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.

Kalie Shorr

I’ve been lucky enough to have some big wins in my life, across the board. I’ve always loved collaborating with friends and I’ve found that those wins feel so much better when you can look around and share it with the people you love. I’m so inspired by my friends and want to do everything I can to help them succeed. I also think growing up the way I did, with so little, really gave me the perspective to know how the smallest thing can make a difference when it comes to helping someone get out of a negative situation. I know what it feels like to have a $100 tip be what allows me to finally go home and see my family for Christmas, so I want to give back whenever I can. Read More>>

Arda Speed

Growing up I didn’t have much. So whenever I have had the chance to give back I did it, and will always do it just for the love of it. because that person might need it more than me. Read More>>

Nelson Mercado

My generocity comes from the faith i have in god and i try to imitate him in every step i take in this world, helping and always thinking of others. Read More>>

Andrew Nemr

I really believe that I can only give what I’ve received. Whatever generosity I have, I first experienced with my parents. They were both extremely generous – giving beyond their capacity to me and others. I’m very thankful for the model I received growing up, and still have had to journey to work out what generosity would look like for me. Now, I experience generosity in the same way I primarily experience love – through my experience of God, as specifically revealed by the life of Jesus Christ. It is from this core experience that I’ve come to see the things I’ve been given (including finances, energy, time, and attention) as things to be held loosely and shared as widely as possible, but I’m still learning. Read More>>

Hukhta Patel

Growing up, I was deeply observant of the world around me, and the greatest influence on my generosity has always been my parents—especially my father. I’ve seen him practice generosity in moments when it wasn’t required, in both his personal and professional life. Despite challenges and sacrifices, he has always shown up for others, embodying kindness and selflessness without expecting anything in return. To me, he’s a true superhero. Read More>>

Doug Pritchett

A few years ago, I was on the other side of the conversation—working as a client, managing a nationwide project. It was one of those weeks where everything hit at once. Leadership needed it fast. Marketing wanted perfection. My inbox was chaos—approvals, last-minute changes, shipping questions, you name it. And I remember sitting there thinking, “I don’t need more updates—I just need someone who’s got my back and can get this done.” That moment has stuck with me ever since. Read More>>

Miguel Brown

My generosity is part of my upbringing, my education, and cultivating great values ​​of friendship. Read More>>

Ashley Cummings

I love this question! My generosity comes from my heart, but also from sacred knowledge about energy. Money is an energy and like all energy it needs to move, it’s like water in this way. Being generous is also just a very innate quality in me, my father was always very generous; he would have hardly anything but he would make sure my sister and I were taken care of, and he always took care of people around him. Read More>>

Giselle Hauser

My company is rooted in love and giving back to those in need— born from a decision that forced me to write my own narrative. What began as a unfortunate circumstances is now transforming into a beautiful love story. My generosity comes from being blessed and it being a self gratitude to bless others. When u beat the odds of what society, would say should be your life story, your purpose becomes to show others the power of second chances. This journey isn’t just mine — it’s for anyone choosing to lead with heart, rewrite their path, and turn trials into triumph. Read More>>

Shi’Ana Roberts

My grandma was the first person to show me what true generosity looked like. She didn’t just give she gave with warmth, with grace, and with no expectation of anything in return. She used to say, “Treat others the way you want to be treated, even when it’s hard, especially when it’s hard.” I watched her open her home, her hands, and her heart to people without hesitation. Whether it was cooking extra food for someone in need or offering a comforting word to a stranger, she made kindness feel natural like breathing. From her, I learned that generosity isn’t just about giving things away it’s about making people feel seen, valued, and loved. And now, in everything I do, I try to carry that same light she gave to me. Read More>>

Latika Skinner

I believe that generosity flows from multiple places. For example, for me it has come from life experiences & hardships. When you have experienced lack whether through going without or experiencing loss it creates a deeper level to give. As a believer, I see generosity as a reflection of God’s love. I believe that having the correct heart posture is important because God has called us to give generously. We should be able to give and serve others without expecting anything in return. Read More>>

Jessica Tehlirian

My generosity comes from growing up watching people survive without safety nets—and realizing early on that talent alone isn’t enough to make it. I’ve seen brilliant people overlooked simply because they didn’t have access, mentorship, or someone willing to open a door for them. I never forgot that. Read More>>

Stewart Moody

I was lucky enough to be raised by one of the sweetest humans on the planet. My mom was always caring and considerate with everything and everyone. She was always happy to go out of her way to make sure anyone she was with was in a good place or had the resources they needed to succeed. Read More>>

Isa Lillard

Well a few myths id say, are that you need money to give and that you can’t help anyone until you help yourself. Surely the second one “you can’t help any until you help yourself” is meant more figuratively speaking but let’s be honest most people aren’t diving into that statement too deeply so that statement has always at face value not been adoptable to me, The word selfless states within itself to remove for self from action. Just as it is possible to be a good person while having a necessary healthy amount of selfishness it is also possible to help others selflessly before fully helping yourself. Read More>>

Hanna Vanderloo

For as long as I can remember, I’ve found joy in making people feel seen, appreciated, and celebrated. Whether it was baking treats for friends, putting together little care packages, or remembering the smallest details about someone—I’ve always loved the magic that comes from thoughtful gestures. Read More>>

Tamara Wineland

Innovation and entrepreneurship are so humbling, especially when you start out on your own. There are very few people willing to jump in and take the risk with you and there tends to be an air of competitiveness making it hard to find a mentor. I think this is why I make every effort to help other individuals and organizations navigate the challenges of building unique programs that serve children. Often times you have to think outside the box and having more collaborators means more solutions. I’m also realistic in my expectations. I can’t run a single program that covers the spectrum of learning styles, so I stick to my strengths and try to show others a path to utilize their unique gifts. If we truly want an individualized approach to child development, we have to have individualized programs and build a community that supports and compliments one another. Read More>>

Christopher Moore

Where I get my generosity from is my grandfather. He is my role model in my life. His words of wisdom is something I think about and try to emulate. I also see everyone as the same. Yes we have our own story and depictions that make us different. However at the end the day were all human so why not be generous to one another. Read More>>

Cindy Shih

My immigrant parents. They believed in rewarding hard work, particularly the work that you did not want to do. They believed in rewarding the work others overlook: the manual labor, the caretaking, the life-sustaining roles that our society too often undervalues. When people questioned why they gave generous bonuses to their warehouse team, my Mom simply said, “They’re doing work we can’t do.” Read More>>

Mike Sainte

It came from a place of not having enough of the same resources that other families were blessed with. Growing up my family didn’t have much but I always saw my parents give even when they didn’t have enough for themselves. As I grew older I felt the need to do the same but in my own way Read More>>

Robin Schwartz

I am extremely grateful for all I have, both given and earned. With this in mind, I believe it is the right thing to give to others who may not have as much. To be frank, it also feels good to give. Warms my heart knowing others are better off because of something I have done. Read More>>

Sarah Davis Qudduws Ware

For us, as husband-and-wife co-founders of Crisp & Chew, generosity has always been less about grand gestures and more about how we show up—for our people, our community, and each other.

We come from families that didn’t always have a lot, but what they had, they shared. Whether it was food, time, or presence, there was always this unspoken belief: if you have enough, you have enough to give. That stuck with us and we implement it in everything we do at Crisp & Chew. Read More>>