An article in last weeks New York Times reinforced a long-standing thought I have had about charity. The article, by Vikas Bajaj, pointed out that some citiesBoston, Minneapolis and San Diego among themare buying foreclosed properties to refurbish and resell them to developers and homeowners in an effort to prevent troubled neighborhoods from sliding into urban decay. Communities Become Home Buyers to Fight DecayIn other words, they are applying a free-market approach to a social problem.I have always thought this was a good idea. I have nothing against traditional charities -- and I like the Red Cross and Salvation Army a lot, and contribute as much as I can to bothbut there has always been something appealing about solving an immediate problem by whipping out your check book.For example, where I live, in southeastern Massachusetts, there is a charity, The Wildlands Trust, that solves a simple problem in a very direct way. The organization believes, as I do, that as much land as possible should remain undeveloped. To make sure that happens, they try to get people to donate unbuilt land they own. If that fails, they rely on donations to write the landowner a check. The organization keeps the land undeveloped forever. It is an effective approach. (Full disclosure: I have done some volunteer work for the organization.)On a far grander scale, Harry Jack Gray, one of the smartest men I know, also opened his checkbook to solve a problem.When he was the Chairman of United Technologies in the 1970s and into the 1980s, he grew concerned about the declining quality of the workers his firm was able to hire from the area.To help solve the problem, he has written a number of large checksthe total is now well into the many millionsto the University of Hartford. I dont believe in the free-market approach to the exclusion of all others. That is why I write checks to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. But if there is a chance for you to solve an immediate problem by writing a check to a worthwhile organization, or if you can help by volunteering your time, it strikes me as something worth considering.
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