|
Last year (2010),
your support helped over 7000 people.
Thank you.
|  |
|
On My Mind
Dom's Wanderings
|  |
Many of you are so gracious with your gifts. I'm embarrassed to say I was almost thirty before I had my donate-now- AHA!-moment. As I look back, it's hard to believe that it took so long for me to understand that no money means no mission.
As a young adult, I worked for a nonprofit for peanuts, but I had some discretionary income. I tithed to the parish and contributed to my alumni fund. (Religious organizations and educational foundations received 49% of the $290 billion dollars Americans donated last year.) But, it never occurred to me that the nonprofits that shared my values - human service agencies like NYCID - needed cash to deliver the services that people need. I thought volunteering was good enough. So, I've been really intrigued by the Bach family.
Henry and his older sister Madelyn, ages 9 and 10, love participating in our after school program at P.S. 30. Their parents brought them to our June fundraiser event and they both chose to give to NYCID in different ways. They are young philanthropists in the making.
How do you raise children who empathize with those in need? How do you teach them to think about what's important to them and to financially support the services they care about?
This month, the Bach family shares how they have cultivated that caring. We've also included some advice and links that might help you talk with your children or grandchildren about your giving.
You can make a gift as a family or help them choose a place to give where their gift will benefit someone or something they especially care about. Empathy and philanthropy are traits that develop early.
Enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving. It's a great time to begin a discussion about a family gift to an organization doing work you care about. I thank you for all your gifts - past, present and future.
All the best,
Dominick J. Brancato
Executive Director
P.S. Of course, I hope you'll choose to make a tax-deductible year-end contribution to NYCID. You can read about how your contribution will help here.
|
Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King talk about giving "But history will judge you, and as the years pass, you will ultimately judge yourself, in the extent to which you have used your gifts and talents to lighten and enrich the lives of your fellow men. In your hands lies the future of your world and the fulfillment of the best qualities of your own spirit." -- Robert F. Kennedy
"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" -- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
|
NYCID
in the News!
Young Adult Literacy initiative aims to help poorly performing Staten Island students
According to the National Research Council, the educational careers of 25 to 40 percent of American children are imperiled because they don't read well enough, quickly enough or easily enough.
NYCID's Achievement in Career and Education (ACE) Program is fighting to lower those statistics with its fledgling Young Adult Literacy Program. The initiative aims to improve the poorest students' reading skills and create paths to literacy success. Read the article about ACE that recently appeared in the Staten Island Advance here. |
|
Who will your contribution help?
- The children whose lives are enriched through our after-school programs
- The adolescents and young adults you help stay in school, earn degrees, and become successful employees
- Your neighbors and others who need help resolving conflicts themselves rather than going to court
- The children who need to be kept safe through our supervised visitation program.
Thank you.
|
|
|
|
|
Exchange Online - November 2011
|
|
Greetings!
Thanksgiving kicks off our year-end giving campaign. We thought you would enjoy reading about two of our youngest donors. I believe you'll find the article about the Bach family both entertaining and instructive.
I chuckled when I read Henry's and Madelyn's comments about what moved them to donate and what they hope their gifts will accomplish. You won't find them worrying about tax deductions and matching gifts; after all, they are only nine and ten years old.
We are forever grateful for your support. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
-- The editor
|
Raising Young Philanthropists: The Bach Family
Nine-year-old Henry Bach (who participates in our After-School Enrichment Program at P.S. 30 along with his sister Madelyn) pledged $100 to NYCID at our Annual Benefit this past June.
We were so impressed with both Henry and his sister Madelyn's generosity that we asked them, and their father Ken, to share their stories with us. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation. You will find the full version on our blog.
How old are you & what grade are you in, Henry? I'm nine and I'm in fourth grade.
 | |
Ken & Henry Bach
|
How did you raise the [$100] you donated? I've made lemonade stands with my sister and I save my birthday money. If my dad offers me $5 to spend at the dollar store, I usually only spend one or two.
Why did you want to donate? I wanted to donate because my dad works with people at NYCID and it helps my school. It helps me make friends in the programs. I want to compliment Dominick and the man from Camelot on how nice they were.
What do you hope the money you donated will accomplish? I hope the money makes more programs to help more people and make them happy. I hope it keeps people out of hobo shelters. Giving the money makes me a better person.
 | |
Madelyn Bach
|
Madelyn made the winning bid on the silent auction item for a party at the Staten Island Zoo
How old are you & what grade are you in? I am ten years old and I'm in fifth grade.
How did you raise the money to bid on the Staten Island Zoo party? My friend and I sold lemonade from her front yard to the neighborhood and some really annoying and gross kids. But money is money! I also save my money from my birthday.
Why did you want to donate? What inspired you to want to give to NYCID? I donated money because I wanted to help support the program and help families in trouble and because I really wanted a Zoo party.
What do you hope the money you donated will accomplish? I hope the money I donated can help people.
Their father, Ken Bach, shares his perspective
How did you teach your children about charitable giving? Children are amazing. They learn from every clue around them.
Through Rotary, I have been giving back to the community for many years. My children ask about Rotary and where I am going. I always tell them, "I am going out to change the world!" Later, as we drive around the island, I show them where we've served holiday meals to the homeless, where we assembled turkey baskets and the neighborhoods we deliver to, and the parks that we help maintain. This year, they are both eager to join me on these projects.
Often we get, "Why do we need a baby-sitter again tonight?" Our frequent response - "Because Mommy and Daddy are going to a fundraiser." We let them know the goal - to help raise scholarships for smart students who can't afford college or the local Boy Scout troop or children with autism. When they heard we were attending the NYCID event, and that it was the organization that ran the After-School Programs that touched their lives, there was no keeping them away.
Is this the first time they've made charitable contributions? Henry and Madelyn have a long history of compassion and giving back. [Be sure to read some examples of other things the Bach children have done here.]
Were you surprised by Madelyn & Henry's contributions at our benefit? I was surprised at how comfortable they felt at the event, and that Henry actually chose to wear a button down shirt without being asked. Madelyn was intrigued by the silent auction items. We approved her bid amount and she was amazed she won. And yes, I was shocked by Henry raising his hand at the $1,000 challenge request, amused at his persistence down the scale, and proud of his $100 contribution. They still talk about the event, further spreading the culture of giving with their friends.
To learn more about Henry and Madelyn, read the full article here.
|
Are You Doing the Right Things
To Instill Giving in Your Children and Grandchildren?
Here are 10 things "giving teens" say their parents do frequently that influences them to give.
When it comes to raising philanthropic kids, how do we know what works? The Pearson Foundation surveyed a national sample of parents and teens to connect the dots between daily parenting practices and raising children who become charitable, "giving" teenagers. The definition used for "teen givers" - teens who volunteer frequently and (at least once a week) help raise money for a cause, donate money to a cause, or help bring people together for a cause.
Raising "giving" children begins long before adolescence, but the survey focused on teens because they can easily articulate what their parents have done to influence their giving.
This top ten list of basic parenting practices emerged as what differentiates "giving teens" from "non-giving" teens. "Giving teens" report their parents did the following on a frequent basis:
- Explained how I can help other people by my actions.
- Encouraged me to speak up in family discussions.
- Spoke to me about the volunteering and charity they do.
- Supported me on things I cared about.
- Told me why they were proud when I did good things.
- Encouraged me to be my own person.
- Set goals for me to achieve.
- Spoke to me about the way my actions made other people feel.
- Taught me to always consider other people's views.
- Explained the importance of giving to others.
The survey results showed that children benefit not only because they see that their parents give, but also because their parents explain why they give and how giving has an impact on the lives of others. You can read the full, but short, report here.
|
|
Do You Need a Simple Road Map for Making a Family Gift This Year?
Here are the steps that many families follow during the holiday season.
- Brainstorm: Set aside an hour together to brainstorm a list of concerns, people, issues, causes, or organizations that family members care about. Talk about how much you will give. Where will the money come from? Does your employer offer a matching gift? Set a time for making a decision.
- Research the list and narrow down the choices - do the research together or have everyone volunteer to research their favorite. What will the organization use the money for?
- Discuss: Set aside another hour to discuss what everyone learned. Have each person speak about who they think should receive the family donation.
- Decide: Aim for consensus; take a vote if you can't reach consensus.
- Ask the children to write a note to accompany your gift describing why your family selected the recipient.
- Modify this approach for year-round giving - birthdays, Mother's and Father's Day, and other special occasions. Encourage raising/saving money to share.
For information on what children of different ages understand about philanthropy, use this resource: Your Child's Growth in Understanding Philanthropy from LearningtoGive.org or visit our blog for a list of additional resources.
|
| News in Brief
Job Opening: We're looking for an Assistant Director for our ACE Program. Read more about this and other NYCID job openings here. Pass them along to others.
After school programs: Need a safe, fun place for your children after school? Enrollment is currently underway. For more info, contact Ivy Bilotti or Robert Busan.
Help us connect with young adults who can benefit from a second chance.
- Know a young person who needs a job and likes caring for people who need help? Our ACE Program is currently offering a free, 12-week Certified Nursing Assistant training for eligible students. Read more here.
- Know a student in danger of dropping out that is 17 ½ - 21 years of age and has at least 17 credits? The Staten Island Young Adult Borough Center can help them make up their credits and earn a traditional high school diploma. For more information, contact Program Director Michael DeVito at (718) 947-4065.
- Olympus Academy currently has space available for Brooklyn students, 16 - 21 years old, who have fallen behind in credits. If you know someone that's interested, please tell them to call (718) 272-1926, ext. 1153 or 1158.
|
|
|
|
|
