*** Charitable Giving: It's More than a Tax Deduction

Since September 11, 2001, the Trump Organization has always had an annual memorial of some sort. The first year, we forfeited our annual Trump Organization Christmas party in order to give the funds that would normally be used for that event to charity. All of us felt it was the right thing to do, and it was. Since then, we have had a memorial in the lobby and atrium of Trump Tower each year, and I attend as do other members of the Trump Organization.nnIn 2006 and 2007, we had the September Concert perform at Trump Tower on 9/11, and it was open to the public. The September Concert was founded in 2002 on the first anniversary of 9/11 with the message of peace through music. Haruko Smith, the founder, and Veronica Kelly, the vice chairman, have done an amazing job. My son Eric introduces the concert, and all of us attend. It's a meaningful celebration and a positive response to a day that shouldn't be forgotten.nnIt takes time for us to help coordinate this event and to make the space available in our very busy building, but it is worth every minute of it. That's just one example of why it pays to never give up in your own quest for success - you'll eventually be in a position to give back.nnI host many charity events at my golf courses and have the annual Red Cross Ball at my Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach. These events don't just happen - they require a lot of planning and that means time and effort, not to mention money. Owning properties is a lot more than just ownership, it's about making them useful. If you plan to go into real estate just to make money or to feel powerful, that's not enough. If you can see your gains as a way to share, you will find your work will be much more rewarding - and probably more profitable in the long run.nnEvery year we host the Salvation Army in our lobby to kick off the holiday season. This has become a tradition. A band plays, the media is there, I give a brief speech, and the Salvation Army gets some of the recognition it deserves for the great job they've been doing for so many years. This too takes a lot of time to arrange, but we do it every year.nnSometimes being a giver will open you up to new talents. Each year I donate an autographed doodle to the Doodle for Hunger auction at Tavern on the Green. It's a great event, and contributors have included Sting, Muhammad Ali, Larry King, Al Pacino, Billy Joel, Valentino, Bill Cosby, Paul McCartney, Kirk Douglas, Martina Navratilova, Peter Max, Bette Midler, Jack Nicklaus, Cindy Crawford, and many other distinguished people. It takes me a few minutes to draw something, in my case, it's usually a building or a cityscape of skyscrapers, and then sign my name, but it raises thousands of dollars to help the hungry in New York through the Capuchin Food Pantries Ministry. The auction was an innovative idea that has helped many people, and I don't mind spending a little time for a very good cause. Art may not be my strong point, but the end result is help for people who need it.nnI can remember a friend who asked me why I had so many charity events at my properties. He seemed perplexed that I would do this, because it wasn't really necessary, and he knew how much time it required. I said to him, "Because I can."nnBelieve me, those are powerful words, with an equally powerful feeling to go along with them. Imagine saying that to someone yourself -- "Because I can!" It's a great feeling, and it makes all the work that went into acquiring and developing those beautiful properties and buildings worth it.nnWe've all seen bad situations that we'd like to be able to help. Being successful allows you to help in a big way. That's another reason to keep at it. Knowing you're going to be able to give back more if you succeed is a wonderful incentive to keep going. If you never give up, you'll be able to give back - and that's something to remember.nnThis article is adapted from the new bestselling book Trump: Never Give Up, published by John Wiley & Son.