How Charitable Giving Became Part of My Businesss
Back when I first started my business, I came across another service provider’s website that said 10% of their profit was donated to their favorite charities.
I loved that.
It felt like such a powerful way to align business with values, and I knew I wanted to do something similar.
How I Chose Where to Give
At the time, I didn’t just want to give here and there. I wanted to give intentionally and monthly. I researched 501(c)(3) organizations and looked for the ones where the largest percentage of donations went directly to programs instead of admin costs. That’s when I found Help the Helpless.
I’ll be honest, the name has never been my favorite. It feels a bit disempowering, and it’s also a Catholic mission, which isn’t part of my own personal practice. But the work they do is undeniably incredible, and I knew I wanted to support it. So I started sponsoring, first, one family in Ecuador (sponsored families get a monthly basket with food + household items), then a child (sponsored children get access to school and meals). And currently, thanks to you and the growth of Simplify VA, five children and two families are sponsored each month.
Every Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, I receive letters from the children and families I sponsor. They share updates about soccer camp, new school shoes, or roof repairs made possible by what, to me, feels like a modest donation. It’s such a treat to read those letters and see the personalities of the kids come through.
In one of the mailings, there was a newsletter blurb about how visitors are welcome at the locations they serve. I got in touch with Teresa and coordinated a place and time to meet with two of the nuns who perform the work in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Then, in May 2022, I traveled to Guayaquil with my sister, and we had the chance to see their impact in person. With the nuns as our guides, we visited one of the schools where sponsored children can get an education — and, for many, their only full meal of the day.
We brought lollipops (the kind with bubble gum inside) for the classroom we visited, and you wouldn’t believe how excited the kids were. One little girl hugged me and asked if she could please have another one to give to her sister. That simple moment will stay with me forever.
We were also invited to visit the homes of a couple of sponsored families. I’ll never forget meeting a blind, bedridden woman with the brightest smile on her face as she talked about how the Lord takes care of her and has blessed her with a loving family and strength. That visit changed me. I’m much slower now to complain about things that, in reality, are lucky problems to have. Of course, we’re all allowed to be seen in our feelings and struggles, but I’m always reminded that someone else just might love to have my “problems”.
Giving Back at Home in Costa Rica
There are so many wondrous things about living in Costa Rica. The warmth of the people, the rich culture, the insanely cool mountains, landscapes and wildlife.
But there’s also a hard truth for animal lovers. Unlike many countries, Costa Rica doesn’t provide government funding to animal rescue groups (some provinces and cantons are starting to sponsor castration clinics, but it’s rare). If you’ve ever visited, you’ve probably noticed you don’t have to walk or drive far before seeing dogs and cats on the street.
I’ve tried to do what I can. My two cats, Toño + Travieso, and two dogs, Canela + Lily, are all straight-up, scooped-up rescues, and I’ve fostered two litters of abandoned puppies. But it never feels like enough to make an impact alone.
Thankfully, there are incredible animal rescue groups here, and their work is able to extend further with the help of donations (they run almost entirely on donations). That’s why I commit to donating at least 5% of profits each month to trusted local organizations (in addition to the other 5% that goes to Help the Helpless). Unlike major organizations, even a $40 donation here can cover the cost of one animal’s castration, preventing them from contributing to the overpopulation crisis.
The Animal Rescue Groups I Support in Costa Rica
If you’re interested in supporting these wonderful organizations, there are a couple that can receive donations from outside Costa Rica:
I don’t think the other groups can accept donations outside of CR, but you can check out the work they do below:
Each of these groups is run by people with big hearts, who do so much with the limited donations they receive.
Why I’m Sharing This
It feels a bit gross to talk about your good deeds, right? So in one way, it seems taboo to talk about this.
But just like that blurb on another service provider’s website that I saw by happenstance inspired me to commit to 10% charitable giving each month, my hope is that sharing this might inspire someone else to think about how they can give in their own way.
If you’re feeling called to give back and you’re in a position to do so, I hope you follow that pull. We’re truly fortunate to be able to run businesses that not only support ourselves and our families but also create real change for others.
And to me, that’s the best kind of success there is.