Osceola Council on Aging, President/CEO There are more than 1.8 million nonprofit and charitable organizations in the United States, encompassing an array of public and private foundations, social service coalitions, religious organizations, educational institutions, and much more. Most nonprofits rely heavily on donations, grants, and fundraising to operate and further their mission, just as we do within the Osceola Council on Aging.
According to Wiki Charities, a global database connecting charities and nonprofits from around the world, there are more than 10 million charitable organizations worldwide. I must admit, while researching many of these international efforts, I was inspired to read about the hundreds of thousands of entities which work to support those in need in all corners of the globe, just as what occurs throughout our nation, and comparable to our work right here in Osceola County.
In 2012, the United Nations designated each September 5 as the International Day of Charity. Thus, this column is the perfect time to highlight the importance of charitable giving and charitable work. Based on the theme, ‘The Power of Charity in Global Solidarity” this year’s focus is to ‘call on the world to act with compassion and solidarity.’
The United Nations International Day of Charity defines the term (charity), as “bringing individuals together to build resilient societies across the globe, whether through direct giving, volunteering, or collective action.”
The International Day of Charity is a global initiative to specifically recognize and promote the role of charity in addressing humanitarian crises and human suffering worldwide. The September 5 date was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the passing of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, in 1977, at the age of 87.
Mother Teresa, the renowned nun and missionary, was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910. In 1928, at 18 years of age, she traveled to India, where she devoted herself to helping the destitute. In 1948 she became a citizen and subsequently founded the Order of Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta), the capital city in the Indian State of West Bengal, where she became notably celebrated for her work towards the poverty-stricken, homeless, and ill citizens of the community.
For more than 45 years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity’s expansion into other countries. Mother Teresa’s work has been recognized throughout the world with multiple awards and distinctions including, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
Mother Teresa is the perfect example of selfless compassion and quite befitting to be commemorated as the ‘face’ of the International Day of Charity.
Fundamentally, charity is more than generosity. It is a powerful act of responsibility within oneself, and towards our neighbors. Philanthropy in general connects people across borders to confront poverty, uplift communities, and build a more inclusive and sustainable world for everyone.
Let us all pause on September 5, look within ourselves, and ask if we are as charitable as we should be. With that said, I am proud to be a member of a community which works towards inclusiveness, while also leading a social service organization that works to protect seniors, support disabled adults, and relieve a portion of burden for families living in poverty, all within our little corner of the world, called Osceola County.
