Jackson Free Press

Whether you define yourself as Generation X, Y or (like myself) on the XY cusp, you are a part of a unique and powerful generation that desires to change the world, and has the vigor and technology to do it. We are a generation that is constantly challenging the status quo, a generation that is quick to speak out against injustice (we have easy access to Facebook and Twitter, after all) and a generation that demands something beyond the ordinary. We are not shy about going to the Internet to advocate for causes we believe in; we are active in our communities; and we are a generation that is making our voices heard.

To truly take that desired step beyond the ordinary, to make a difference in our cities and around the world, we need a culmination of our voices and our actions. Let's take a stand and do the one thing that scares us the most: Let's open up our wallets.

The generations that came before us learned the importance of regularly writing a check to support the work of charities. In fact, when I first started working as a professional fundraiser, I was astonished at how the vast majority of financial support for our organization came from people over 50. Our parents and their parents support the work of NGOs across the globe and nonprofits here in the United States. Our generation has proven that we can re-think social responsibilities and environmental concerns of corporations, but how many of us have actually written a check?

When I ask this question of my peers, the answer I typically receive is that they are simply unable to give financially. These same people own laptops, iPods, smartphones and flat-screen TVs. When I ask someone my age to become a member of a nonprofit for $20, they protest the feasibility of the gift while ordering another beer, renting another movie, paying a cover to see a band or buying an extra-large latte.

While I am not criticizing anyone's choices to purchase these items, I am challenging the idea that my generation can't afford to give. If we care about the future of the organizations we claim to support in our online profiles, we can't afford not to give. After all, if nearly half the world lives on just few dollars a day, shouldn't we at least consider making a small gift to support the future of the world we want to change?

The best thing is that it has never been easier to give than now. So whether you are part of the group that feels financially unable to give because of a low-paying job, other financial commitments or a tight budget, or if you simply don't know where to start, here are some easy things to consider and they only takes a few minute of your day.

• Most organizations offer online giving. Just go to a website and press a button.

• Many charities offer texting as an option for donations.

• Many of us have our monthly bills automatically taken out of our accounts by bank draft. Did you know you can do this with donations, too? Sign up for a monthly or quarterly draft, and you can give regularly to your favorite charity without moving a muscle.

• Next time you attend an event that benefits a cause you believe in, consider giving more than the suggested admission price, or even sacrifice that last beer of the night for an extra $5 donation. Just tell the people collecting at the door that you want the money to go to the benefiting organization. They will love it, and you might even get a hug!

• Make a "Giving Jar" for yourself or together with roommates or family members. Label a mason jar for giving and use it to collect spare change for a month. At the end of the month, your household can collectively decide where your money should go.

Want to make sure you know where your money goes? Check out http://www.guidestar.org or http://www.justgive.org to see a profile of your favorite charity.

The most important thing we can do to make sure that our generation is helping to sustain these organizations in the future is to establish our patterns of giving now. It's easy to say that we will give when we get a little older, but that could easily continue for our entire lives.

Let's truly be a generation that puts our money where our mouths are—a generation that speaks out to make our voices heard and a generation of action.

Melody Moody spends most of her days raising awareness about bicycle and pedestrian issues through her work with Bike Walk Mississippi and the Jackson Bike Advocates. If you see her around town, she'll be more than happy to give you suggestions on where you can volunteer or donate locally.