Flash Philanthropy?

 
The man who found the body of three-year-old Elijah Marsh was interviewed on radio the other morning and his struggle to even describe the discovery was heart-wrenching. He was on a picket line not far from where the child had wandered from his grandmother's home in the early morning hours. Several of the strikers joined the search and he was the one to find Elijah who had perished in the frigid temperatures.

So many people were touched by this tragic death and a father of another three-year-old set up a crowd-funding site to raise twenty thousand dollars to pay for the funeral. The outpouring of support was amazing and the fund was capped at $170,000. As remarkable as this generosity was, it has raised questions about the nature of what is now being described as "flash philanthropy." This large sum can't bring Elijah back, and did the family really need this huge amount. We have heard about situations where large sums are giving to stricken families through crowd-funding only to have unscrupulous family members appear out of nowhere to use the money inappropriately.

We see this flash philanthropy in different forms, including these crowd-funding efforts. I wrote about another expression, which was the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS. While it raised millions for the cause, some participants actually diverted the money to other charities which may have suffered as a result of the popularity of this suddenly high-profile fundraiser.

In communities of faith we know that generosity is a combination of emotional response and measured stewardship. And in most congregations there are individuals who are remarkably generous yet chose not to be acknowledged in any way. Last year a member of the Bridge St. congregation gave $50,000 with clear instructions that the gift remain anonymous. He has been a strong supporter of the life and work of this Christian community for many years but wanted to address a looming deficit. Many others don't have the same means, but give conscientiously, to churches, synagogues, mosques, as well as to many other worthy causes. They are motivated by faith and a sense of justice and compassion which is more than a response of the moment.

The Toronto Star offered a good piece on this recently and offered:

What to do with such generosity is, perhaps, a unique question in the age of social media. “Crowdfunding,” before it got the name, was once a more personal, face-to-face process, carried out by churches or neighbours or community groups, and typically with a kind of discretion, sensitivity, trust — and perhaps proportionality — that online campaigns can lack.

It is helpful to support those who are in need "from the heart." I hope we still respond with measured contributions which come out of the life of communities.

Thoughts?