A Tax Deductable Donation

We all hate the call from an 800 number right around dinner time. There’s a brief pause, you hear voices in the background, followed by “(Your first name), how ya doin’?” You are then thanked for a previous donation to a cause that sounds vaguely like three others and asked again for tax deductable charitable donation. Do you give? How do you feel afterwards? And how often during the day, are we performing charitable acts?

As is usual with these blogs, several things happened in close relationship that caused me to reflect on how we, as humans in a complex society, help those in need. Shortly after the call from the paid solicitor, came an invitation from our neighbors to join them at their corporate table for the Heart Association black tie ball this weekend. As I opened my email, there was a note from CRUDEM responding to my questions as to dates when physicians were needed in Milot. I also found my grade on my accounting final, which included an analysis of the charity care and bad debt as a percentage of Net Patient Service Revenue at a major academic medical center. Finally, I had begun to compose a letter to my Hopkins classmates about my experience at Henry Seidel’s memorial, which will encourage them to make a donation to a scholarship in his memory.

Then the light came on…I was being surrounded by charity, so it seems.

Charity is a universal concept. It is derived from “caritas” meaning preciousness or unlimited loving kindness for all others. Islam (Sadaqah) and Judaism (Tzedakah) both speak of beneficent giving as a component of a full and rich life. The basic human emotion of compassion and empathy leads us to do for others, even if we do not directly gain. And it is interesting to note, that as a group, lower income individuals give a larger percentage of their income than the more well off.

When I was at the Miriam, I recognized the vital role that our donors played in helping us meet our mission. I remember our black tie Gala where we rolled out the robot to have nonmedical folks see what their donations had done. Donors thanked us for the opportunity to give to this new program and help build the new OR. As they were thanking me, I remember thanking the development group at Hopkins after making a donation and agreeing to be class agent. We all want to show gratitude to people and institutions that helped us, or to organizations that are committed to solving problem that may have touched us or our families. Charitable giving helps us fulfill our needs.

Yes, there are groups who play the charity card as a way to raise money for self serving needs. And clearly their tactics work, or would they wouldn’t keep doing them. As health care providers and institutions, we provide free or reduced cost services to those in need, regardless of their ability to pay. It is part of our mission and a requirement to maintain not for profit status, yet it is substantially impacting the financial health of hospitals, some of which have closed. Excessive charity can create dependency and unintended consequences.



My time in Haiti could be considered a charitable donation. I paid all my expenses and expected nothing, but the opportunity to serve. But as you’ve seen from my blog, the personal return was far greater than any tangible thing I could have bought or donated. And I know that I will go there again.

So maybe you should cut the telemarketer a bit of a break. Because even if you don’t give to “The Society to Wipe Out Gout of the Left Great Toe,” you are being reminded that we have the opportunity every day to do good for others.

I also know that even if you don’t see it, someone out there is doing good for you. And there’s no tax deduction involved.