“There are so many worthy causes asking for money and yet so little donor guidance. With all the giving options, tools, and techniques available today, donors can make a real difference with smart, meaningful, and impactful giving.”
Have you ever received the gift of someone else’s goodness? Do you remember how it made you feel? I know I do. We are all who we are today because of the love, kindness, and guidance of the many people who poured their lives into us. These acts of generosity and kindness combine to form–for each of us–our life story. Here is my story, with the hope that you can relate to it.
As a youth, I grew by the love and support of my parents, teachers, friends, teammates, and coaches. When I entered college at the United States Military Academy at West Point, I embraced the life-long values of discipline, leadership, character, and service to others. The academy's motto “Duty, Honor, Country” became a keystone for my future.
After graduation, marriage, and the completion of my military obligation, I joined DuPont and developed and refined project engineering leadership, process control, and team-building skills. But I became unsettled—there was something missing!
As my family and personal faith grew, I became more aware of the impact that my wife, Suzette, had as a teacher. Her life’s work was impacting lives! I felt a tugging— a sense that I needed to do more— to help and serve others in a more meaningful way. I earned my graduate degree in business, left DuPont, and established and built my professional practice helping others financially navigate into and through retirement.
But my journey was not over. My clients, friends, and mentors inspired me through their generosity, caring, sharing, and desire to make a difference.
I realized that people are born to give of themselves to something greater than themselves; whether that be to their family, friends, and neighbors, to those in need, to their community, or to specific causes or institutions that are important to them.
“The giving of one’s gifts to something greater than self brings purpose and meaning to life”
People want to give to the right causes and to make an impact. But while they aspire to give, they are unsure of how to give, who to give to, or what to give. They need a guide to help them.
“I want to inspire, teach, and guide donors to become better with their generosity, to find purpose and meaning with their giving, and to know that they are making a difference.”
I founded Aspire to Give® Academy to help others “do more good.” The passion and desire to learn how to give to families and organizations and causes that are really important to the individual inspired me. Giving is making a difference for others every day. As a servant leader, I want to equip everyday people with the knowledge and guidance to give wisely and find purpose, meaning, and make an impact.
As a concluding thought to my story: while it feels good to receive the giving kindness and guidance of others throughout one’s lifetime, it feels even better to give back and make a difference. By embracing my embedded spirit of giving, it is time to pay it forward.
Learn More About Greg