Charity vs Justice: What’s the Difference?

Charity vs JusticeCHARITY • Private, individual acts• Responds to immediate need• Provides direct service (eg. food, clothing, shelter)

JUSTICE• Public, collective actions• Responds to long-term need• Promotes change in institutions

Charity vs JusticeCHARITY• Requires repeated actions• Directed at the effects of injustice: symptoms• Examples: homeless shelters, food banks, clothing drives, emergency services

JUSTICE• Resolves structural injustice• Directed at the root causes of injustice: disease• Examples: legislative advocacy, community organizing, changing policies, agricultural worker injustice campaigns