By Tim Blaylock, tblaylock@bgcop.org
December 31, 2006

According to the online Wikipedia, "Charity is a term in Christian theology, meaning loving kindness toward others; it is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit."

And the meaning of philanthropy "is the act of donating money, goods, time, or effort to support a charitable cause, usually over an extended period of time and in regard to a defined objective. In a more fundamental sense, philanthropy may encompass any altruistic activity which is intended to promote good or improve human quality of life."

A friend and philanthropist Phil Smart Sr. has told me that there are eight areas of pain that remain constant within the streets of any community in America, even in beautiful Ventura County.

These eight areas of pain are: the hurting, the hungry, the homeless, the unemployed, the drugged, the young, the old and the illiterate. Phil was born in 1919 and, for the past 42 years, has volunteered three hours a week at Children's Hospital in Seattle; not to mention, contributing to many other organizations.

Most of us like to help others and you don't have to go too far out of your way to give. In Ventura County, there our more than 2,500 nonprofit organizations, so we have many needs and opportunities to help.

I believe philanthropy is a long-term commitment and strategic way of giving, while charity is an immediate response of the heart. Both are good, but their investments in the future are very different.

Everybody knows Americans are big givers. However, there are some surprises. According to Arthur C. Brooks, author of a new book called "Who really cares?":

— Charitable giving plays a bigger role in the economy than is suggested by some $260 billion in annual contributions. Each dollar of giving appears to create $19 of extra national income.

— Americans donate their time as well as money — some $150 billion worth annually (measured by using an estimated average value of $18.04 per hour).

— Giving supports economic growth and actually creates prosperity. Many studies show that giving and volunteering improve physical health and happiness, and lead to better citizenship. In other words, we need to give for our own good.

— Upper-level-income people often give less than the working poor. Among Americans with above-average incomes who do not give charitably, a majority say that they "don't have enough money."

— Meanwhile, the working poor in America give a larger percentage of their incomes to charity than any other income group, including the middle class and rich.

— People who give money charitably are 43 percent more likely to say they are "very happy" than nongivers and 25 percent more likely than nongivers to say their health is excellent or very good.

— A religious person is 57 percent more likely than a secularist to help a homeless person.

What do you think might happen if each of us, all over Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura County, the United States and the world, gave a small piece of our time, our talents, our treasure, our energy, our courage, our empathy, our determination to one of those areas of pain? Well, in a very short period of time, I think we just might change the world.

If you are already a philanthropist, thank you. If not, please become one. You are needed and wanted. Be a strategic giver. Use your passion, leadership and influence for a cause of your choice in 2007. For information on opportunities to make an impact in our community, please contact me at tblaylock@bgcop.org or call 815-4959, ext. 203.

— Tim Blaylock is chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme.