As an impact investing and philanthropy advisor, I worked with some of the wealthiest families and largest foundations on how they could use their investments and donations to make a difference. This kind of service is available to those who have means, but I believe it is something that everyone should be able to take part in and understand. I believe it is a mistake to think that only those who have a lot can give a lot. There are different ways to give, whether it is our time, energy, or resources. We long for meaning; Herman Maslow found that it is actually a human need to become what we are potentially capable of being. When we are connected to the whole and to something bigger than ourselves, we find meaning. This is why giving is an opportunity for each of us- to find meaning, to make a difference and to live in the world we want to see.
I’ve been so touched to see the small acts of kindness that have occurred throughout the last few years. Through our challenges we saw many examples of people going out of their way to support strangers whether through kind words, acts of generosity, or banging pots and pans and beeping horns to acknowledge workers. We’ve also continued to see people advocating for a better world. We’ve seen protests and marches, climate strikes, and blackouts. We’ve seen the decency of many individuals and even corporations as we’ve connected through our humanity. There are so many people who want to make more of a difference but they don’t know how or they don’t think that they can.
Most philanthropy resources are for the ultra high net worth community and that is why I founded GIVE. GIVE seeks to make this information accessible to anyone regardless of who they are or how much they have. I want everyone to have the opportunity to give, because everyone matters, their choices matter, and we have to work together as a community to move forward. By providing basic financial planning and investing information I hope to provide a framework that can be used to implement giving and impact investing. GIVE offers a book, online courses, and consulting, as well as sustainable products that make a donation with purchase. The Giving Of Yourself Course shows anyone how they can use their resources to support the causes they care about through financial donations, volunteering, advocacy and everyday actions. By offering products at different price points, GIVE hopes to make this information accessible to everyone and if someone cannot afford to make a purchase, GIVE will provide it to them free of charge.
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