Concept, Purpose, and Importance of Charity in Our Society

“Charity brings to life again those who are spiritually dead.”

                                                                                            -Thomas Aquinas

The Concept of Charity:

Charity is the act of extending love and kindness to others unconditionally, which is a conscious act but the decision is made by the heart, , without expecting a reward. When Charity is carried out selflessly, it is a one-way act where a person gives but asks for nothing in return.

It is due to this act of nature that makes it precious and soulful. There are people who believe charity should begin at home but others believe it should originate from the heart. However, charity originates from the heart as you feel the urge of giving, begins from home, ultimately extending to others in the society.

Charity begins with the inward recognition of a need to show compassion to others whether consciously or unconsciously. Everyone has problems, troubles, and griefs of some sort in life but charity starts with those who learn to downplay their own problems, in order to extend compassion, kindness, and love to help others.Hence some people set aside their own pains to relieve the pain of others.

Purpose of Charity:

Charity is essential and therefore meant to be done for public benefit, relief and to provide assistance to people at times of need in any part of the world, especially who are the victims of war, natural disaster, catastrophe, hunger, disease, poverty, orphans by supplying them with food, shelter, medical aid and other fundamental needs.

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Such charitable purposes can gain momentum from advancing the education of young people for the public benefit by making grants and awards to students in full-time education. When considering poverty in the developing world, people feel deep sorrow but seem to put no effort whatsoever to reduce or eradicate the problem. Poverty in today’s world has turned out to be sinister and we lay passive towards the problem, therefore such attitude has made us powerless to stop it.

Since this world has been created it’s been unequal in every way and there will always be rich and poor, strong and weak living together. While poverty is extreme and widespread, let’s not forget just how many rich and wealthy people there are in the developed world capable of giving. It’s high time we must realize the power that we have in our hands when pooled together.

When everyone is giving to an effective charity, the size of our donation would  directly correspond to the number of people we are able to help. We don’t have to be a millionaire to make a significant difference. Just as every drop in the ocean counts to form a vast water mass, even small donations have the potential to drastically improve an individual’s quality of life.

Importance of Charity in Our Society:

The greatest gift to our community would be when we contribute to making lives better; when we touch lives by the dint of donations or charity, spreading light to the most needy and enlighten our souls in the process.

We can’t shut our eyes and breathe a sigh of relief, pretending we are progressing when the official poverty rate is 12.7%, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 estimation. That year, an estimated 43.1 million Americans lived in poverty according to the official measure. According to supplemental poverty measure, the poverty rate was 14.0%. One in three Americans says they have stopped  getting medical treatment that they or their family members need because of cost. Although this percentage is in line with the roughly 30% figures seen in recent years. Variation in the pricing for medical treatments ; Americans fear a needed treatment is too expensive.

America’s homeless population has risen in 2017, as reported by the Guardian, for the first time since the Great Recession, propelled by the housing crisis afflicting the west coast, according to a new federal study.The study has found that 553,742 people were homeless on a single night this year. It suggests that the poorest Americans are still struggling to meet their most basic needs.

Non-profits, charitable organizations and NGO’s often staffed by volunteers dedicated to improving the lives of abandoned, poor children, adults, orphans and homeless in the USA must be funded to reduce human sufferings. They provide children and families with clothing, food, education, shelter and the teachings. Through love, motivation, and opportunities they help people thrive and become self-sufficient and on the other hand there are organizations to support the elderly with dignity and assistance.As these organizations have taken up a sacred mission of helping the helpless,  it’s now our duty as well to help them to raise funds and support their noble cause.