Project Aims to ‘Boomerang’ Senior Discounts to Charities

A recently launched nonprofit seeks to boost giving by aging baby boomers through programs that redirect senior-citizen discounts to charities, The New York Times writes.

The Boomerang Giving project, which went national last week following local trials, encourages older Americans to forgo price breaks they get on public transit, movies, restaurants, and other goods and services and divert those savings to charities of their choice. “Many seniors do need their discounts, but not all do,” said David S. Harrison, the project’s co-founder. “Why not let someone else benefit from that ‘found’ money’?”

The Times article discusses other vehicles for encouraging philanthropy among boomers approaching retirement age, like giving circles, and programs by some companies to match gifts by former employees.