Good morning, it’s Friday. We made it through another roller coaster of a week. Phew.
We are entering the season of giving. This is the time we think of those less fortunate than ourselves and open our wallets accordingly – assuming we can afford to do so.
Also, some of us might be thinking less about what we can do for our fellow humans, and more about tax write-offs, but such is life. And, quite frankly, regardless of the motivation, the outcome is the same – people in need get some of their needs met.
It’s generally accepted that about 30 percent of all charitable contributions occur in the month of December and about 10 percent in the final few days of the year, as people make a mad dash to get those aforementioned tax write-offs in under the wire. So, this time of year is VERY important to the nonprofits and charitable causes of the world.
Charitable giving in the U.S. hit a record $485 billion in 2021, though the increase did not keep pace with inflation. Last year, Americans gave $557.16 billion, which is up from 2021, but down about 2.1 percent (when adjusted for inflation) from 2022, according to the annual Giving USA report.
This trend makes sense to me, given the results of the recent election, when we saw many voters rank pocketbook issues (jobs, the cost of living, the lack of affordable housing, taxes, jobs etc.) – as among their top concerns.
Basically, it was the economy, stupid.
I realize, belatedly, that I am falling into a trap that is all too common, which is to say that I am using the worlds “philanthropy” and “charity” interchangeably. The two are, in fact, not the same thing, though the difference is subtle.
“Charity”, according to the interwebs, is about providing immediate relief and also might manifest not only in a monetary donation, but contributions of food or clothing, for example, and also time.
An example: Filling the immediate needs of a community that has been struck like a natural disaster such as an earthquake, hurricane, or flood. These individuals need something to eat and drink, shelter, and likely clothes, too, since they may have escaped with very little other than their lives in tact.
Technically speaking, volunteering – like at a soup kitchen or your local institution of faith or school or through the Red Cross – is a form of charity.
“Philanthropy”, on the other hand, is more about strategic, long-term giving – it’s the donation of time or money made to that same disaster-stricken community with an eye toward rebuilding.
As for the specific definitions, according to the dictionary, charity is either 1) an institution or organization set up to provide help to and/or raise money for those in need, or 2) the voluntary giving of help – usually money – to those in need.
Philanthropy, meanwhile, is “the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.” The tern was actually coined by a Greek playwright named Aeschylus and it meant “love of humanity.”
The word is usually associated with people who are very wealthy and give away a portion of their vast fortunes (Rockefeller or Buffett or Bezos, for example) OR those who are best known for giving selflessly of their most precious commodity – time (think Mother Teresa).
Philanthropy can come in a variety of forms, including advocacy in favor of certain reforms or on behalf of vulnerable individuals who need assistance, support, or relief.
Now that we’ve got that all straightened out…today is National Philanthropy Day, which was established by an attorney and philanthropist named Douglas Freeman, who campaigned so earnestly and feverishly about the need to recognize and celebrate this form of giving that he eventually earned the attention of President Ronald Reagan.
In 1986, Reagan signed a proclamation designating today, Nov. 15, National Philanthropy Day, and called on “the American people and organizations of every kind to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities to recognize the enormous achievements of all who have given of themselves for others, and to rededicate ourselves to the great tasks ahead.”
The elevated risk of fire spread is still with us, as it continues to be very dry with no significant rainfall in sight. An emergency statewide burn ban is in effect until Nov. 30 for New York. Be smart. No burning leaves, no open fire pits, no chilly outdoor grilling, and definitely no cigarette butts tossed on the ground.
We’re in for a slight warming trend, with temperatures heading into the low-to-mid 50s today and throughout the weekend. Skies will be partly cloudy today, mostly sunny tomorrow, and partly cloudy again on Sunday.
In the headlines…
President-elect Donald Trump pushed the envelope on presidential powers in his first term, but now there are concerns he could go even further in an attempt to install highly controversial nominees, which he wants to do through recess appointments.
Trump announced he will nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
By choosing RFK Jr., a onetime rival, Trump is putting a man whose views public health officials say are dangerous in charge of a massive agency that oversees everything from drug, vaccine and food safety to medical research, Medicare and Medicaid.
Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site announcing the appointment. Kennedy, he said, would “end the Chronic Disease epidemic” and “Make America Great and Healthy Again!”
In a statement after he accepted the offer, Kennedy emphasized the importance of ridding the department of “corruption” and vowed to “provide Americans with transparency” so they can make individual health decisions.
Trump said that he would name Todd Blanche, a lawyer who oversaw his defense against multiple indictments, to become the No. 2 official at the Justice Department.
Trump announced Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command, will run the Department of Veterans Affairs. He served in Congress from 2013 to 2021, and helped defend Trump during his first impeachment process.
Trump said he was nominating North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to lead the Department of the Interior. After ending his own presidential campaign in December 2023, Burgum endorsed Trump and became an outspoken supporter.
Burgum has taken a business-oriented bent as governor of North Dakota, where agriculture and oil are the main industries.
Trump’s vision for education revolves around a single goal: to rid America’s schools of perceived ” wokeness ” and “left-wing indoctrination.”
Elon Musk, a close adviser to Trump, met with Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations on Monday in New York in a session that two Iranian officials described as a discussion of how to defuse tensions between Iran and the United States.
Behind closed doors over the last week, a range of tech leaders have put forth their own brethren in coordinated efforts to try to leave a distinctly Silicon Valley imprint on a cabinet lineup that appears to be open to persuasion.
Trump said that he wants to replace Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, with Jay Clayton, his former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The change, which Trump announced in a Truth Social post, comes as Williams is overseeing several high-profile prosecutions, including the public corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams and the sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Clayton, a former corporate lawyer, would assume a critical role for the president-elect, who has promised revenge on those who prosecuted him in New York.
It’s unclear what the selection will mean for the SDNY’s indictment accusing the mayor of taking campaign contributions and lavish gifts from Turkish officials in exchange for political favors. Trump has said he’s skeptical of the indictment.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the resurrection of the congestion pricing program that would toll drivers who enter the busiest parts of Manhattan starting in January. The retooled plan would charge the drivers $9, down from $15.
The cost of the new toll will also be cut in half for low-income drivers who have to pay it more than 10 times each month, Hochul said.
“I’m proud to announce we have found a path to fund the MTA, reduce congestion and keep millions of dollars in the pockets of our commuters,” Hochul said. “You heard that correctly: It was $15 before, and now it is $9.”
“This lower toll will still allow us to accomplish all, and I mean all, of the goals of congestion pricing,” Hochul insisted, adding that fees will start to be collected by the MTA on Jan. 5.
Hochul’s move to revive congestion pricing in New York has energized her Republican opponents, giving them fodder to fight her re-election in 2026.
In a statement released by his transition team, Trump blasted tolls’ impact on working people, calling it a “massive tax” that is “extremely inconvenient from both driving and personal booking keeping standards.”
Adams’ office ordered all city government agencies to set up accounts on BlueSky, a social media platform that has seen a marked uptick in new users since Trump’s election.
Adams continued his warming up to Trump by praising the pick of Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
One of Adams’ longtime personal friends, Jesse Hamilton, who has weathered criticism for his handling of a lucrative lease agreement, received a significant pay raise in his city job during the previous fiscal year.
The New York City Council overwhelmingly passed a measure to shift the burden of broker fees to landlords. Here’s what that means for renters.
A former Marine who trained Daniel Penny to apply a chokehold said yesterday that images and video suggest that he might have done so improperly when he killed a homeless man last year.
Thirty alleged gang members who authorities say are responsible for half of this year’s shootings in Inwood and Washington Heights this year were indicted on a range of charges.
A 4-month-old baby in the Bronx died in August from acute cocaine intoxication, New York City’s chief medical examiner said yesterday. The death was ruled a homicide.
A Long Island man was charged with terrorism after authorities said he tried to blow up a Nassau County government building in a “terroristic revenge plot.”
Is Mike Tyson’s fight against Jake Paul more of a sporting event or a grotesquerie? New York’s gaming commission comes down on the side of the latter, making it ineligible for wagering using mobile sports betting apps or sportsbooks in New York casinos.
Colonie Center plans to welcome a new child-friendly tenant with the opening of a Fun City Adventure Park next year on the second floor of the former Sears store.
The Saratoga County Conservative Party Committee wants to interview candidates for the 2025 elections in the county and its municipalities.
Fuel cell and clean hydrogen manufacturer Plug Power named its chief strategist Sanjay Shrestha as its new president under CEO Andy Marsh.
The Northeast is facing an escalating wildfire threat, with conditions expected to worsen later this week.
Firefighting crews intensified efforts yesterday, and will continue to work today, to contain the vast Jennings Creek Wildfire, which has burned thousands of acres in southern Orange County and northern New Jersey over the past week.
Photo credit: George Fazio.
