Paying it Forward: The Benefits of Giving Back

By YA Marketing Director Nicole Price

Published: February 2013

From going to a show at the Kimmel Center to cheering on the Sixers at the Wells Fargo Center, there are countless ways to treat yourself with your hard-earned money. While rewarding yourself is always a pleasure, giving back to your community can benefit you (and others) in many ways as well. Giving your time and money to community service organizations is the gift that keeps giving, especially to a non-profit organization that is in your own backyard, like Youth Action.

Support important causes

When donating to a non-profit, the issues connected with the organization are often the deciding factors for your consideration. The great thing about Youth Action is that we empower our students and resources to not only addressing one issue in the community, but many.  Each year, Youth Action implements a signature service project to focus on. Issues that Youth Action has addressed in the past include: teenage pregnancy, homelessness, domestic violence, education, and college readiness. You may be more familiar with some issues, while other issues could also encourage you to become more knowledgeable about how it pertains to our community.

Setting an example

Whether you have children of your own or you are a role model for someone close to you, the act of helping others is one of the most important things to pass on to future generations.  It is never too early to cultivate a philanthropic spirit and demonstrate how to not only invest in yourself, but in others as well. Instilling a charitable attitude will inspire future generations of givers and doers that will continue making impacts in our community.

Personal satisfaction

There are few greater feelings of well-being than knowing you supported the needs of others. Not only does donating give you a sense of inner satisfaction, it also can lead you to feeling more fulfilled and take actions in the future to become even more involved with donating your time and skills. You can feel more fulfilled by knowing you made a difference in your community, making the world a little bit of a better place. You can feel a little better knowing that you are part of the solution

Never underestimate what difference a monthly $10 donation can make. It is not just $10; it is part of a well-deserved scholarship fund or adding another student for a college readiness workshop. It is resources for a service project or helping our youth develop their leadership skills

Youth Action student volunteers has led Philadelphia high school and college students to make a positive mark within our community with over 10,000 hours of community service that has impacted over 5,000 students with our service programming.

If you believe in Youth Action’s vision to make a difference in the Philadelphia community, you can read more about us and make a donation here.