Happiness and Philanthropy

In this section you will find articles discussing the link between happiness and philanthropy, a central tenet of Lodestar's mission. We encourage you to contact us if you are aware of any articles that should be referenced on our website.

Happiness is a $58m question 
Melbourne Herald-Sun, June 9, 2008. SO what should the lucky $58 million Powerball winners do to benefit most from the windfall and make the world a better place? The answer is not as obvious as it seems. But much of it rests in the adage that it's more rewarding to give than to take...

Spending on Happiness: Q&A with Michael I. Norton
Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, June 2, 2008. Can money buy you happiness? Yes—so long as you spend the money on someone else. According to new research, giving other people even as little as $5 can lead to increased well-being for the giver.

How To Buy Happiness
Forbes, March 20, 2008. Bad news for the luxury goods market: Spending money on tchochkes doesn't make you happier, but giving money away just might. That conclusion, in a study published Thursday in the journal Science , flies in the face of what most people--and, certainly, advertisers--typically believe...

Paying taxes, according to the brain, can bring satisfaction
University of Oregon, June 14, 2007. UO study provides neural insights into the economics of philanthropy. Want to light up the pleasure center in your brain? Just pay your taxes, and then give a little extra voluntarily to your local food bank. University of Oregon scientists have found that doing those deeds can give you the same sort of satisfaction you derive from feeding your own hunger pangs...

Volunteer work and well-being
Journal of Health and Social Behavior, June 2001. Using two waves of panel data from Americans' Changing Lives (House 1995) (N = 2,681), we examine the relationships between volunteer work in the community and six aspects of personal well-being: happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of control over life, physical health, and depression...