The Power of a Penny

The puny penny is the smallest monetary unit in our currency. But what good is it? What difference does a penny make? Plenty, and it’s more than money!

It’s time to do the grocery shopping. Perhaps this is a once-a-week ritual for your family of four. The shopping cart is full — cereal, milk, soda, protein bars, coffee, green vegetables, chicken, hamburger and more. Now you’re at the checkout counter and the total is $319.47. The checkout person asks you a question: “Would you like to round up your total to help support the Community Center’s After School program?”

Well, hold on. First, you wonder, “By ‘round up’ does she mean round up to $319.50, to $320, or to $400?” Then you learn that she’s asking if you want to add 53 cents to your total for a worthy cause. Only a complete dirtbag would say no. So you say yes.

One organization that uses this fundraising approach is Goodwill Industries with its “Change for Change” program. In Fort Worth, Texas, shoppers raised more than $295,000 across 25 retail locations in 2020. The program advertises, “You...