1. Inspiring kids’ philanthropic spirit starts with teaching compassion, sacrifice

Drive through Tyler for any length of time and you will see the effects of philanthropy on this community.

Near downtown, The Salvation Army complex, Discovery Science Place, Bethesda Health Clinic, PATH and numerous churches are just a few examples of organizations that have benefited from individual and corporate donors.

In other parts of the city and other sectors such as higher education institutions, the hospitals and private and public schools, donor dollars have made an impact.

The list could go on. To most people the names on buildings – which often honor donors – mean nothing beyond a place locator, but to some they are a reminder, an example of the people who have stepped up in big and small ways over time to help make the community what it is today.

“This area and, in particular, the Tyler community is extremely philanthropic and has been for many years,” Dawn Franks, president of Your Philanthropy and an adviser to families, corporations and foundations, said.

A 2006-2007 study conducted by the now closed Fourth Partner Foundation found Tyler had more nonprofit organizations per capita than any other city in East Texas, Ms. Franks said.

“The only reason that can happen is because the community itself is philanthropic,” she said.

The 1930s East Texas oil boom spawned great wealth for some in the community, though others made their money through different means.

The decision to give that money away came after. For some certainly faith played a part. For others, that was combined with civic pride.

Marilyn Abegg-Glass, co-owner and board chairwoman of Abegg Willis & Associates, a consultant to nonprofit organizations, said she’s been in a lot of Texas communities that seem similar to Tyler in terms of religious practices but are not as philanthropic, so that made her think religion plays less of a role.

She said the leadership in a community or a company and the mindset they bring – such as the idea of doing the right thing for the greater good – can spread and create a culture of philanthropy.

Speaking to the idea of civic pride, Patrick Willis, co-owner and president of Abegg Willis & Associates, said there was this sense that “if the community cannot stand up and take care of itself, who’s going to? Because the government isn’t.”

As stalwart members of the community stood up and really invested in the needs around them, others followed suit.

Over the years these donations helped build Tyler in the areas of health care, the arts, education, social services and more.

A recent example of how individuals can lead the charge when it comes to investing in the community is the “We Back Our Law Enforcement Campaign,” a public/private partnership that will provide 300 ballistic vests for all Tyler Police Department officers, Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputies and constables.

State Sen. Kevin Eltife spearheaded the campaign and personally contributed $20,000 to the effort. The entire campaign for Tyler and Smith County cost about $204,000, with half of that coming from the community and donations of all sizes. The campaign exceeded its goal by $50,000.

Another example is the annual Shine Your Light campaign, coordinated by the Tyler Morning Telegraph and local community partners. The campaign dates back to 2008 when the Great Recession began.

With the support and leadership of then Mayor Barbara Bass, the newspaper launched the campaign, aiming to help local nonprofits that serve residents who are most in need.

Each year, community members have contributed matching funds to help multiply the rest of the donations. Since its inception, the community has raised more than $1.1 million for 20 local nonprofits. The campaign has succeeded through community gifts of all sizes and leaders who encourage their neighbors to embrace the effort. 

A 2012 giving profile for Smith County on The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s website shows the county has a 5.53 percent giving ratio. That’s the percentage of adjusted gross income given to charity as determined using charitable deductions reported on income-tax forms.

That year, Smith County residents contributed $176 million, according to their tax forms. That’s with a median adjusted gross income of $81,639.

To put Smith County’s giving ratio in perspective, Dallas County had a giving ratio of 4.3 percent, McLennan County (Waco) had a giving ratio of 5.58 percent and Travis County had a giving ratio of 2.67 percent.

Ms. Abegg-Glass said she considers philanthropy to be not just charity, but an investment in the community.

“When you help people, you’re going to change lives and you’re going to impact communities significantly,” she said.

Twitter: @TMTEmily

 

GIVING OPPORTUNITY

Now in its fifth year, #GivingTuesday is designed as a global day in which people share the experience of giving through social media.

The day is celebrated annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Some nonprofit organizations choose to have special promotions such as giveaways in conjunction with the day.

Through the event, people are encouraged to donate to the nonprofit organization of their choice and share the fact they donated with friends and family through social media outlets by using the #GivingTuesday hashtag.

– Emily Guevara