My Giving Moments (Will YOU Dare 2 Give too?)

This is a sponsored post for the Dare 2 Give campaign. I’m sharing my memories of giving moments, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Throughout my childhood, I observed as my parents gave generously of their time, talents and money. We regularly helped out at church. My dad and my brothers ushered, I helped put up overheads during music time, and Mom sang on the music team. She also helped cook for all the pastors who came for our church’s annual week-long seminar. And, of course, they dropped a donation envelope in the offering plate every month.

When I was in my teens, we started biking a lot and even did some long-distance rides. My mom, a friend of mine and I rode 150 km one day, just for fun. A couple years in a row, Mom and I rode our bikes to raise money for a charity. While I didn’t really like asking people to sponsor us, I saw that a lot of people did sponsor us just because we asked them. Later, we sponsored others who did walks or runs for other causes.

My parents’ example of giving inspired me to start donating my own money when I started working, and to keep giving my own time as I grew up. While I regularly supported some favourite charities, I often found myself giving simply because I was asked to give. A friend was doing something to support their charity. One of the charities I supported sent me a letter, entreating more support. Or someone at the mall asked for a few dollars to help buy a meal.

Why Do You Give?

Research shows that one of the main reasons people decide to give is simply because someone asked. We can get busy in our daily lives and forget that there are others around us who need help. And giving doesn’t have to be something huge. My husband and I have had a tight budget while we’ve been in school during the past few years, but we’ve still volunteered our time to help out whenever we are able to. We’ve had many friends help us out, in often small yet meaningful ways, like the friends who dropped off meals for us after Jade was born.

Imagine what a better place Canada would be if we all helped out more often and gave more generously. Imagine what would happen if each of us challenged one other person to donate or volunteer along with us. That’s exactly what My Giving Moment is doing with Dare 2 Give.

By daring someone to give with you, you’ll also have the chance to double your giving impact. Daring someone is an effective way to ask someone to give with you and will help to make Canada a more giving nation.

I’m daring YOU, my readers, to give with me this month! What’s something you can do to give back to your church, your community, or your country? Please Dare 2 Give and encourage others to do so too!

Some Ways to Dare 2 Give:

• donate clothes the girls or I no longer need to our local thrift stores, pregnancy care centre, or women’s shelter
• donate books I’ve read for review and don’t plan to read again to my local library or church book sales
• use my social media channels to spread good news and support my favourite charities
• help friends clean or pack when they’re moving (as friends have done for us!)
• drop off meals for a friend who is sick or recently had a new baby
• give our bottles and cans to support a charity bottle drive
• attend church functions and/or volunteer to help out during special events there
• volunteer at your child’s school

What are you waiting for? Dare 2 Give today!

Although this post has been generously sponsored by Rideau Hall Foundation, the opinions and language are my own, and in no way do they reflect Rideau Hall Foundation.