The Spirit of Philanthrophy
The Spirit of Philanthropy: Why Give to Raritan Valley Montessori
People like us contribute thousands of dollars to worthwhile charitable organizations, like Raritan Valley Montessori, for reasons that are as much selfish as altruistic. Why do we do it? Our volunteer support gives us a stake in the school, a claim somewhat of influence over a place that we care about. It gives us as parents and staff a sense of having some degree of ownership and pride. Some of us also give to Raritan Valley Montessori because we are part of this community and feel strongly connected to it. Perhaps we also give to fulfill a very personal need to see ourselves, as patrons of something that we feel are truly worthwhile. Perhaps, in helping to build something worthwhile, we gain a little place in the book of good deeds. Some of us support Raritan Valley Montessori for reasons of conscience. We believe in Dr. Montessori's vision of global community and her campaign for world peace and human dignity. We are supporting something in which we believe. When we support Raritan Valley Montessori, we aren't simply throwing our hard-earned money away. We know all too well that our resources are limited and we give careful thought to how they are used to accomplish the most good. Most of us at Raritan Valley Montessori, most especially the teachers and staff tend to be people who hold strong values and deep beliefs. We believe in people, especially the promise inherent within children, and we have a great respect for what great schools can contribute to their lives. We want to give our children and the children who follow them in the years to come an extraordinary opportunity that wasn't available to most of us when we were young. We want to contribute back to life. By lending our support, we hope to improve the quality of life, and help develop solutions for some of our most deeply nagging social concerns with children. Every time we contribute to Raritan Valley Montessori, we are making an investment in our children's future and in the larger community.