When I think of philanthropy, I think of charitable donations to support a cause with which you are aligned. In my experience, philanthropy has taken on various ‘shapes’, ranging from the standard monetary donation to a charity of your choice, to participating in golf tournaments or gala dinners, or bidding on dates with interesting single men or women at silent auctions (different, I know!). What all of these approaches required was simple: a list of participants with sufficient disposable income to contribute in support of the cause. The challenge with that model has been that it does not allow for participation and contribution by those who might not have much in the way of disposable income. A dilemma…
And then along comes our millennial generation with their amazing capacity to think outside the box! The result? The United Way of London and Middlesex has launched GenNext with the intention of “mobilizing our generation through involvement, awareness, and giving”. GenNext is hosting TimeRaiser 2010 on May 13, 2010 at Club Mansion in London, an art auction where participants “bid” with volunteer hours that they will donate to local charities of their choice. Is that not an amazing idea? The participants have an evening to meet and mingle and they can go home with some great art (all donated by local artists) and a new commitment to a local organization that will benefit from their time. This is how we build a spirit of philanthropy, one philanthropist at a time!
I have spent the past two years growing increasingly amazed at the community commitment that Brescia students demonstrate throughout their time with us. It is not unusual for one of our students to hold down two or more volunteer commitments in addition to her studies and, often, some paid work to help with the bills. It is clear to me that Brescia women see themselves as leaders, with something important to offer the community around them. It makes me very proud to be able to continue to support these emerging leaders through mentoring, academic courses, non-academic courses, and good example!
I am very curious to hear how TimeRaiser 2010 goes on May 13th – if I were a betting person, my wager would be that this concept will be very popular with our Millennials! It will be the perfect opportunity to combine friendship, networking, philanthropy, and an appreciation for fine art! Let me know how it goes (http://www.gennextuw.ca).