‘When the world says, “Give up, Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.”‘ – Author Unknown

Did you know that a high percentage of mid-size and large cap companies offer matching gift programs and time off for charitable work?

Here is a short list of companies that offer a matching gift option (List provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – htp://www.nationalmssociety.org)

ADP Foundation
Aetna
Allied World Assurance Company
AMDMatching Gift Program
American Express Foundation
American International Group, Inc
American Petroleum Inst
Amgen Foundation Matching Gifts
Anchor Capital Advisors Inc
AON Foundation Matching Gifts
Applera Charitable Gift Match Program
Bank of America
Baxter International Foundation
BD Matching Gift Program
Becton Dickinson & Company
Best Buy Company, Inc.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation
CA, Inc.
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Chestnut Hill Realty
Citgo Petroleum Corporation
CitiGroup Foundation Matching Gifts Program
Citizens Charitable Foundation
CNA Foundation Matching Gifts
Company, AMGEN Matching Gift
Computer Associates International, Inc.
Daily Press, Inc.
Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation
Eaton Vance Management
Firstgiving, Inc.
FM Global
Fortis Investments
GE Foundation
Genzyme Corporation
Gillette Matching Gifts Program
GlaxoSmithKline Foundation
Global Impact
Goldman Sachs & Co Matching Gift Program
Google Matching Gifts Program
Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC
Highland Capital Partners LLC
Home Depot
Hospira Employee Giving Campaign
HP Employee Charitable Giving Program
IBM Corp. Matching Grants Program
International Data Group
Investors Bank & Trust Company
John Hancock Financial Services
Johnson & Johnson Matching Gifts Program
JPMorgan Chase Foundation
Juniper Networks
KeyBank National Association
LandAmerica Foundation
Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge
Mass Mutual Financial Group
Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Massachusetts Port Authority
Mastercard Matching Gift Program
Mattel Childrens Foundation
McCormick Tribune Foundation
Merck Partnership for Giving
Merrill Lynch & Co. Foundation, Inc.
MFS Investment Management
Microsoft Corp.
Millipore Foundation
Minerals Technologies Inc.
Monsanto Fund
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Fdn
Motorola
National Grid
New York Life Political Action Committee
Newbury Corporation
NGM Charitable Foundation
Nissan Gift Matching Program
Oce North America, Inc.
Old Mutual Asset Mgmt Chartable Fnd Inc.
Omgeo LLC
Oppenheimer Funds Legacy Program
Oracle Corporation Matching Gifts Program
OSR Open Systems Resources Inc.
Pfizer Foundation
Pfizer United Way Campaign
Phoenix Foundation, Inc.
Pioneer Group, Inc.
Pitney Bowes Giving Station
Polaroid Foundation Inc.
Prudential Foundation
Putnam Investments
Reebok Human Rights Foundation
Reuters America Inc
Rogers Corporation
Rose Displays
RSA Security Inc.
Sabre Holdings United Way Campaign
Saint-Gobain Corporation
SAP Matching Gift Program
EMD Serono, Inc.
St. Paul Travelers Foundation
State Street Matching Gift Program
Stop & Shop Supermarkets
Sun Microsystems
TAP Connected to the Community Giving Campaign
The Arthur J. Gallagher Foundation Employee Gift Match Program
The Home Depot Political Action Committee
The Math Works, Inc.
Thomson Financial Services
Tyco Employee Matching Gift Program
UBS Foundation USA
United Healthcare
UnumProvident Corporation
Varian Semiconductor Equipment
Verizon
Wachovia Foundation Matching Gifts Program
Waters Corporation
Wellington Management Company LLP
Woodland Partners, Llc
Ziff Brothers Investments, LLC

We often hear of the larger global foundations assisting throughout the world:

Ronald McDonald House (www.rmhc.org)
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (www.gatesfoundation.org)
Bono’s Charity Work (www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/26-bono)
American Red Cross (www.redcross.org)
Salvation Army (www.salvationarmy.org)

Why are so many not taking part on the greater good of charity?

Last evening, I was walking down the beach on the Gulf Coast in Fort Myers Beach. The soft evening breeze and light of the full moon was interrupted by a shower of candlelight. I had stumbled up a Relay for Life raising money for the American Cancer Society. A course was set up on the sand consisting of bags with candles each representing a person who survived or lost the battle to cancer. Just standing at a safe harbor, I observed and reflected on my own personal stories of those that was afflicted with Cancer.

When I think of charity, the world that comes to mind is “personal”. Many of us have personal triumphs and tragedies that shaped how we deal with the course of our lives. We need to view charity as a respectful act of generosity with a element of selfishness as we are not only helping others, but respecting those in our lives that have dealt in the past. Charity is a balance between hope and sadness. It is a way to forgive the cruelties that surround us and see a light at the end.

Charity is not about immediate results, but what we can give to future generations.

Remember, when you chose to give your money, time, thoughts or skills for the benefit of others, have a purpose and a connection because what you do is selfless generosity that cannot be measured in any monetary value.

We are a society of perseverance and inner strength that grows stronger with tragedy.

“The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow