Helping the Poor

4. Support a Cause

By supporting a cause you believe in, you are lending your voice to those who don’t have theirs. The more people rally behind a certain cause, the more awareness it will create. And that awareness can lead to a change in government policies or society’s view of a certain issue. In short, it can change lives.

5. Smile

Don’t ever underestimate the power of a smile. It may cost you nothing but it can mean everything to the person on the receiving end of that smile. It can brighten someone’s day and bring good cheer to those who need it the most.

6. Say Thank You

Just like a smile, a simple thank you can make a difference in someone’s day. After all, wouldn’t you like it when your efforts get appreciated once in a while?

7. Ask How You Can Help

Some people, no matter how desperate their situations are, won’t ask for help. It’s either they’re too shy or they’ve been betrayed before that they’re having a hard time trusting others. So make the first step. Ask them how you can help but don’t stop there. Really help them like you intend to. So they won’t hesitate to speak up the next time they need help.

8. Listen

Sometimes, people don’t need anything other than someone who will listen to them without judgment. Be that someone. Help people by lending your ear. Just listen, don’t interrupt, and keep an open mind. Let them get it all out – their frustrations, heartaches, and troubles. It won’t only make them feel better but you might also learn a thing or two.

9. Teach

For some, learning a new skill can mean a better life. Like when a single mother learns how to bake and earns extra income for the family. Or when someone learns a new language and went on to get a scholarship abroad. So whatever skills or knowledge you have, don’t hesitate to pass it on. Who knows, that skill you have right now could be the key to changing someone’s life.

10. Give an Honest Feedback

Most people consider giving honest feedback as too “brutal”. We’re so afraid of hurting someone, especially if that person is close to us. So instead of telling them what we really think, we tell them what they want to hear.

But giving an honest feedback is helping in itself. As long as your intention is to help and not to bash, there’s nothing wrong with giving constructive criticism. So don’t be afraid to let people know what you really think. They might hate you but it will help them become better at what they do. And that’s all that matters.

Comfort

Comforting others when you are going through a tough time yourself might sound difficult. But there is no better person to comfort others than someone who knows what it feels to be in a dark place.

Most of the time, we underestimate the power of a few comforting words. But to someone who’s in a difficult situation, it can leave a profound and unique impression. It puts things into perspective and eases their suffering, even just for a bit.

This is what God wants us to do. He comforts us in our suffering so we too can comfort others. In fact, in his epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul said:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.  (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

Understand

Being in a bad place ourselves helps us understand better why people do what they do. And with that understanding comes compassion.

Most of the time, we judge people without knowing where they’re coming from or what they’re going through. Admit it or not, we tend to stereotype others just because of how they look, sound, and act.

It’s just like how most people see the homeless as vagabonds who are too lazy to work. Yet, very few would bother to ask why they became homeless.

But if you’ve been in their shoes, you’ll understand. Your prejudices will be shattered, leaving only compassion and empathy.

Inspire

When we see someone who triumphs despite the adversities, we feel encouraged. It gives us a sense of assurance that we too can overcome ours.

This is one of the ways you can use your trial to help others. Your success can inspire and encourage them to keep on fighting. For people who are going through so much, that little bit of inspiration can go a long way. It gives them hope and the motivation to get themselves out of the bad place they’re in.

So go ahead. Conquer your problems and inspire the world.

Eventually, she founded the Missionaries of Charity. In her words, the foundation shall care for:

“the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone”

She also opened several hospices, soup kitchens, women shelters as well as orphanages. Her foundation also maintained leper hospitals as well as a home for the dying.

Besides her work in India, Mother Teresa was also known for her international charities. She rescued children in war zones, visited earthquake victims, and helped Chernobyl victims.

Though she’s long gone, Mother Teresa’s foundation continued to flourish. Today, it is helping change the lives of millions of people in several countries.

4. Oskar Schindler

In many humanitarian lists, you’d rarely see Oskar Schindler’s name. Yet without him, many famous people of Jewish descent wouldn’t have been born.

During the Nazi Regime, Schindler had a factory in Poland. As a German-born industrialist, he initially supported the Nazis. But when he saw the atrocities they were doing, Oskar decided to save the Jews in his employ.

He bribed officials with liquor and other luxury items. By doing so, he ensured that his workers are saved from the horrible fate that befell most Jewish people at Nazi work camps. Historians estimate that he saved about 1,100 people.

At the end of the war, Schindler had spent most of his fortune on bribes. He and his wife, with the help of the Jewish families he saved, fled to Argentina.

Having tried his hands at several businesses and failed, Schindler died penniless. But he became the first Nazi member to be buried at Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. His humanitarian efforts may not have been recognized during his lifetime, but it changed the lives of many Jewish families for generations.

5. Elizabeth Fry

Prison is an undoubtedly tough place. But centuries ago, it was much worse. Fortunately, a Quaker woman named Elizabeth Fry intervened.

Born in 1780, Elizabeth Fry lived at a time when women didn’t have many rights and prisoners much less. When she visited a Newgate Prison in 1812, Fry was appalled at what she saw.

The prison housed both men and women in overcrowded cells. Suffice to say, the living conditions there weren’t fit for human habitation. Fry felt that this squalid and unsanitary conditions caused bad health and fighting among inmates.

The visit left such a deep impression on her that she dedicated her life to improving prison conditions.

Writing about it, Fry concluded that the prison system did nothing other than punishing the prisoners. She wanted to reform the prison system so that inmates can easily reintegrate back into society. Looking back, her ideas became the basis for the modern prison system we have today.

Aside from bringing clean clothes and food to prisoners, she also encouraged other ladies to visit the prison. She even wrote a book that exposes the horrid conditions in British prisons.

Eventually, her efforts paid off. She gained the support of people like Queen Victoria and Frederick William IV of Prussia. This helped her convince parliament to pass the Gaol Act of 1823.

But as a woman, her humanitarian work also became a weapon for her critics. She was often criticized for neglecting her role as a mother and wife. Lucky for us, she persevered and left one of the greatest legacies in criminal justice reform.

While “wants” refer to lifestyle choices. This includes eating out, vacation, entertainment, gym fees, hobbies, and even cable packages. These are things you can live without but you spend on it because you can afford to.

Savings, on the other hand, refer to long-term investments and extra payments to debts (if any). It does not include short-term savings that are geared for a specific purpose, like a vacation or a new phone. That belongs to the “wants” category.

So which category does charity giving fall into?

Well, you can live without donating to charity. So, clearly, it doesn’t count as a need. You can’t consider it as a long-term savings either. This only leaves the “wants” category.

We’re not saying that you allocate 30% of your income to charity (though it’s not a bad idea). You can just squeeze it into your budget by giving up some of your lifestyle expenses.

For example, instead of eating out once a week, you can trim it down to just once a month. Or instead of splurging out on an expensive trip to Europe, you can just visit local tourist destinations. Use the money you saved and give it to charity.

Besides, giving is much more meaningful if you sacrificed for it. If forgoing simple luxuries can help feed a needy family for a day or a week, then it’s more than worth the inconvenience.

How Often Should You Give To Charity?

Again, giving to charity is a personal choice. There is no law that requires you to donate to the poor. That means that how often you make a donation depends entirely on your generosity.

But a “generous donation” may differ for each person. For the average worker, making a $100 donation per month is already generous. It can mean not having to eat out or going to the movies. Meaning, they’re making a sacrifice to be able to make a donation.

While for billionaires, a generous amount can be in the seven figures. Take J.K. Rowling for example. She lost her billionaire status after donating about $160 million to charitable organizations. It may not be that much for her but it still made a significant dent in her bank account.

If you really want to make a generous donation, give as much and as often as you can. Take note: as you can. You don’t have to skip paying your bills or skip a meal just to give to charity. Besides, the bible says that God loves a cheerful giver. So as long as you give out of goodwill and not just because you want to look good, any amount is generous.