Have fun – volunteer in the community Sam Watts June 12, 2022 1520 Years ago, a work colleague of mine consistently refused to participate in any benevolent activities that our company initiated. He would say, “I am looking out for #1”! Sadly, this is not a totally uncommon pe...
Can we solve the challenge of homelessness? Sam Watts May 15, 2022 1605 Think Philanthropically I am frequently asked to explain why people who find themselves experiencing homelessness often remain homeless for extended periods of time. Why does the challenge of chronic homel...
Help Now – But Let’s Help Later Too Sam Watts April 15, 2022 2445 Think Philanthropically The invasion of Ukraine, the destruction of many of its residential areas, and the displacement of million of its citizens raises a number of very important questions around our North...
Crowdfunding – Opportunity or Danger? Sam Watts March 26, 2022 1424 Think Philanthropically Recent events have caused everyone to become more aware of the phenomenon of crowdfunding. Many of us participate in giving to people outside standard philanthropic channels. This c...
Donate Wisely and Joyfully in 2022 Sam Watts January 20, 2022 1228 Think Philanthropically I’d like to wish all our readers a safe and healthy 2022. In the most recent column (December 2021), I included a few words of caution about the dangers of “charity fraud”. This res...
‘Tis Always the Season to Give Sam Watts December 11, 2021 1409 Think Philanthropically It is giving season. The holiday season is a time when many of us think about giving. More particularly, it is the traditional time to be grateful for the things that we often take ...
Is there a “problem” with philanthropy in Quebec? Sam Watts November 11, 2021 2645 Recently I told one of my American friends that I was writing a column on philanthropy for this publication. He is well acquainted with philanthropy and he asked me if this assignment was difficult. After all...
How has the pandemic impacted Community Service Organizations and what will change in the Future? Sam Watts September 26, 2021 1306 The pandemic has had an enormous impact on Montreal’s network of more than 600 non-profit community organizations. Community-based non-profits differ in many important ways and the impact of the pandemic varied...
Helping the disadvantaged – doing the right thing the right way Sam Watts August 27, 2021 2247 Thinking Philanthropically It is a privilege to be invited to contribute to The Montrealer on a regular basis. In future columns the plan is that we will outline key ideas about philanthropy and non-profits....
