Thinking with Your Heart: A Guide to Giving – Part 1

A special series to help you navigate the best ways to help right now.

April 15, 2020 was an unusual Tax Day for many of us; instead of filing and paying our taxes, we’re receiving money back from the government. By now, many direct deposits have been made, and paper checks are on the way for many others.

For those of us who are still working, but unsure of what comes next, it’s tempting to tuck this cash away for a rainy day; but the whole point of the stimulus is to immediately infuse money into the economy. With this in mind, those of us who are able should do our best to get those funds back out the door — what comes around, goes around.

One great way is to use the money to support local businesses, like our Herring Run Nursery, through purchases. As you make your spending decisions, consider that local nonprofits are also small businesses, and most of their income comes through donations, not traditional sales.

Right now my partner and I are planning how  to redistribute our stimulus checks. In addition to a gift to Blue Water Baltimore (yes, most of our staff are donors too) we’ve set aside some money for takeout from our favorite local restaurants, and we are using the rest to donate to some of the other organizations in town that are important to us. 

When choosing a nonprofit to support, I encourage you to think with your heart. If you could spend your day working for an organization, who would you choose to give your time to? Which organizations do you want to feel closest to? If you could achieve a vision for Baltimore, what would it be?* 

Stay tuned next week for more about how you can also think with your wallet and make the most of the new incentives for charitable giving this year. And thanks!

– Leanna

* P.S. I’d love to hear your answer in the comments!