Robin Hood Was Right: A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change (Norton Paperback) - Softcover

Collins, Chuck

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0393320855 ISBN 13: 9780393320855

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, 2001

Synopsis

"Bold in its philosophy and down-to-earth in the application of that philosophy."―Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States

Last year, Americans donated $150 billion to charity. Giving has never been more popular, possible―or, for many, more confusing. There are oceans of need, mountains of requests, and often little time for the consideration needed to give thoughtfully and effectively. "Change, not charity!" is this book’s enthusiastic theme. Long-time activists and givers, authors Chuck Collins and Pam Rogers show that traditional charity most often reinforces the status quo and maintains the dynamics of dependency and control. The progressive ethic of giving endorsed in this book, on the other hand, offers detailed ways to address the root causes of societal problems. With numerous organizational listings and hundreds of helpful suggestions, Robin Hood Was Right is a fun, user-friendly guide for the socially conscious giver, whether one is able to give annually $500 or $5,000,000.

About this title

Review:

Veteran activists Chuck Collins and Pam Rogers show that charity dollars can make a huge difference if they are used for lasting social change. In Robin Hood Was Right, Collins and Rogers question the results of decades of traditional philanthropy. They write, "We give to help the poor, but poverty prevails. We contribute to save the environment, but corporate destruction of our land and waters continues. We donate to shelters, but millions remain homeless." The two call for new ways of giving, ones that "close the divide between rich and poor." That means giving to an emerging group of "social change foundations" that tackle the root causes of poverty and other injustices by working to increase affordable housing and raise the minimum wage.

Robin Hood Was Right is a practical guide to donating for change. It features profiles of foundations, a worksheet to figure out how much you can afford to give, a list of resources for the socially responsible investor, and even a section on how to set up a family charitable foundation if you have more than $1 million to donate. The book also includes cartoons and notable quotes about giving, such as this saying from oil baron J. Paul Getty: "Money is like manure: It's only good if it's spread around." This is a wonderful book for people considering donating in order to right social and economic injustice, whether they can give hundreds or millions of dollars a year. --Dan Ring

About the Author:

Joan P. Garner is the executive director of the Southern Partners Fund in Atlanta.

Pam Rogers is the special projects coordinator at the Haymarket People’s Fund.

About this edition

• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0393320855
• ISBN 13: 9780393320855
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288