Paul Sassone

While this may be the season of giving, there is giving and there is GIVING.

Perhaps you read or heard that Facebook CEO Mark Zukerberg and his wife will, according to a statement released by Facebook, donate 99 percent of shares to the Chan Zuckerberg (their daughter) Foundation “to advance human potential and to promote equality in such areas as health, education, scientific research and energy.”

The estimated market value of this donation is $45 billion.

How, exactly, will this donation and this foundation improve humanity’s lot? Don’t know, specifically. But this is how zillionaires usually donate — to foundations that through studies and research and symposia ultimately bring benefits to the human race.

It’s all very involved, complicated and down-the-road results oriented.

Zillionaires don’t generally do direct donations in which money goes directly to needy recipients.

Oh, there was Standard Oil CEO John D. Rockefeller, who in the 1920s would carry with him a bag of shiny new dimes. He would hand out dimes to children (and some adults). The kids enjoyed getting a dime and Rockefeller enjoyed seeing the kids’ enjoyment and it enabled him to give ad hoc lectures on the value of thrift. Over the years it is estimated he handed out $35,000 in dimes.

But that’s a different animal — a different species —  from the $45 billion the Zuckerbergs are offering up.

That set me to wondering: What might happen if instead of using their donation as a catalyst for systemic change through a foundation, the Zuckerbergs directly donated that $45 billion to Americans living and suffering today, right this minute?

Let’s see …

As of the year 2014, the U.S. Census Bureau states that 47 million Americans live in poverty. That is almost 15 percent of the entire population of the United States.

That $45 billion could be divided so that each American living in poverty would receive approximately $1,000. That’s $1,000 for every poor man, poor woman and poor child.

What could a poor person do with $1,000, a family of four do with $4,000? Who can say for sure. But, perhaps that $1,000 might provide the impetus to transition out of poverty. Who knows?

But for certain we know that with that $1,000 millions of hungry people would eat — today, not down the road.

Millions of Americans would have shelter — today.

Medical care — today.

Warm clothes — today.

I am not disdaining nor minimizing the value of the Zuckerbergs’ donation. It is generous and will doubtless be beneficial.

But the ability with one massive gift to alleviate the real and immediate suffering of all poor Americans is oh so tempting.

Unfortunately, that gift is not within my gift.

Maybe some day some zillionaire will give it a shot.

After all, this is the season of giving.

–There is giving and there is GIVING–