by Whitney Sanger, HACAP and YP Co-Director of Academic Outreach

Young professionals tend to get a bad rap, lazy, self-centered, apathetic, all about me me me, and the list of adjectives goes on and on (thanks, society). But, honestly, when I look at the young professionals in our community, I see individuals cultivating a brighter world by leading the charge to change and a new way of giving, intentional giving. 

You may be wondering what intentional giving is? How do we do it, and where do we start? Well, let's dive in. 

War in Ukraine, animals needing a home, wildfires in California, the list of tragedies and hardships goes on and on. Daily we are bombarded with adverse events happening around the globe, tugging at our hearts strings for support. While all of these are significant causes, we can't do and be everything for everyone, and that is okay! When I started my journey as a philanthropist, I said yes to every opportunity under the sun to try and convince myself that I was making a difference. Yet, I still felt unfulfilled, or something was missing. So I began to dig deep, understand myself better, and find the causes that not only served the community but served myself. I learned the art of intentional giving. I stopped giving to causes just because and started giving to reasons that fueled my why, gave me a purpose, and made my light shine brighter.

So you may be wondering - how do I give intentionally in my own life? As a mother of 5, it's evident that I love children. But, while I love children, I love the idea of creating a vibrant and resilient future for them just as much. Every nonprofit that I connect with, including my own that I started two years ago, Project Rooted, has a mission or vision that serves youth in our community. Children are my why in daily life; they get me up in the morning (literally); their energy, strength, and curiosity are what fuel my fire. I have created a higher impact than I could have ever imagined by simply understanding myself and the question we seem to ask ourselves every day - why am I on this earth, and what is my purpose?

Intentional giving is not as simple as it may seem; naturally, many of us are doers who have not quite mastered the art of saying no. Unfortunately, while this may benefit us in some areas of our life, it can lead to burnout, even in philanthropy. 

Giving to a nonprofit that identifies with your values makes all the difference in your journey as a philanthropist. When you support a cause close to your heart with time, money, and social influence, you are demonstrating the art of intentional giving. It's also vital to remember giving does not just mean a check; in fact, many nonprofit leaders are looking toward young professionals to use their creativity and voice to take on challenges and help create solutions and big new ideas. Of course, financial gifts are always great, I can't deny that as a nonprofit leader, but it's the ideas and visionaries that help build the nonprofit that I want ours to be. When this happens, the money will follow. 

If you are in the beginning stages of giving, unsure of where to start, consider your past and present and ask yourself what I connect with, which causes really speak to me, and what problems in the world I am looking to solve? Is it teaching children how to read? Providing support for women? Faith-based or not? Perhaps it's scooping poo for the adorable pups at the animal shelter or saving our planet through trash cleanup. When so many nonprofits are fighting for the causes you believe in, it can be tough to choose; you just need your self-reflection first. And when you do this, you will watch your investment and impact genuinely come to life. 

The biggest lesson I learned through my nonprofit journey is, Why wait? When you're young, it's so easy to put off giving until you're older, citing a lack of money, time to invest, or support. But why do we convince ourselves of this? We continually strive to find what we're passionate about in our careers and personal lives, so why don't we channel that same drive into finding out what we're passionate about in terms of giving? Could you imagine what our community would be if we continue to be intentional givers? I would have to argue it would be better than we found it.  

Whether the world chooses to see us in this way or not, We are social entrepreneurs who are naturally wired to innovate and change the world. So own that superpower, and create the world you want to see. 

Learn more about Project Rooted at projectrooted.com, and if it speaks to you, get involved because we need people like you!