What We're Reading: A Kid’s Guide to Giving by Freddi Zeiler

By Carol Hoffman

07-09-2012

Practical advice for giving for all ages

I recently picked up A Kid's Guide to Giving by Freddi Zeiler. 

Freddi was a normal 13-year-old.  She went to school every day, came home, did her homework, played sports, and had dinner each night with her family.  Meanwhile, watching the news on television she saw children who did not have the usual things in life she and most of her friends enjoyed.  So, she started looking into how she could help children across the world who could not go to a doctor when they were sick, or did not go to school, or sometimes went to bed hungry.

Initially, Freddi decided she wanted to help by donating money from her piggy bank, but she didn't know where to start.  She began doing research and learning whatever she could to find a cause she was passionate about.  The result was this book, A Kid's Guide to Giving.

Freddi's advice, while geared towards children and teens, is an excellent introduction to charitable giving for any new donor.  Through her work, Freddi discovered ways she could help beyond donating money, such as volunteering in a soup kitchen, picking up trash in a local park, helping an elderly neighbor, or teaching children how to play a sport.

Ultimately, this book is both heartwarming and practical for those who are interested in making a difference or simply learning about the many ways in which donors, volunteers, and nonprofit organizations improve our community.