Generosity

“When your hand is open to give, it is open to receive.”  That is how I responded when I was 17 years old about my volunteering experience.  Now, 19 years later, I still say the statement; but it means more than just volunteering to me.  Nothing can compare to the generosity of the leader.  And I am not talking about monetary generosity.  True generosity comes from the heart and reflects every aspect of life: time, talents, and possessions. 

Check presentation to the
Young Women's Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation.
Pictured left to right, Sherri Lynn Dunik, Jennifer Kehm and Jake Vogel

I recently had the opportunity to raise funds for another non-profit, benefiting women right here in Pittsburgh.  The Young Women’s Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation (YWBCAF).  Many organizations support women going through breast cancer treatment, but there is too little support, information, and awareness for young women who have breast cancer.  Eleven years ago, Jennifer Kehm was diagnosed with breast cancer.  When she went to a support group “There was a room full of older women, but I had 3 young children and my youngest was one years old,” she said as she explained how she started the foundation.  YWBCAF was started for women like her to be able to support each other. 

Generosity is more than giving money.  It is adding value to others, giving time, pouring your life into others, helping those who cannot help you or give you something in return.  Put people first.  The measure of a leader is not in the number who serve him but in the number he serves.  

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was one of Pittsburgh's most famous citizens. In 1889, he wrote an essay called “Gospel of Wealth.”  In the essay, he wrote that the life of a wealthy person should have two periods; a time to acquiring wealth and one of redistributing it.  Carnegie stressed on the importance of recirculation of money in the society and that giving away money to charitable organization is not enough. Carnegie put his philosophy into practice through a program of gifts to endow public libraries, known as 'Carnegie libraries'.   Carnegie funded the construction of libraries in working-class communities so people would have the chance to read, to learn, and to improve their lives through education.

Who comes to mind when you think of generosity? Jennifer Kehm has been giving her support to women for eleven years.  Andrew Carnegie built South Side’s library in 1909, as one of the first libraries in the Pittsburgh’s Library system, generations have enjoyed this library for 102 years.  Both Jennifer and Andrew gave from the heart.  Both have added value to others.  Both have helped other who have not been able to help in return. 

Are you a generous leader?  Do you continually look for ways to add value to others?  Are you helping those who cannot help you or give you anything in return?    

Improve your generosity today!  Give something away- find something you truly value and think of someone you care about who could benefit from it.  Put your money to work- if you know someone with a vision to do something really great, something that will positively impact the lives of others, provide the resources to accomplish it.  Or find someone to mentor- the most valuable thing you have to give is yourself.