Franklin, influenced in part by Mather, motivated his fellow Philadelphians to contribute to projects for the betterment of the city: the police force, fire department, a hospital, the Philadelphia Academy (later the University of Pennsylvania) the American Philosophical Society. George Peabody endowed libraries and museums; Andrew Carnegie gave away 90 percent of his fortune; John D. Rockefeller gave away $530 million; and in the late 1940s, the Ford Foundation became the largest American philanthropical organization, promoting human rights and democracy abroad, helping poor nations increase their food production, and supporting research universities.

Today, as a nation and as a world, we are still philanthropic. In 2012, GivingTuesday, a global movement scheduled the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, was created to encourage people across the world to do good and help transform their communities and the world. The organization promotes the concept of “generosity not as a benevolence that the haves show to the have-nots but rather an expression of mutuality, solidarity and reciprocity.” GivingTuesday operates in 75 countries, each representing its own cultures and needs, and each mobilizing its donors around generosity and shared humanity. The first year GivingTuesday raised over $10.1 million; during the pandemic, in 2020, GivingTuesday raised $2.47 billion in the United States, with an additional $503 million raised on May 5 with GivingTuesdayNow. In 2021, that number went to $2.7 billion.

Last year, the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties launched Mohawk Valley Gives, a nonprofit giving day during which the residents of Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego, and Schoharie counties were invited, through social media, websites, and e-mail promotions, to donate to their favorite nonprofits, which include, among others, animal rights organizations, disability services, racial equity, education, arts and cultural institutions, emergency response teams, poverty and hunger concerns, and health and wellness programs. In 24 hours, Mohawk Valley Gives raised $630,000, and, with matches, challenges and other incentives, 100 percent of the participating organizations received a donation. In one day.

Last week the second Mohawk Valley Gives day came on Wednesday, September 20. This year, our own hardworking Community Foundation of Otsego County was involved with the giving program, working with Otsego County nonprofits, businesses, donors, board members, and community residents to raise money for the organizations and people of our county. In all, more than 255 nonprofits, 63 of them from Otsego County, were awarded $1,885,760—nearly triple the amount raised in 2022—given by 5,847 generous philanthropists, and the numbers are rising. Otsego County nonprofits pulled in $206,910. In one day.