#EveryGiftMatters 101

There’s nothing typical about my days except the fact that I strive to make them not only packed, but productive.  I’m a morning person and so my day begins usually at 5AM.  I like to get going and then, stay moving.  Being still isn’t really my thing.

My dear friend Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy once described me as “a force of nature.”  Is that a good thing?  I think so.  Hope anyway.  He went on to say, “Her energy is infectious. [And] what’s really amazing is that she’s just getting started.”  It only cost me a few thousand dollars to get Sal to say those kind words.  In all seriousness though, he gets how I tock just right.

I don’t like looking back: rather, I always look forward. And that’s what we have to do right now when it comes to giving. Here are three truths that underpin my work with #EveryGiftMatters:

1. Individuals Matter: The truth is that charitable giving continues to increase in the United States, with 69% of total giving coming from individuals making small gifts. It’s not the giant corporations or the billionaire executives stroking checks for millions of dollars.  It’s the men and women who give small amounts of their hard-earned paychecks to help others. It’s US. It’s YOU.

2. Passion Matters: Through my work, I have seen how these contributions, coupled with the passion of its givers, can be harnessed and leveraged for greater good.  In fact, my book and this blog will be full of stories driven by passion—when passion is there, success follows. By taking a fresh approach to smart philanthropy, I have been able to identify new and innovative ways to solve existing or undiscovered challenges in our communities.

3. Strategy Matters: I broke my book up into different modules of thinking over fourteen chapters to focus on themes and tools because getting our heads wrapped around philanthropy and demystifying what makes it work is hard. We all need each other to discover the power and promise of giving and to understand and effect real change.

I can’t wait to keep telling the stories of our hits, misses, and the journey in between.
Like what you hear? Pick up a copy of Every Gift Matters: How Your Passion Can Change the World, now available at Amazon.