Faith Groups

Age:

• 12-18

Philanthropy is:

• Giving, serving and private citizen action intended for the common good.

Purpose:

• Participants will examine the roles of historic philanthropists, and recognize the work of philanthropists within their own faith community.

Objectives:

The young person will:

• match famous philanthropists to their philanthropic act(s).
• identify philanthropists within their own faith tradition and/or community.
• place philanthropists on a historical timeline of their organization, (Activity Variation).
  

Religious Activity Theme:

Proverbs 19:17
He who gives graciously to the poor makes a loan to G-d.

Luke 12:15-21 (The Message)

Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot." Then he told them this story: "The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: "What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' Then he said, "Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!' "Just then God showed up and said, "Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods--who gets it?'
"That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."

 

The facilitator explains that the participants will learn about some famous philanthropists. They will have an opportunity to match the name and their philanthropic acts. After practicing with famous names, the participants will research their own faith tradition and community, and discover the philanthropists there. After making the new puzzle cards, participants will play a match game and then reflect on how each of the local philanthropists fits the definition of philanthropy: Giving, serving and private citizen action intended for the common good.

Activity Steps:

• The facilitator will distribute the puzzle cards to eight participant volunteers. Ask a participant to read their card. Ask those who think they have the match to read theirs and determine the correct match by group consensus. Briefly discuss the philanthropic act(s) of the person, relating the acts to the definition of philanthropy. Continue with the remainder of the cards until all the matches are complete.
• Some questions to consider:
  1. In what ways did they give their time, talent, or treasure intentionally?
  2. Did they give all three, time, talent and treasure, or focus on one or two?
  3. What was intentional about their giving?
  4. Has your life been touched in any way by what they did, and how?
• The facilitator explains that participants will make their own set of “puzzle pieces” based on people they know who have given their time, talent, and treasure to the community. Distribute two blank 3 x 5 index cards to each participant. They are to write the name of a local philanthropist on one card and a brief description of the philanthropic act(s) on the second card. Encourage the participants to consider writing their own names or names of faith community members or family members and their philanthropic acts on the cards.
• Have them make the puzzle pieces and play the game again as a group with the new set of puzzle pieces.
  

Processing Questions:

1. What do you think the people we talked about today (famous and our own philanthropists) had in common?
2. How did these individuals make a difference in their community/organization?
3. How do any of these acts impact your life or the lives of others in the community or organization?
4. Why is it equally important to devote time to caring for people with our resources?
5. What does our making and spending of money say about us?
6. What happen to the man in the scriptures who just thought about money? What did that say about his character?
7. If your “barns were full” in what ways would you want to honor God with those resources?
8. How can you best carry on the legacy of your faith organization? How can you build on it?
   

Variation:

The facilitator could have available information about the faith organization. This information could be used to create their own organization’s Philanthropic Puzzle. Information that would help is:

Organizational Timeline, if available
Annual reports, newsletters, list of donors or contributors to the organization
History of the organization, both local and national
Other interesting items, such as pictures, mementoes, etc

The facilitator divides the group into 3 or 4 small groups. Each group is given some information about the organization (from the list above), a stack of index cards and pens. Each group is to select people from the information and make a puzzle piece with the name. On a second card they write a brief explanation of who these people are and what they did for or through the organization. After all groups have completed the assignment, the facilitator asks them to replay the puzzle game using the new set of puzzle pieces. When matches are complete, the facilitator asks the group, who made each set of each the puzzle pieces, to tell about that person and place that person’s name on the Organizational Timeline.

Supplemental Activity:

Youth members of a faith organization could ask the leadership for time on the agenda at the next meeting to play the Philanthropic Puzzle Game with the members. Leaders could add to the timeline and suggest other names for the puzzle.

Design an oral history project and interview some of the founders of the organization and look for the philanthropic purposes that they had in mind, their life missions. How have their lives followed a path that is related to or has been impacted by their role on the organization?

Activity Source:

Philanthropic Puzzle Pieces
A Philanthropic Matching Game
Adapted from Community Partnerships with Youth Inc.
Youth as Philanthropists

Additional Resources:

Famous Philanthropists
Learning to Give Lesson (Grades 6-8) “Heroes with Heart”
Unit “What Does it Take?”

Athletes as Philanthropists
Learning to Give Lesson (Grades 9-12) “Sports Heroes and Private Action for the Public Good”
Unit “Sports Legends and Philanthropy?Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe and Tiger Woods”

Latino Philanthropists
Learning to Give Lesson (Grades 9-12) “Models of Philanthropy in the Latino Community”
Unit “Private Resources for the Common Good”

Women and Minorities
Learning to Give Lesson (Grades 6-8) “Heroes with Heart”
Unit “What Does it Take?”

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

 

Attachment One

Puzzle Cards

 

 

 

 

Philanthropy Theme Framework :

Strand Standard Benchmark PHIL I. Definitions of Philanthropy DP 01. Define Philanthropy MS 1. Define philanthropy as individuals and organizations providing their time, talent, and/or treasures intended for the common good throughout history and around the world. Give examples. PHIL I. Definitions of Philanthropy DP 01. Define Philanthropy HS 1. Define philanthropy to include giving and sharing; volunteering; and private individual action intended for the common good. Explain how a volunteer group can act for the common good. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS01. Self, citizenship, and society MS 4. Describe the characteristics of someone who helps the community. PHIL II. Philanthropy and Civil Society PCS01. Self, citizenship, and society HS 4. Describe and give examples of characteristics of good citizens in a democracy.