The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com
Tim Winkeler serves as president and CEO of VIP Tires & Service.
Politics may be taking up the oxygen in 2024, but Mainers cannot forget about philanthropy — giving back and serving those in need. Charity is an indispensable piece of the socioeconomic puzzle in Maine and across New England.
And, while many Mainers are charitable, there is more work to be done. In fact, Americans overall are giving to charity at the lowest level in nearly three decades. In recent years, charitable giving has dropped by about 10 percent when adjusted for inflation, with donors giving a lower percentage of their disposable incomes than before. Priorities like education, human services, and the environment have especially taken a hit.
Giving by corporate America is also down. Adjusting for inflation, corporate charitable giving dropped by more than four percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it hasn’t fully recovered. While many businesses — large and small — do support philanthropic endeavors, to their credit, few incorporate charity into their overall strategy. There is untapped potential for companies to not only make a positive impact in the world, but also stand out from their competitors as charitable entities.
On this front, Maine can lead the way. Mainers are already some of the most charitable Americans, giving generously to support a wide range of causes. According to recent research from WalletHub, Maine actually ranks fifth overall in terms of charitable behavior — the only New England state in the top 10. In cities like Portland and Auburn, it is all too common to walk by a local business that is involved in some sort of charitable effort. Even outside of Maine’s cities, small businesses are known for being generous with their time and money, serving people in more ways than one.
Let’s build on that momentum. The impact of business support for local nonprofit organizations cannot be overstated. Simply put, Maine’s nonprofits cannot function properly without involvement from the business community.
First, it is important for business leaders to recognize local nonprofits that may need support. Where will the money go? Which programs will be funded? How many people will they support? These are all important questions to answer before you give.
And it’s not only up to the CEO to ask them. The most impactful companies know that philanthropy should transcend the C-suite, involving workers up and down the proverbial ladder. The more employees are aware of a charity’s positive impact, the more sustained their giving will become, leading to word of mouth and a deeper sense of engagement.
In 2023, VIP Tires & Service employees and customers together donated over $275,000 to Make-A-Wish — a new record for the company. This brings VIP’s total contribution in recent years to nearly $1.5 million on behalf of young children facing life-threatening medical conditions, and it only happened because there was company-wide involvement. Charity didn’t start and end at the top — the sense of philanthropy was shared at all levels.
There are business benefits to this sort of community engagement, in addition to the obvious impact for nonprofits themselves. Employees not only feel more connected to the local charities that are making a difference nearby, but they also feel more connected to their co-workers, given their shared sense of purpose. When entire businesses engage as charitable forces, it binds the workplace together and strengthens its overall culture.
From mom-and-pop shops to large companies, everyone has an opportunity to support the charities that matter most to them. Nonprofits — and those they serve — need that support more than ever. When businesses step up as philanthropists, countless lives improve for the better.