If the world were a fair place there would be no poverty or illness anywhere. Money would be a thing of the past because everyone would have exactly what they needed. There would be no need for charities to help those that are less fortunate.

Unfortunately the world is not a fair place. There are people that are starving and have nothing to call their own. There are individuals who are afflicted with terrible diseases that have no cure.

But thanks to philanthropy many people are finding the care and the need that they need. Philanthropy has done tremendous good in the history of the world. It is a necessity and one that will continue to need benefactors in order to help those who need it most. It may be a homeless shelter.

It could be a research foundation working gallantly towards discovering a cure. In this article we will discuss how philanthropists work to achieve their goals and help better mankind.

Do philanthropists get anything in return for their good deeds?

The whole idea of philanthropy is to be completely altruistic about your deeds. You should not be expecting to receive anything in return. You may receive praise for your actions and some degree of notoriety but that should not be the motivation for your giving. The most charitable acts are those that are given without any thought for oneself.

It is the people that give every single day without receiving any recognition or praise for their work and donation that are true philanthropists. Even if they do not have much money to give, nor time to spare they give what they can. There are many people who give who want to receive recognition or praise for what they have done. True philanthropy does not come with a reward.

Do you have to be rich to be a philanthropist?

It never hurts to be rich but you do not have to be wealthy to be a philanthropist. If you volunteer at a homeless shelter, you are giving something very valuable. You are giving of your own time. If you donate clothing and toys to an orphanage at Christmas, you are doing a world of good.

It does not matter that you cannot be like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and give millions to charities and organizations. If you have ten dollars and you want to donate it to a local charity or organization, that is money that the organization did not have before and it does make a huge difference.

Is giving money the only way to practice philanthropy?

Many people make the mistake in thinking that philanthropy is all about people giving out money. It is not. It is about charitable gifts. That gift can be you giving an hour or two on the weekend to work with underprivileged children.

It can be cleaning out your closet to give clothes and other items to people who have lost their homes due to fire, flood or hurricane. The only limit on your gift is what you place on it. It certainly does not have to be based on how much comes from your wallet. Money is always nice but a helping hand and a warm heart go so much farther.

Is there an ulterior motive to philanthropy?

There is not supposed to be any "ulterior motive" other than the need and willingness to give. Yes, there are people who give in hopes that they will get recognition. Some people give so that they can write it off on their taxes or add it to their resume.

These are not motives that a true philanthropist should have. A true philanthropist would donate without any recognition being attached to their name. Unfortunately those that do seek the limelight often give philanthropist bad names.

Educate yourself about philanthropy from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback and welcome your comments at our philantrophy blog where a free audio gift awaits you.