FIRST THOUGHT: Giving of Yourself is Beautiful
Do you consider yourself a philanthropist? If you’re tempted to say no, consider this: Acting with kindness, compassion and generosity is the foundation of being a philanthropist. Every day, I hear stories of women who are channeling their benevolence, brains and beauty to help others. Giving generously of ourselves is a superpower. We are all slightly different in how we can harness our unique qualities to make a difference. So how can you tune in to being the philanthropist you naturally are as a woman? And, it’s also worth asking, how can we as women support one another in our global growth as philanthropists?
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: 12
A great place to start a philanthropy revolution is to instill the idea in girls that they can make a difference, regardless of age or circumstance. That call to action leads me to today’s number: 12. It’s the age Eashana Subramanian was when she caught the inspiration bug and created AutBuddy, an app that helps children on the autism spectrum maintain a regular routine at school and at home. The young entrepreneur got the idea for her app after noticing how important a consistent routine was for her 9-year-old autistic sister. With AutBuddy set to launch on June 1, I’m certain this isn’t the last time we’ll be hearing about this aspirational 12-year-old.
WOMAN TO WATCH: Dale Pfeifer, CEO and Founder of GoodWorld
You know that expression, “Give the gift that keeps on giving”? Well, Dale Pfeifer epitomizes that phrase. She created GoodWorld, a way for people to instantly donate to meaningful causes via the use of a specific hashtag on Facebook or Twitter. How does it work? Let’s say you’re checking out the Empowered Women International page on Facebook and discover it’s totally your jam. After joining GoodWorld, you can comment anywhere on the page using the hashtag #donate, followed by the amount (let’s say, $25), and then bounce right back to liking and commenting on your friends’ newest pics. You’ve officially donated to a charity using social media and it was, dare we say, easy. {What is life right now?!} There’s a slew of charity candidates that are participating in this social media-driven philanthropy drive, so there’s no doubt a cause everyone can get behind. GoodWorld started in 2014 startup and has already partnered with more than 1,000 charities, including Greenpeace, United Way, Save the Children and various animal rescues. If you don’t see your favorite nonprofit listed, you can nominate them on GoodWorld’s website. Seems like Pfeifer has thought of everything, which isn’t surprising. This New Zealand native’s many accomplishments include serving as director of partnerships for FutureView Inc. (a Washington, D.C.-based communications and innovations firm), leading research at Victoria University’s Center for the Study of Leadership, and serving as campaign director for Push4Peace, a peace pledge popularized on social media. By simplifying the philanthropic giving process, Pfeifer has created a portal for women to be their most powerful and generous selves.
QUITE THE QUOTE
Remember, you do have a superpower. You can make a difference in a way no one else can. So if you’re ever doubting yourself, remember this quote from businesswoman Anita Roddick: "If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito."
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