Three Generations of Giving

It all started with a Christmas card.

Caroline, who was 8 at the time (she’s now 9) and her sister each received a card from their grandparents. Each had $50, and a request to either purchase something they really wanted, or use it to do something good.

After several months of deliberation, Caroline decided on the latter. She and her mother tossed around ideas. Caroline had been making art since she was four, and so she chose art, and children. Plugging those two ideas into Google, she found DrawBridge, had her mom write a check, and sent us a letter, all the way from New Jersey.

Caroline’s mother, Antonia, says both daughters chose charities that interested them. She credits her own parents for instilling them all with the passion for giving. Antonia helps run an auction for homeless families through their church, and sits on the Board of a nonprofit that runs summer camps for kids with cancer.   Her girls have done volunteer work for both organizations.

Says Antonia, “I don’t care if they are smart or pretty; I care that they’re good people. There’s so much going on in the world that’s not good. I love volunteer work and that’s what keeps me going. And that comes from my parents; they’re as good as it gets. The grandkids have all benefitted from their influence.”

So now Caroline and her sister have commenced on their own journey into philanthropy. Children supporting other children. We have had kids raise funds with their birthday parties, requesting art materials or monetary gifts to donate to DrawBridge. We have had teens volunteer in the art groups, encouraging the younger kids in their artistic explorations.

And now we have Caroline, sending her support all the way across the country.

She has inspired us. We hope she inspires you, too.