On Wednesday, April 3, 2013, Allowance for Good began its newest program, Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy: A Student Seminar Series. Chicago-area youth are invited to participate in a weekly seminar to learn more about the global philanthropic sector and how they have the power to be philanthropists and agents for change.

Emma, reflects on our second session, focused on Individual Philanthropy and Financial Literacy.

Allowance for Good is a nonprofit organization helping broaden education across the world. I am partaking in a course they are doing to learn about being a global citizen and a philanthropist. Philanthropy is the love for humankind as a whole. Throughout the sessions so far we have learned the true meaning of giving, budgeting and philanthropy.

Everyone seems to know the act of charity, a passive transaction where you do not partake in the doing of making a situation better. The first week we figured out the true meaning of philanthropy as a social corrective that you take part in to make a difference around the world. In philanthropy you are actually taking action and are motivated to act on your thoughts, and either you do something about the problems being faced or inform people of social challenges and potential solutions unlike a charitable act in which you just give and go.

We also talked about budgeting our money and how much we really spent on things we don’t necessarily need. It was surprising to me how much money an average American family spends when we really don’t need all that we bought but if people cut down on their personal spending’s the people who receive the money they spend won’t make enough to get by. In other words I’ve figured out if we cut back, others do not benefit as much because spending our money results in the livelihood of others. We also talked about what should go into your budget. You should spend on yourself to keep yourself healthy, save for college, your kids, retirement, or whatever you need, invest so that you can make money and share with the people in need. In other words, we learned about financial literacy. Although in America we live a pitch perfect society, other places need our help and money so saving and sharing can make a difference in many ways.

Brainstorming with our youth about personal budgeting

So if you are interested come and join and be a part of something bigger, take action and give back to the rest of the world, be a philanthropist. You don’t have to be old and wise to help out anyone any age can help with any amount. You can be a philanthropist so start now when you’re young because we are the world’s future.

Whether I was aware of it from the beginning or not, a philanthropic sense has been a pillar of my family over generations. Significant international and service-oriented experiences throughout my life led me to launch Allowance for Good. A medical mission trip with my father to Mexico and a high-school choir tour to Puerto Rico provided my first glimpse into a world

beyond national borders. But it was the children in the remote Guatemalan coffee villages who captured my spirit, allowing me to consider how I would go about affecting change both here in the US and abroad. I'm able to give of my time, talent, and treasure today as Allowance for Good takes root. I want youth to know that they have the power, capacity, and ability to invest in the lives of others, giving them a hand to lift themselves out of poverty.

You see, philanthropy is using what you have been allowed in life for positive social impact - be it locally, nationally, or globally. I envision a world where youth are open to balancing personal realities with those outside their own culture and are educated to be active global citizens in the worldwide marketplace. And I believe that becoming a “changemaker” starts at a young age. Through Allowance for Good, I seek to empower youth to start down their path of affecting social change today. In so doing, their commitment will be deepened in their own lives and their impact felt among others around the world.

I want for youth everywhere to know that they don't have to be wealthy or older or wiser to be a philanthropist. A philanthropist can be anyone, and it can be you. All you have to do is be willing to give of your philanthropic portfolio - your time, your talent, or your treasure - to help make our increasingly interconnected world a more sustainable, just, and peaceful place. We have created an opportunity for youth to connect with the reality that they can be a part of the solution.
Rather than dwelling on images of fear, we focus on hope. Rather than emphasizing the insurmountable tasks of providing proper education, clean water, and medicine for all youth everywhere, we offer the chance to be a part of the solution where we are not bound by barriers and borders but open to balancing the realities of others with our own. It is our collective task to reimagine our world - won’t you join me?