Quantify This

Great post. I don't know the answer to the question you ask, but I do believe that you are right in suspecting that the benefits of such work accrue to the health of the giver just as much as they do to that of the receiver.

I went to a Christmas party last night, at the invitation of some folks for whom I do a bit of volunteer work. A gentleman at my table was participating in exactly the sort of activity you describe. His wife was rolling her eyes, but it was clear that both of them were totally onboard with his effort and its very worthwhile outcome, even with the chaos it had temporarily generated in their family as they begin to involve their young children in the process.

We live in a world where it's perfectly acceptable (among many) to "Shout Your Abortion!" but in which it's impermissible--largely out of modesty and faith--to "Shout Your Volunteering!" As a result, the impact of such is largely unrecognized.

I've never believed we should be shouting our volunteering. I've always thought our charitable endeavors should be an entirely personal matter, one between ourselves and our family, or between ourselves and our God.

But perhaps it's time to speak up. Maybe we need a DONGE. (Department of Non-Government Efficiency.) I've a pretty good sense it would beat its governmental counterpart to flinders. Come to think of it, in the upcoming political climate, that might be a good thing.

People Who get "satisfaction" from helping the needy is an ego thing. The want to show and or tell people how good They are. That's why so many charities give away badges; to show You "cared and gave." I always ask, "Why don't They take the money They paid for those T-shirts, wristbands, and blankets and give it to the charity, too?" Because fewer people would give without a trophy.

Me? If and when I do give I don't get satisfaction, I feel sad for the recipient Who "needed" a handout. Then I think of the trillions and trillions of dollars Our federal, state, and local governments take from Us and I get ticked that an American needed charity.

Jimmy Carter (View Comment):

People Who get “satisfaction” from helping the needy is an ego thing. The want to show and or tell people how good They are. That’s why so many charities give away badges; to show You “cared and gave.” I always ask, “Why don’t They take the money They paid for those T-shirts, wristbands, and blankets and give it to the charity, too?” Because fewer people would give without a trophy.

This seems like an overly broad generalization. Perhaps you've spent your life around that sort of persons. I have not.

Old Bathos (View Post):

Efforts like this one take place on various scales all over this country all the time. My inner geek wonders (a) what is the net value of these kinds of efforts and how would you ever go about measuring/calculating that? And (b) what would it cost to replace all such efforts with government or privately paid programs?

I like your interest, but I suspect it is impossible. A significant reason is that a huge amount goes on anonymously on an individual basis, widely distributed in all corners of society. A la St. Nicholas (whose day we just passed), individuals who leave sacks of groceries on the doorstep of the destitute woman, the doctor or mechanic who waives his fee for person in need, the people who drive the elderly widow to appointments and clean up her yard in the fall or spring, the neighbors who shovel snow for the invalid neighbor, the church youth groups who do tasks for individuals in town, etc.

I have not studied Alex de Tocqueville, but the surface understanding I have of his writing is that he was explaining to his French audience the marvels of the "little platoons" he observed in America and the enormous amount of social function that the French expected the King and "government" to provide that Americans simply do for each other.

Old Bathos (View Post):

And how do we quantify the satisfaction that many people get from doing service like this?

I think I would change "satisfaction" to "benefit." At least in part (I am coming at this as a Christ-follower) because one of the benefits I see people getting is learning how to love one another, to become less selfish and self-focused by focusing on others, and to become more Christ-like in our earthly existence.