December 29, 2014
Special thanks to SCAN’s Board President Sean Hosty for this end-of-year guest post.
The end of one year and the beginning of a new year is a time for making goals and committing to changes in the future. One question we may ask ourselves is “did we give enough during the prior year?“. It’s not an easy question. On one hand, we can all give more, and on the other, we want to save more for ourselves and our families.
To help answer this question, it may be good to think about why we give to charities. Giving to charities, of course, can make a better community and can save and improve the lives of others. It can also give us an improved sense of well-being in knowing that we have made a sacrifice for others. But there are even more reasons to give! According to many studies, giving and showing compassion help us achieve a higher level of happiness and success. A recent study at Stanford University concluded that “compassion and giving may be the best kept secret to both happiness and your health”. More studies at Harvard and Stoneybrook University determined that “giving to others increased the well-being of the participants above and beyond spending money on themselves” and suggests that compassion and giving to others “helps us enjoy better mental and physical health and speeds recovery from disease”.
It makes sense that the happiest people I know are compassionate and giving of themselves. It also explains why our SCAN volunteers are so happy! A great example of two happy SCAN supporters and volunteers are Kelly and Leana, whom you can read more about here.
As you look forward to next year and decide on your goals for 2015, I wish you the happiest and healthiest year. If you’re ready to donate, simply click here. And THANK YOU for your support of SCAN and our work to prevent child abuse — and for keeping more children and families happy and healthy — in the year ahead.
Sean Hosty, SCAN Board President