When was the last time you made a new friend through your philanthropy?
While many people feel that their philanthropy is a private act, others feel that its a statement about their values and are happy to share their acts of kindness publicly. I'm one of those people and I've blogged before that I love having conversations with people about their philanthropy. You never know where you'll make new friends.
I had this experience the other day at Whole Fields. The woman ringing up my groceries was wearing a pin that read: I make a difference. Not all the employees were wearing these pins so I asked her about it. Turns out she's participating in an employee giving program, where the donations go to the Grameen Bank -- a micro-lending organization. Over 12,000 Whole Foods employees have contributed $780,000 thus far. I thought that was pretty cool. I also thought it was cool that she was proud about her giving and that we got to talk about it. My husband and I regularly give to microlending through Kiva, so it gave me a connection to this woman who had been a total stranger not 5 minutes earlier.
I love making new friends through philanthropy. This seems especially pertinent right now. It's June and the 2008/2009 class of New Girls is coming to a close. I know from the 300+ woman who have completed the program and joined the Maine Women's Fund community, that the program presents an opportunity to connect around shared values. We come from many different places (economically, socially, politically, professionally)... and have many different perspectives, but we are all the same as agents of change.
Often we don't know how our friends, neighbors, and coworkers manifest their goodness. Our good friend Jess Esch created tshirts that read: This is how I save the world. I think this really brings the point home, whatever we do and however we do it, makes a difference.
Each of our individual contributions are important for what they are. But I encourage you to find a little bit of inspiration, and take a moment to ask a stranger how they make a difference. You might be surprised where you'll find common ground, where you'll find new friends, and how it'll change your perspective for an entire day, if not longer.
Happy June Everyone.
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