Mid-Hudson Works reposted this
So honored to receive Assiciation of Fundraising Professionals “Together We Rise Award” I have been thinking about the best way to express my gratitude for this recognition and I had to go back to the basics and ask this simple question: What is philanthropy? I was on Google searching for the wisdom of the ages and I came across this from Fidelity’s website: Greek playwright Aeschylus coined the term philanthropy in the 5th century BCE. It meant “love of humanity.” As we fast forward to 2024 and the world we currently live in, philanthropy has morphed to mean: generosity in all its forms and is often defined as giving gifts of “time, talent and treasure” to help make life better for other people. According to the Charities Aid Foundation: A philanthropist is someone who donates substantial resources, often including time and expertise but always including a substantial financial resource, to a particular cause, area or social issue. They do this in a way that is focused, sustained and designed to support meaningful change within a given issue or problem. In my BNI group we often use the expression: “givers gain” and to quote Zig Ziglar: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get the things that they want.” I would like to challenge this notion by asking; what do you want to be known for? What is your legacy? If we find our passion and create our world around it by supporting those who need our help, we leave footprints for the next generation to follow thus creating a culture of perpetual giving. To be a philanthropist we need not have the name Gates or a Buffett to deliver on this promise, we just need compassion, commitment, drive, and have hearts filled with love. Giving of oneself from a place of love creates a positive energy that is contagious and lasting. Dr. Wayne Dyer said: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” I miss Dr. Dyer and the stories he told. His words challenged me to be a better human and to face the world with selflessness and kindness for my fellow man. Sounds like the formula for a brighter, happier and more loving world. Let us always remember to give of ourselves and utilize the resources available to us to do the work that is good, the good that works! Thank you to AFP and the Philanthropy Day Committee ,my executive director Laura Kiesbye and our team at Mid-Hudson Works. What’s your legacy? How will you be remembered?