Find Your Cause

When Katie McManus was 10 years old, she wanted a llama for the holidays. But she didn’t want the animal for herself. Katie decided to hold a fund-raiser for Heifer International. This nonprofit raises money to buy animals and farm essentials for families in need around the world. Families use these donations to grow or raise their own food. “There are suffering people in other countries. I want to make sure nobody goes to bed hungry,” says Katie. She raised $500, which beat her goal. It was enough to buy a cow for a family!  

About 30 percent of all charitable giving happens between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Charitable giving includes donating money to charities and individuals in need. “Many religions are celebrating major holidays around this time and put emphasis on doing good and helping others,” says Anna Pruitt. She’s an editor of Giving USA, an annual report that tracks charitable giving in the U.S.

When Katie McManus was 10 years old, she wanted a llama for the holidays. But she didn’t want the animal for herself. Katie decided to raise money for Heifer International. This nonprofit helps people around the world. The organization buys animals and farm supplies for families in need. People use the donations to produce their own food. “There are suffering people in other countries. I want to make sure nobody goes to bed hungry,” says Katie. She raised $500, which beat her goal. It was enough to buy a cow for a family!  

Donating money to charities and individuals in need is called charitable giving. About 30 percent of it happens between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. “Many religions are celebrating major holidays around this time,” says Anna Pruitt. She’s an editor of Giving USA, a yearly report on charitable giving in the U.S. “[They] put emphasis on doing good and helping others,” she says.

Charitable giving hit a record high of $410 billion in 2017. And most of that money was given by people like Katie. “It absolutely is individuals that drive giving and that constitute the bulk of charitable gifts,” says Pruitt. “That’s also why it’s so important for people to think about how they want to give back.” 

Donations to charity hit a record high in 2017. People gave $410 billion. And most of it was from people like Katie. “Individuals drive giving and constitute the bulk of charitable gifts,” says Pruitt. “That’s also why it’s so important for people to think about how they want to give back.” 

Giving to those in need is important, but it’s also important to approach charitable giving responsibly and respectfully, says Rebecca Riccio. She’s the director of the Social Impact Lab at Northwestern University. Riccio encourages people to find a cause they’re passionate about and support it year-round through volunteering in their community. “You should learn all of the different ways that people are working to address the issue,” she says.

Katie, now 12, hasn’t stopped thinking about ways to help the causes she cares about. “We should get involved in these things at an early age,” Katie says, “because then we learn to do them when we’re bigger.”

Giving to those in need is important. But people should approach it responsibly and respectfully, says Rebecca Riccio. She’s the director of the Social Impact Lab at Northwestern University. Riccio encourages people to find a cause they care about. She suggests supporting the cause year-round by volunteering in your community. “You should learn all of the different ways that people are working to address the issue,” she says.

Katie is now 12. She’s still thinking about ways to help the causes she cares about. “We should get involved in these things at an early age,” Katie says, “because then we learn to do them when we’re bigger.”