Giving is one of the most deeply satisfying acts that free citizens enjoy. It is an act of community, outwardly focused, but inwardly driven. It gives expression to our values and gives voice to our most deeply held convictions. We cannot be coerced and we cannot be dissuaded when we choose to give.
Think on this the next time you find yourself or one of your volunteers feeling hesitant or self-conscious about asking for a gift. Giving isn’t just about charity and empathy, however worthy these things are. Giving is also about freedom, civil liberty and human rights. It’s about the “dangerous unselfishness” that Martin Luther King, Jr. called for when he urged us to act not just for ourselves but for our oppressed neighbors.
In being free to give, we are free to change the world.
Happy Independence Day and best wishes for some bang-up fundraising results,
Ann and Leslie
