Everyone likes to think that they are charitable on some level, but people often don't see how the business world can engage in philanthropy. In fact, there is a long tradition of businesses being bases for charitable giving, and some of the richest people in the world have endowed billions of dollars to charities across the last few hundred years. Being a local business, you are often expected to take part in community goings-on because your customer base associates you with this community and refusing to take part or isolating yourself can hurt your exposure. Here is a case study on a charity and how sponsoring them can benefit both you and them.
Literacy Program
Most people take reading and writing for granted, but for a select few unfortunate children, it can be a monolithic task due to a variety of mental and physical disabilities. It is almost impossible to live in a modern world being illiterate, and considering they are already at a disadvantage, these children need as much help as possible to get their life started properly. One special literacy program helps these kids learn to read with the use of specially trained dogs who comfort them and encourage them to keep going. Many children instinctively respond better to dogs than human teachers, and so sponsoring a dog or the charity directly can have a dramatic impact on these kids for life.
How Does It Benefit Us?
Charitable giving will always be more focused on helping the charity you are donating to, but there are some fringe benefits to your philanthropy. First of all, it makes you a trusted member of the community and demonstrates an interest in your customers beyond their wallets. Building brand trust is not very easy, especially for small businesses with no big marketing campaigns. Sponsoring a dog for a literacy program is a relatively cheap way to get actively involved in charitable giving, and it's a cause that greatly benefits needy children. Another fringe benefit of charitable giving is that it makes your workplace a more ethically attractive place to work, and as you try to encourage the best talent to apply there, your business itself will benefit. Many younger workers are looking for places to work where they feel they are benefitting the world, and a workplace that donates to charity will be very appealing to the younger generation.
How Does It Benefit Them?
Dog sponsorship for literacy programs can benefit dozens of kids with a well-trained dog being able to serve for quite a while. By helping these children learn how to read and write, you are giving them an opportunity at a life that was beyond their reach only 50 years ago. By helping these children, you also lessen the pressure on their surrounding family and support group, lessening the worry they have about their child's future. For many families, having a child with a learning disability can occupy their whole life, and by freeing them of this burden, you allow them time to live their lives as well as helping the child.