Building a more compassionate and generous world requires a focus on fostering generosity. Part of that is asking generous folks to open up about where they think their generosity comes from.

 Juliette Kalokoh

My generosity stems from my parents and the wonderful communities in which I have been fortunate to grow up, both in the United States and in Africa. I was surrounded by generous families and friends, and I can’t recall ever going to bed hungry. If my parents weren’t around, I could always count on someone else’s parents, uncles, or aunts to make sure I was fed. Read More>>

 Jim Flynn

Growing up I had amazing role models in both of my parents. Our family did not come from wealth but my parents worked really hard and provided us with a roof over our heads and food on the table. My siblings and I did not get cars or go away for spring breaks but what we did get was love and attention, we were the priorities in our parents lives. Even with my parents busy work schedules (my mom worked 3rd shift at a state mental hospital) they always made time for us and others, Volunteer work was important to them.  Read More>>

Suleiman Adan

It comes from loose change.

From couch cushions and laundry machines. From digging through jacket pockets and the back seats of old cars, hoping to gather enough for a haircut. What others called routine, I called luxury. New Nikes were out of reach. A clean taper felt as far away as a vacation. Read More>>

Kristine Willson

I think generosity is at the heart of everything I do. Whether it’s giving my clients a little extra magic in their gallery, offering encouragement during a vulnerable shoot, or simply creating a space where people feel truly seen. A lot of it comes from how I was raised. I watched the people around me give without expecting anything in return, and that stuck with me. But honestly, it’s also just how I’m wired I believe. I genuinely want people to feel good, feel confident, and feel cared for. If someone walks away from a session feeling more empowered or valued than when they arrived, I’ve done my job. Read More>>

Shannon Godek

At a very young age the importance of giving back was taught to my sister and I. We were always very involved in our community and there to lend a helping hand. I find it very rewarding to be able to share my talent with others whether it be with sponsoring an event or helping others succeed by providing insight or sharing the obstacles I have overcome to get where I am today. I firmly believe that we should treat others as we wish to be treated. Read More>>

 Luke Huxley

My generosity comes from a man who spent his life giving the stars to others.

Greg Quicke: (known to many as Space Gandalf) was a legendary astronomer, tour guide, and community educator in Broome, Western Australia. He didn’t just teach astronomy. He shared with passion, patience, and deep generosity. Read More>>

Tara Gooch

True generosity isn’t just about what we give, it’s about why we give and who we reflect when we do.

For me, generosity begins with God. He was the first to give. Before we ever existed, He created. He breathed life into dust. He spoke galaxies into being. He gave form to formlessness and brought beauty from nothingness. Every star in the sky, every heartbeat, every miracle we call “ordinary” is a reflection of His original generosity. Read More>>

Eliyahu Cohen-Mizrahi

I believe my generosity comes from the challenges I faced growing up in foster care, where I often felt the absence of a stable family and the security many take for granted. Experiencing that kind of isolation and hardship gave me a deep understanding of what it means to feel unseen and unheard. That’s why I’m driven to help those who don’t have a voice or a family to depend on—because I know what it’s like to be in that position. My past didn’t harden me; it made me more compassionate, and now I give back to make sure others know they’re not alone. Read More>>

 Jennifer Gold

My generosity comes from my mum. We didn’t have much growing up—we were poor by most standards—but we always had our basic needs met, and somehow she still found ways to help others. She was the most thoughtful person I knew. If she were alive today, I know she’d be proud of what Grounded has grown into. I’m not just a business owner— Read More>>

Sean Jackson

My family! Throughout my life I have watched my loved ones lead by example. If there was knowledge to be shared they would share it. If someone needed to be helped up they would extend their hand. My grandpa taught me that even something as simple as making someone laugh or smile can go a long way. I understand that I have been blessed with something that everyone may not have which is an opportunity and I all can do is pay it forward. Read More>>

LALEH Latini

I was born in Iran and although I moved to the states when I was 8 years old, I always feel that my heart and soul are Iranian. Those first formative years in Tehran shaped my sense of belonging, sense of self and deeply instilled in me one of the strongest traits of Iranian people: generosity of heart. Iranians love to give…and I don’t mean giving material goods (although they do that also)! Love, love, love. They exude it. Read More>>

Michael Cook

My mom, honestly, without her and her generosity, I probably wouldn’t have any at all. She has shown me that character trait, and it has never left me at all! Read More>>

Darik

This might be an easy question, but it’s also an important one.

I believe my generosity comes from my sister, Nesia. I’ve had the privilege of being her brother—of knowing her all these years and having someone I can always lean on. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t ask for much. I’m pretty resilient. And in some ways, I think that makes me “convenient”—because I’m resilient, people can use me or forget about me, and I’ll still be okay… right? Read More>>

Rebecca Vega

My generosity has definitely come from my parents. My mom grew up in a family with 7 siblings in a very small town and her parents never had money. She then went on to work a variety of very low paying jobs, with a common theme of being of service to others. She worked at a girls home in New York, Habitat for Humanity, a Mennonite group down in South America in small villages, and the list goes on and on. In everything that she’s ever done, being of service has been at the center of it all, at it has cost her a lot in the way of financial security in the future and being able to splurge on herself. Yet I know that she would do it all over again. Read More>>

Mickey Stephens

I would say my generosity comes all the people God placed in my that paid for the scholarships that sent me to the YMCA, open the doors to help me get jobs, people allowing me to work when I started my businesses by and all the people who picked me up, even when it was my own mistakes that caused me to stumble. I’ve never considered myself a pick yourself up by the bootstraps success story because God has put too many people in my life that has helped me carry the load. Read More>>