Diane Raver
Phillip Call believes that philanthropy is important because “it benefits everyone.
“If you’re helping others, you feel good. If you’re receiving help, you’re getting what you need. If philanthropy is done right, everyone wins,” says the son of Ray and Joann Call, Batesville.
The Ball State University student recently had a chance to improve the lives of people in the community as part of the course Giving and Getting: Understanding Philanthropy in the Modern World.
“This class was composed of 11 honors college students, and our task was to make a mock foundation and give away $10,000 from a grant our professor applied for from the Sunshine Lady Foundation – founded by Doris Buffett – to various nonprofits in Muncie and Delaware County.
“We read a few books about philanthropy and foundations, made a mission statement for our class, designed a request for proposals (RFP) and sent the RFP to many organizations associated with the local community foundation. We received eight grant applications and had to review them individually and collectively.
“Ultimately, we decided to fund computers at a library that doesn’t receive tax dollars, a music program for kids through a children’s museum and a food program for children through Second Harvest.
“I learned a lot about how the nonprofit sector functions, how grants are written and reviewed and what many of the needs are in Delaware County and many communities,” the 24-year-old admits.
However, helping others is nothing new for the Muncie resident who served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two years after high school. While in Las Vegas and other cities in Nevada, “I talked with a lot of different people about spirituality and also provided various kinds of service to those in need, whether it pertained to food, yardwork, car help, branding cattle or a variety of other activities.”
As a LDS Boy Scout troop member, “I participated in many Eagle Scout projects to paint bridges and fix up parks in Oldenburg. My brother, Robert, and I made cabinets for Safe Passage in Batesville for our Eagle Scout projects. Through Scouts as well as our church youth group, we did such things as visit nursing homes, make and deliver food baskets for needy families, did yardwork for the elderly and other projects.”
The English education major is also president and co-founder of the Free the Slaves Ball State chapter, “an organization based in Washington, D.C., that works with grassroots organizations around the world to study situations of slavery, free local slaves and provide them with the resources they need to stay out of slavery.”
How did the young man become interested in serving others? “I think a lot of it is just part of the culture I grew up in that was created by my parents, other family members, the church and others. It was just something that's always been a part of my life.”
He adds, “I had a fellowship through the BSU Honors College this semester to study the grants given by the local community foundation and whether they contribute to physical, human, social, and/or other kinds of capital. Next semester, I'm going to be teaching a class at BSU about philanthropy with my current professor. Currently, I'm applying for the Truman Scholarship for funding to go to grad school.”
His future goals include attending grad school at IUPUI and getting a degree in philanthropic studies. “With that, I'd like to teach philanthropy at the collegiate level so the people can learn more about philanthropy: how to give effectively, why to give, where it's good to give.”
