Manassas Park Community Matters Blog Post - It’s Better to Give, Than to Receive – By Tony Thomas

It’s better to give, than receive. That’s an old adage that many of us of us have heard at least once or twice in our life. However, in economic times like this, it’s no secret that philanthropy has gone down across the board. According to a renowned philanthropy website, they reported that charity donations were down at least 20% in the last year. Charity organizations and non-profits thrive off of donations, and a 20% decrease is a substantial amount for any organization, non-profit or not.  

Although you may not be able to contribute to an organization financially, there are still plenty of other ways that you can help by giving back. This could be through volunteering, or helping organize a fundraising effort for a cause. There is no better example of this gung-ho spirit of donating than Tey Barbour. Tey is a seven year old, eagerly anticipating going to second grade; who happens to have just organized a massive shoe-drive in Northern Virginia for needy and underprivileged children.

Back in April, Tey’s birthday was fast approaching and his mother asked him what he would like for birthday.  Now most kids would take this time to come up with an exhaustive list of toys, video games and a party with all of their friends. Not Tey! The only thing he said he wanted was shoes; however, he didn’t want them for himself, he wanted them for other kids around the world that may not have even the bare necessities such as a pair of shoes. What a thoughtful and caring gesture, by a young boy who was on the brink of turning 7!

Once Tey put his mind to collecting shoes for underprivileged youth, he got his elementary school behind him and his mom’s job, and after several weeks, he had collected a whopping 741 pairs of shoes and $660 all to donate to Shoes4Soles. What an incredible feat (no pun intended)!  Tey’s giving spirit shows us that all of us are capable of giving back in someway, shape of form. It doesn’t have to be purely financial.

On top of knowing the benefits that someone else is going to receive through our giving. Did you know that giving also has an overall positive effect on you, the giver, as well? According to ACH Health News it has been proven “that when people give rather than receive it provides them with a “warm glow” when we put others needs, ahead of our own.” They surveyed over 235,000 people in 136 countries and the majority of respondents said that they felt a greater sense of happiness when contributing towards others rather than themselves.

Tey’s enthusiasm for giving back is what embodies the Manassas Park Community Center. Part of our work is developing working relationships with several civic organizations and non-profits to help reach the community that has been underserved. Throughout the course of the year, we work diligently with agencies on helping provide citizens with access to recreation, programs and classes that they may not have the luxury to be a part of otherwise.

As you can see there is no better time than right now to start thinking about how you would like to give back to your community. The ways that you can give of yourself and your talents are endless. If a seven year old boy, with the aspiration of helping unknown children out across the world happened. Surely you can make an impact right here, in your community. If you’re not sure where to start, we have several volunteer opportunities available here at the Manassas Park Community Center.

Tey has served as a real inspiration to not only me, but to the staff at the Community Center, and to people near and far. Tey is an active member of the Manassas Park Community Center and frequently participates in basketball programs and day camps, and we could not be more proud of his efforts. For his relentless work on collecting shoes for children, he had the privilege on being featured on the local evening news, and interviewed by several journalists throughout the metro area. Not bad for a boy, who wanted something ‘different’ for his birthday.

With that in mind, I would like to leave with a quote from James Cash Penney, the Founder of J.C. Penney Corporation.  

“How can we expect our children to know and experience the joy of giving unless we teach them that the greater pleasure in life lies in the art of giving rather than receiving.”

Thanks for reading, and I hope that you have a great week!

Tony

Tony Thomas is the Recreation Services Supervisor of the Department of Parks and Recreation. He can be reached at 703.335.8872 or via email att.thomas@manassasparkva.gov

Community Matters is a blog created by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation. The blog features program updates, announcements of new services, special event notices, or information of general interest.