27. What do you donate to? #LifeWideLearning16@bhwilkoff
— Zac Chase (@MrChase) January 27, 2016
One of my favorite philanthropists is Hanna Hart. She is a youtuber that started the Have a Hart Day, which takes aim at the notion that you can only give with money. She believes that many young people should be giving their time rather than money, mostly because they have more of it to give. She organizes amazing meetups for her community and empowers each member to make their own contributions to making the world suck less.
I believe in the power of giving without the need to receive. And while it may not be as organized as Hanna, the most donation I do is of time to others who are stuck. I donate my time to those who need a resource and don’t have one. I donate my time to those who want to learn more. I donate my time and much effort to building communities online and in the real world.
Most concretely, I volunteer on a Board of Directors for our statewide education conference, Innovative Education Colorado. I take part in planning EdCamp Denver and other events that are not a part of any job description I have ever applied for. While I may get something back from these “donations” of time, I see so much more in the gatherings that are the result. When people come together of their own choosing and make things that didn’t exist before, they are connecting in ways that defy gravity. They are lifting one another up through learning experiences and relationships.
So, I guess I donate to learning. I donate to community. I donate to participation. I donate to curiosity. I donate to connection. I donate to people.
