[EDITORIAL] Giving bug

The year-end charitable giving has shrunk this year, although there is greater demand for such funds than before.

Difficult times mean more people need assistance; unfortunately, it also means people are inclined to give less. The Community Chest of Korea has collected about 140 billion won so far since its annual two-month donation drive kicked off Dec. 1. This is some 64 percent of the 221.2 billion won the Community Chest seeks to raise.

Last year, the organization raised 209.6 billion won, slightly more than its goal of 208.5 billion won. This was no small feat since the global financial crisis that started on Wall Street also reached Korea and Koreans braced for the worst economy since the financial crisis of 1997.

While corporate giving accounts for the chunk of charity donations - 65.3 percent of the donations received by the Community Chest of Korea in 2008 were given by businesses - it is the stories of individual donors that touch the hearts of people and inspire others to give.



For the 10th consecutive year, an anonymous donor has been leaving cash donations to a poor neighborhood in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Since 2000, the Nosong-dong Community Center has received an anonymous phone call around this time of the year, the caller giving directions to where he had left the money. Over the past nine years, the nameless donor gave more than 81 million won.

This year, more than 80 million won in cash - neatly bundled 50,000 won and 10,000 won notes along with 500 won coins - was left at a corner of a neighborhood playground. Unlike in previous years, a note accompanied this year`s gift indicating that the original donor had passed away. City officials believe the amount given this year included the money received at the deceased`s funeral.

There are celebrities that have caught the giving bug who have made a lifestyle of giving to various causes. A well-known singer, known for his charitable giving, says he simply cannot refuse when approached for help. Living in a rental apartment, the singer gives away several hundreds of million won each year to help various causes. He also helps out by donating his talent, making concert appearances gratis.

Donating talent and time is another fulfilling way to give. The news that six Hanyang University professors will tutor elementary students living in the university neighborhood should inspire other professionals to contribute in ways they can.

An English professor has volunteered to teach English while a journalism professor and a law professor will teach reading and writing. Music, arts and dance professors will give lessons for two hours on weekends. Eighty children from low-income families will be the first batch of beneficiaries.

For the children, the lessons will be more than just a way to get extra help for free. The children will find role models in their teachers and hopefully many of them will be inspired to help others when they grow up. Perhaps more important, these children will know that there are people who care about them.