The following excerpt is from the Australian Catholic University’s Website.

“ Australian philosopher, Professor Garrett Cullity, has tackled an age-old question in ethics and developed a new and compelling answer.  His book The Moral Demands of Affluence asks: ‘To what extent are we morally obliged to help those in need?  In a world where we see daily evidence of both excessive personal indulgence and appalling poverty, the constant question is: ‘How much giving is, morally speaking, ‘enough’?”

In his book, Professor Cullity who is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Adelaide, argues that a life well-lived should be the goal of every human, rich and poor. Friends, family and hobbies are the components of such a life and nobody, not even the affluent, should do without these in the quest to assist others.  But helping others is also part of being human and must be done with perspective, the book says.

“If you are not making an effort to find an effective way of helping the poor, then you are acting wrongly,” Professor Cullity states in his thesis, not letting the affluent off lightly.”

People who have not come to terms with what donation and/or volunteer threshold is comfortable for them, both financially and morally present a significant challenge to fund-raisers for Agents of Change, looking to secure donations. Until donors resolve this ethical dilemma, the fund-raiser will probably be unsuccessful at securing funding and/or creating a gratifying return on the donor’s investment.

So how much is ‘enough’? Organized religions have a long-established tithing system to describe and determine donation levels.  This is a wonderful practice because they’ve established both a quantified and achievable quota as well as identifiable criteria for being a valued member of their community, thereby taking on ownership of the decision and the responsibility for the ‘enough’ question.

But for those individuals who are struggling with guilt and confusion in terms of how to establish their limit, a reflective or family discussion around what is important and what can and should be done to help their local and/or world community, along with visits if possible to identified organizations can often help both in terms of deciding amounts and in clarifying which issues resonate with all.

As well, by strategizing how much and to whom, the family may be more inclined to take a personal interest in the cause in terms of perhaps volunteering or staying more directly connected with the Agents for Change’s mission and project outcomes, helping to ensure their funding is used for maximum impact.

More importantly, then fund-raisers concerning themselves about which percentage or the amount the donor ultimately decides on is the necessity of ensuring that outcomes of projects that the benefactor has funded complete some or all of their expected returns on investment, thereby both fulfilling the agency’s mission and establishing a trusting, long-term partnership.

And then, according to Professor Cullity, people will be free to experience the wonderful sense of joy that their altruism brings into their lives.

Susan Laycock, cfre, ca

Director, Publicity, Social Media and Communications

United Way of Greater Simcoe County