Donation Age

Nearing 82, I am no longer able to donate money to good causes or political parties. Period. I live on Social Security income only. I have some savings but not a lot. I have a life insurance policy to pay my last expenses, so my family won’t need to do that. I’m OK and doing OK financially. But there is a limit on my ability to give much of anything to anyone these days.

Most of my life I did contribute dollars to worthy causes, but mostly I gave my time and talents to worthy causes. I worked for many nonprofits and eventually became a consultant for them. In retirement I donated my time to become a SCORE mentor for entrepreneurs starting small businesses. I also counseled existing small businesses to become stronger and thrive. All of this effort hopefully helped society in many ways. I still do a little of this but am focusing energy on writing a book to further spread the benefit of these accomplishments.

Although I detest current political circumstances, I support Democrats and woke ideologies. I vote to support those views. I write a blog that supports that value system. I help others think these matters through and become more adaptive to current conditions. I can do this, still do this, but not the financial donations. I simply cannot part with a dollar that doesn’t directly support my cost of living.

I hate being in this condition, mainly because leaders measure financial goals as success of their movement. I cannot participate in that measure, but it does not minimize what I do and can do. That does not change.

I wonder if these leaders know this. I hope so. I doubt I can tell them directly. Communication channels do not exist for that.

April 9, 2025

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