Blog

Today is Giving Tuesday — an international day of giving when everyone is encouraged to support nonprofits and community organizations. Over the last few years, #GivingTuesday has gained significant traction; last year, people and organizations donated $168 million to nonprofits and organizations doing social impact work. Still, I think there is far more potential for growth — particularly among the student body at Stanford, which is globally engaged but often seeks to find more ways to make a tangible impact.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since November 8th, 2016. Like so many others, I was blindsided by the results of the election that night and deeply upset by the idea that my country would elect to it highest office a person with no record of public service or even public concern, and someone who stood squarely against everything I value.

Until September 2015, I had never heard of a “giving circle.” That year, my family moved to Texas from a small Wisconsin town, and I was looking for a way to connect with my new Katy, Texas community.

As people across the country have searched for ways to channel their political energy, many have targeted their philanthropic efforts to meet their political goals. In this capacity, the world of the political and the world of the philanthropic converge, especially as new ways to give become increasingly popular and accessible.