“We donated money to buy an old church and started the East Wayne Street Center. I think that was the first thing that really opened both of our eyes to poverty, with the Center operating in the middle of the inner city.
“I never had much growing up, but we always had enough to eat and do activities. Some people just didn’t have those opportunities, and still don’t.”
My grandmother and I sat on a couch in her living room in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, discussing her philanthropy throughout her lifetime. Having lived for less than a third of her life, I wanted to know how her giving and volunteering have been shaped. So I came to the place that I knew would have the answer, and a place where I spend much of my time.
I’ve worked at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy for a year and a half, and am also a student in the philanthropic studies master’s program. Throughout my time here, I’ve learned about the importance of connecting research and practice. So when the opportunity came to connect my family’s personal history, traditions, and outlook to the growing body of research in gender and philanthropy, I jumped at the opportunity. (more…)