YO BRO IT’S ME LITTY

I’ve been giving some thought to the idea of partaking in a charitable cause. Occasionally, I will attend a fund raiser or donate a few bucks to a friend’s cause but neither really does much to elevate my own sense of altruism. I’ve been working tremendously hard over the last few months. I do this to reach my lofty goals of success, wealth and security. It would feel great to work on something where my success is somebody else’s gain (who needs it more than me).

I need to start something up. I’m really not sure exactly how I want to help the world though. Right now all I have are a few ideas and inclinations. I need a cause. I’ve always assumed I would do something to support Israel or help out distressed Jews in the world. But I’m not sure I want to limit who I can help based on a specific race or gender. I like the concept that America is the land of opportunity. Maybe I should provide opportunities for the underprivileged in our very own country. Finally, I truly believe that sports are a connecter in this world and that they are a source of pure, unadulterated joy for people everywhere. Perhaps my charity should allow people to enjoy sports.

There certainly are many different ways to make the world a better place. My friend Steve mentioned to me that he wants to figure out a way to give people free resume help so they can get new or better jobs. I like that idea. Some of my other friends are involved in social work, non-profit organizations or volunteer some of their time for a certain cause. All seem like good mitzvahs!

I probably want to start small and just get something going (the curse of the entrepreneur). I also want to do something where I can meet new people and hopefully see the positive effects of my work. I signed up and went through the training for Big Brother/Big Sister but have shied away from going through with it. While it is surely a great program, I want to do something that is more scalable in the future and can be better balanced between my personal life and professional career

I want to create an organization in which I can involve my friends, family and colleagues. I think their support and involvement would be crucial in motivating me. It would be great if I get to spend time with the people closest to me working on projects that will help others who need it. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to make my charity into a big social thing. I don’t really get those events that have fancy black tie affairs to support a random cause for which most people there don’t even know what it is. Believe me, next time I put my spare change in the tzedukah jar I’ll make sure my shekels aren’t going to PETA.

I know some of you are more accomplished and experienced when it comes to charity. I would love to hear how you first became involved in your cause and if you have any advice or recommendations for me.