Robin Hood Was Right: A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change

"Bold in its philosophy and down-to-earth in the application of that philosophy."―Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States

Last year, Americans donated $150 billion to charity. Giving has never been more popular, possible―or, for many, more confusing. There are oceans of need, mountains of requests, and often little time for the consideration needed to give thoughtfully and effectively. "Change, not charity!" is this book’s enthusiastic theme. Long-time activists and givers, authors Chuck Collins and Pam Rogers show that traditional charity most often reinforces the status quo and maintains the dynamics of dependency and control. The progressive ethic of giving endorsed in this book, on the other hand, offers detailed ways to address the root causes of societal problems. With numerous organizational listings and hundreds of helpful suggestions, Robin Hood Was Right is a fun, user-friendly guide for the socially conscious giver, whether one is able to give annually $500 or $5,000,000.

Joan P. Garner is the executive director of the Southern Partners Fund in Atlanta.

Pam Rogers is the special projects coordinator at the Haymarket People’s Fund.