November 27, 2023 7:40 am
Students Who Give: The Value of Charitable Giving for Children
Students embrace the opportunity to donate to charitable organizations when given the option through educational technology.
November is a month often associated with gratitude and giving. In fact, one report states that 37% of all giving happens during the last three months of the calendar year.
Many people view donating to nonprofit organizations or individuals in need as a way to help others, but research has also found that charitable giving is good for the giver. Individuals who donate to others report feeling happy, while charitable giving also makes us feel good about ourselves and others. Additionally, giving to others helps us find meaning and purpose while giving us a sense of connection to the world.
Children who perform acts of kindness reported a higher likelihood of social acceptance and academic achievement and developed empathy for others. Studies have found that even very young children are innately compassionate and giving. Additionally, members of Generation Z—nicknamed “Philanthroteens”—have even stronger feelings about giving as they are concerned with the planet and the world around them. However, children often do not have much to contribute in the way of money or gifts, leaving an opportunity for parents or other family members to demonstrate the value of giving time and talents by incorporating simple acts of service into family time. Schools and educators can also incorporate age-appropriate service projects into classroom time, such as knitting hats for children going through cancer treatments or visiting elderly patients in nursing homes. Additionally, organizations can help encourage generosity in children by making donations accessible and applicable to needs that relate to kids. All these factors may be why thirty percent of Generation Z have already donated to an organization.
“Since 2015, Imagine Learning’s amazing students’ participation in the yearly ‘Do Math! Support a Veteran’ campaign has provided over $47,000 for college scholarships for children who lost a Special Operations parent in the line of duty… We have over 1100 children to educate, and we are gaining more every year. We now support 198 college students. Imagine Math student contributions make a real impact for them.”
About the Author
Lisa Wise
Customer Engagement Manager at Imagine Learning
Lisa Wise has worked in the edtech industry for over 24 years, most recently as the Customer Engagement Manager at Imagine Learning. Lisa loves the opportunity to honor student achievement through engagement programs that get students excited about learning. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Lisa lives with her family, dog, and beautiful array of plants in Pittsburgh, PA. She loves sports, gardening, and visiting her local garden center.