What an extraordinarily generous community we live in! Correction: What an almost extraordinarily generous community we live in! (Yes, I’ll explain the qualifier in a moment.)
This morning’s newspaper contained a story about Dick Schulze’s $49 million gift to the Mayo Clinic, to be used for cancer research. That’s huge, and chances are pretty good that it will result in breakthroughs, or at least significant progress, in the battle against that fearsome disease.
But what struck me as I read the article was that, just the night before, several of us having dinner together had gotten into a discussion of the enormous generosity in this community. We added up the current or recently completed capital campaigns, and we shook our heads in amazement as we listed:
• the Guthrie, $85 million;
• the Walker, $98 million;
• the Minneapolis Library, $15 million;
• the Children’s Theatre, $30 million;
• the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, $100 million;
• the Minnesota Opera, $20 million;
• the University of Minnesota Foundation, $1.6 billion.
Only a tiny portion of all that money comes from the state or other governmental bodies; the vast majority is from individuals, companies, and foundations. Their collective generosity will enrich us all far into the future.
Our list wasn’t comprehensive, just a beginning. Countless social service organizations, hospitals, religious institutions, schools, and smaller cultural organizations have also raised large amounts—certainly many millions of dollars—and all of it from generous private donors. It’s remarkable and it’s beautiful, and it’s terribly important.
So why, then, did I reluctantly insert the word, “almost” at the beginning of this column?
Because, sadly, there are still lots and lots of people who just don’t get it, who don’t begin to do their share, who find endless reasons not to give, or to give as little as they can get away with. They can’t understand that they’re missing out on one of the great joys of life by not giving back at a level they could “comfortably” afford without 1) missing a meal, 2) jeopardizing their children’s futures, 3) scuttling their plans to take it with them when they die, or 4) opening the door to endless solicitations.
But there’s another reason some folks don’t give very much, and that is that they have no role model. Either they grew up in a home where giving wasn’t practiced, or perhaps they spent too many years financially struggling, and now that they can afford to be generous, they just don’t know how to start.
To any of you who think I’m talking to you right now, here’s a suggestion. Call 612-455-5198. That’s the number of the 1 Percent Club, a remarkable organization that my wife and I, and close to a thousand other Minnesotans, have belonged to for years. The club will send you an ultra-brief membership form, and when you fill it out and return it, you will have made a commitment—to yourself—to give 1 percent of your net worth, or 5 percent of your income (whichever is greater) to charity each year.
No longer will you have to suffer the agony of trying to decide if you’re giving too much or too little. The formula is so simple, it’s breathtaking. And do I need to point out that by giving 1 percent of your net worth, you’ll keep 99 percent? Your children’s future will not be affected; you will not miss a meal; you can give anonymously if you want to avoid unwanted solicitations; and you’ll be strengthening our world in so many ways.
The 1 Percent Club has no dues or meetings; it never asks where or to what you give; it doesn’t ever ask for your financial information; and never checks to make sure you’re giving the 1 percent you said you’d give. You can cheat if you want to, and nobody else will ever know. But joining provides you with an easy guideline and a constant reminder that giving back is cool, even as it gives you a warm feeling.
