The Illustrated Oxford Dictionary defines philanthropy as “1. a love of humanity [and] 2. practical benevolence, esp. charity on a large scale.”
Though all of us can (or should) love humanity, charity on a large scale is limited to those who have the means to do so. It is a fact of life that some are financially better off than others, thanks to heredity, hard work, ingenuity, or luck. How they spend their wealth is their own business, of course, though it would be nice if they used their surplus funds to help their fellow humans. Philanthropy can take many forms, from the creation of charitable corporations like the Ford Foundation to large-scale benefits like Band Aid or Live Aid. Wealthy entrepreneurs from Andrew Carnegie to Bill Gates perform philanthropic giving to help humanity, but also to improve their public image and to achieve vicarious immortality.
Nonprofit organizations, especially those that promote education, health, the arts, social work, and the environment, depend on philanthropists for much of their income. This is especially true within the LGBTQ community, where donations from wealthy individuals or groups have become necessary at a time when nonprofits can no longer rely on federal or state governments. Philanthropists donate to nonprofits directly or by way of organizations created to distribute charitable funds. Groups like Our Fund (our-fund.org) were created “to promote philanthropy, manage enduring investments, and conduct impactful grant-making to improve the lives of LGBTQ people.” The Our Fund Foundation awards grants to organizations like the Pride Center at Equality Park, Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, Plays of Wilton and the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library.
Recently, I wrote about one of South Florida’s leading LGBTQ philanthropists, Peter Zimmer. Zimmer and his late husband, Jim Stepp, were two of our community’s most generous benefactors. Since Stepp’s passing two years ago, grants from the James Stepp and Peter Zimmer Donor Advised Fund at Our Fund have doubled to $250,000 per year. Their generosity earned Zimmer and Stepp the Our Fund Foundation’s highest honor: Philanthropist of the Year. In addition to Our Fund, Zimmer and Stepp made a major donation to the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library and were Platinum Level members of the Pride Center’s Founders Circle and Equality Florida’s Legacy of Equality Society.
Most of us cannot match the generosity of wealthy philanthropists like Peter Zimmer and Jim Stepp. But we can donate within our means and give to our community as much as we can afford. Like a love of humanity, practical benevolence is something that we can all accomplish, in our own small way.
