International Day of Charity on September 5th encourages organizations and individuals to help others. The day also emphasizes increasing solidarity and promoting social responsibility. The UN recognizes that volunteering and philanthropic work provides social bonding while creating resilient societies. Giving to those in need helps to alleviate the worst effect of humanitarian crises. The basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter are provided when others give. These donations also spread a message of humanity to the underprivileged and those surrounded by conflict. Today, nearly half of the earth’s population lives in poverty. That’s 3 billion people living on less than $2.50 a day. One billion children around the world live in poverty. About 22,000 of these children die each day. Hunger is one of the leading causes of death among the poor. Millions of people throughout the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. Two million children die each year from preventable diseases. Twenty-five percent of all human beings don’t have electricity. These sobering statistics point to the fact that there are an endless number of needs in our world. While you can’t possibly help everyone, you can do your part by helping someone. The International Day of Charity is a great time to do just that. As the saying goes, “it’s better to give than to receive.” The International Day of Charity was originally a Hungarian civil society initiative to commemorate the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death. In 2012, the UN General Assembly  turned this commemoration into an international event. Today, the focus is on enhancing visibility, organizing special events, and increasing solidarity, social responsibility, and public support.  If you’re interested in “paying it forward,” do it on September 5.