Stephen Reeder is a long-standing real estate executive and entrepreneur who has served as chief executive officer of The UCR Group in Redlands, California, since 2014. In this role, he oversees large-scale residential and commercial developments, including fully leased multi-family communities and high-end construction projects. His professional experience involves close collaboration with engineers, bankers, property managers, and tenants, requiring long-term planning and disciplined leadership.
Benefits of Charitable Giving
Charity does much good in the world. It helps bridge the gap in public service, thus uplifting those who might otherwise be invisible. But givers benefit, too. Giving has a profound impact on the mental and emotional well-being of the giver.
Philanthropy creates a sense of fulfillment. It triggers the release of endorphins, a feel-good hormone associated with lower stress. Knowing you’ve touched someone’s life can be deeply satisfying. Giving is an act of kindness, associated with longevity. Maybe it’s because the feel-good hormones help lower blood pressure and boost immunity. As an act of selflessness, it shifts the focus from yourself to others, which can be immensely relieving.
Charity organizations unite people. Charitable giving takes different forms, from volunteering to fundraising events. Participating connects you not just to the cause but also to others. It also strengthens bonds within communities, thus enhancing community resilience.
The collective effort of donating time, money, property, or even used items toward a common goal also creates a sense of shared purpose. Having a common goal, such as overcoming homelessness, can help people move past many differences as they focus on a single enemy. Social ills, such as poverty, hunger, floods, and insecurity, become the common enemy.
Where you spend your money can be revealing. Charitable giving says you recognize your unique position and ability to help the less fortunate. Many people have the power to touch someone else’s life, but they don’t.
Giving is a powerful way to exercise your virtue muscles. The more you give, the more generous you become. Giving is also about gratitude. Giving to charity says you’re content with what you have. Philanthropy also enhances self-awareness, helping combat materialism and individualism.
What’s more, givers are remembered long after they’re gone. Giving, even modest donations, builds a lasting legacy and creates a lasting change. Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie may have moved America forward with their innovations, but their philanthropic efforts echo the loudest today. They continue to touch the lives of people from the remotest parts of the world in ways their products may never do.
When you donate time or resources, you’re not just touching the lives of their beneficiaries, you’re inspiring others to give. Rockefeller descendants, for example, continue to give to charity because their predecessors planted the seed of generosity. That’s why sharing the experience of giving with children is a powerful way to demonstrate your values.
Very few people have the kind of money that Bill Gates and other affluent donors have. Individually, you may not have as much impact. Donating to a charity allows you to achieve something you might have never accomplished. It’s also a chance to be part of something bigger than yourself.
Philanthropy is a double-edged sword. It makes an impact in the world while reducing your tax bill. It cultivates financial discipline. Giving can transform your budgeting. Whether it’s $100 a year or thousands of dollars a month, giving consistently demands a level of financial discipline most people lack. Giving also transforms your relationship with money and your overall perspective of material things.
People give for many reasons. Some do it out of a sense of duty, others to feel good. Whatever your motivations are, giving isn’t just noble, it’s necessary. Besides, charitable giving is every bit about the giver as about the receiver. Whether your idea of giving is to volunteer your time or to donate resources, every act of giving moves society forward and creates a more compassionate society.
About Stephen Reeder
Stephen Reeder is the chief executive officer of The UCR Group, a Redlands, California based real estate development firm focused on upscale residential and commercial projects. Since 2014, he has overseen large multi-family developments and long-term property management operations. In addition to his professional work, he is actively involved in philanthropy, supporting more than 20 charitable organizations. His charitable interests include cancer research, medical care, homelessness services, and community safety initiatives, along with hands-on volunteer involvement.