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UGA Expert on Donating Time vs Money

UGA Today

This is Giving Tuesday, a day organizers set aside around the world to share acts of kindness and to donate your voice, time, money goods, and advocacy to support communities and causes. The holiday season is also a time of supporting charitable causes. But how do you decide when you should donate your time or money? Dr. Tony Mallon is a Clinical Associate Professor in UGA’s School of Social Work and the Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations. He discusses factors you ought to consider.  

“I think the key thing is to really find the organization whose mission matches with your interests but then whose needs match with what you are most able to provide,” according to Mallon. “So if that’s volunteering, what are the skills that they need and if it’s donations, what is the amount you are comfortable with.”

He says when donating money, no financial contribution is too small.

“I don’t think people should ever feel as though it’s too small. If you have five dollars, a dollar, if you have a thousand dollars or ten thousand dollars, those are resources that a nonprofit will use to fulfill its mission.”

Mallon also believes it’s not necessarily an either or decision and that there are many nonprofits that could use both your financial contributions and your time. You can hear more on Athens News Matters.