What does philanthropy really mean?
The word philanthropy has a long history, dating back to the ancient Greeks. The word itself comes from the root words “philein” and “ anthropos,” which translate to love and humankind, respectively. When put together, philanthropy literally means "brotherly love toward all humankind." That concept goes much deeper than charity.
Charity is found as the result of a philanthropist's heart, but not all charity is philanthropy. Some charitable giving is automatic. No thought is given to its effect on humankind. Consequently, philanthropy doesn’t motivate all charitable organizations. Perhaps they started with a philanthropic intent, but as their organizations grew, their motivations became more corporate. Ultimately, philanthropy is found more in the heart and goes much deeper than gifting.
Traditional vs. new philanthropy
Like many things, the concept of philanthropy has changed over time. The idea of giving for the betterment of people became prominent in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was assumed that people of wealth should put their assets to use by helping those in need. By the early 20th century, there were thousands of philanthropic organizations around the world. These were supported largely by the upper class. In the U.S., families like the Rockefellers and the Carnegies became known more for their giving than how they made their fortunes.
Today, there are a variety of new philanthropic models. Some say these models return philanthropy to its original roots of love for humankind. For example, there’s "philanthrocapitalism." This model focuses more on economies and markets than individual needs. The ultimate goal is still to help people who are in great need, but instead of promoting the gifting of temporary aid, it works to address and fix the economic systems that warrant such aid. In the eyes of philanthrocapitalism, if you fix the system, the whole social order benefits.
Similarly, there’s "impact investment." The impact investment model prioritizes sustainable solutions over a one-time impact. It invests in changes to people's long-term needs rather than an immediate crisis. This type of giving is more focused on health care, education, infrastructure and even the environment.
illuminAid's approach to philanthropy
At illuminAid, our approaches vary. At times, we are concerned about an immediate situation, like reducing the spread of COVID. Other times, we are focused on those long-term needs. We partner with local agencies that see the need firsthand. We know that no one has more "brotherly love" than someone who lives close by. We then help these organizations leverage video to help expand its impact. When we say leveraging video, we are talking about long-term, sustainable solutions. For example, we use palm-sized portable video projectors as education tools, each having sustainable charging capabilities using solar panels.
Do you have a philanthropic heart? Do you have a love for humanity and want to see an impact made on people in need? Then we would ask you to consider supporting illuminAid. Your support will help expand our impact and our reach. Together we can show brotherly love to those who need it most.