Simple International Aid

One of the areas with the greatest misperceptions amongst Americans is how much the US contributes to foreign aid.

The most recent OECD estimate for US overseas development assistance indicates Americans have historically overestimated foreign aid as a portion of the US budget by almost 100 times more than the actual amount!

In any case, helping address poverty and the World’s major problems doesn’t have to be a costly, complicated undertaking. This short story illustrates the fact that we all have something to give.

“A year ago we decided to quit eating out as much and to use the money to support a needy child. We keep her photo in our dining room and pray for her almost every night. Our daughters write her letters and consider her part of our extended family. It’s tough not to feel rich when you’re giving money away.”

Statistically, it is possible to cut World Hunger in half within a few years time if the average taxpayer of all industrialized countries kicked in only $50 a year.

If you’d be willing to do your part, to help feed the millions of children and their families who are otherwise slowly starving to death, consider donating to a charity with an international focus. Besides finding that your charitable buying power is greatly enhanced when your gift goes overseas, where so much more can be accomplished with much less cost, most importantly, you can literally save lives, as well as experience the joy of giving.

[Sources: WorldPublicOpinion.org; Budget perceptions: Program on International Policy Attitudes “Americans on Foreign Aid and World Hunger: A Study of U.S. Public Attitudes”]