Giving Tuesday: Why We Give
The work that we do at Untold wouldn’t be possible without you, our partners. During giving season especially, we are reminded of how generosity can change the hearts of the giver and receiver alike. We asked a few members of our U.S. team three questions about their philosophy of giving: What inspires generosity for you and your family - what does that look like in practice for you? What organizations do you partner with in? How has the practice of generosity impacted your life? We hope you’ll see some of your own practices reflected in the hearts of our team!
Madeline Baker, Director of Donor Engagement
For our family, generosity is an act of love and gratitude. We aim to give to each other and others out of the abundance we've received. Practically, this means bringing meals to families, supporting our loved ones, living out our values, and donating to causes that spread love and positivity in the world.
My purpose is to support organizations I believe are strengthening families and communities through healing and love. I serve on the Advisory Board for the Foundation for Hospital Art, an organization close to my heart that uses art therapy to create beautiful, healing environments in hospitals. Patients and volunteers have painted hundreds of murals that now hang in hospitals around the world.
I also support the Mighty Millie Foundation, contributing to childhood cancer research so that no family has to endure the pain of losing a child.
Generosity is a meaningful action for me, and I’m inspired when I see others giving their time, talent, and resources. I hope to keep growing in generosity, as it brings me closer to witnessing a world more aligned with the loving, interconnected community I believe we are meant to be.
Chelsea Walker, Director of Programs
Seeing other families walking in the same season we are and seeing our friends and loved ones do good work. This looks like giving monetarily to organizations, helping people when we can (silly example, but, our daughter Margo will say on the playground--"Mommy that girl needs help" and we'll approach her together), not walking away from hard situations that seem like they're "not our business" (i.e. stepping when a neighbor is struggling), and doing things with our friends and family for the sheer fact that they matter to them
We give to our church (Trinity Anglican), Untold, Helping Mamas Atlanta, Baby2Baby, Young Life East Atlanta, and have a little fund in our bank account for when friends or families could use a little pick me up.
It has opened us up to deeper, more meaningful relationships and shown our girls that the world is all of our responsibility.
Lisa Myers, Development Manager
I would love to save the whole world, but I try to focus on the issues or situations that break my heart the most and also the people and needs that are personal to me. I love to give my time when I can but also financial resources.
I personally give to Atlanta Mission, Seeds of Hope Jericho, Hope Partners International.
I have learned to not just appreciate my many blessings, but to also recognize that God meant them for sharing.
Matthew Brague, Operations Coordinator
Isaiah 58, and 1 John 3:16-18 inspire us to practice generosity and the actionable love of our neighbors. In practice, this means that generosity is not only associated with our finances, but also our time and space.
Most recently, my wife and I give to Simple Charity, World Relief, and our home church.
The practice of generosity has challenged me to continuously reevaluate what I find security in, and has helped me cultivate a greater sense of purpose and meaning within my day to day living.
Minsong Kim, Marketing Coordinator
As a young professional without kids or a spouse, it’s easy to fall into patterns of being selfish with my time and money. One of Untold’s core commitments, live with an abundance mindset, has really molded the way that I think about generosity. I think about how deeply I feel for a lot of different causes, and my actions should be a reflection of my heart.
On a recurring basis, I give financially to a range of organizations. This includes supporting friends in vocational ministry with organizations that have directly impacted my life, like Young Life College - USC and University of South Carolina RUF, along with a few other friends in other ministries who I really believe are doing God’s work. In line with my personal convictions, I give to the ACLU and allot money to give situationally where I feel called. In terms of my time, I am a volunteer photographer for BitterSweet Monthly, a non-profit publication that tells stories of other non-profits around the world.
It’s easy to get stuck in this idea that what I have is not enough - especially with money and time. However, pushing myself to be generous has shown me how I have everything I need multiple times over. It’s been really humbling to get to reflect on the provisions that I’ve been given by leaning into our calling to be generous.
Molly Heacock, Managing Director
Our family goal is to be generous with our money, our time, and our space. Practically, that usually looks like donating to organizations doing great work, supporting neighbors and friends when they have needs, and hosting people in our home as often as we can! We want generosity to be baked into our kids' lives because its such a joyous way of living.
We financially give to Untold (of course!), our church Immanuel Anglican, Mothering Beyond Bars, Lazarus, and I also volunteer my time as a birth doula around Atlanta a few times a year. When I occasionally have a doula client that pays me, I give those proceeds to Every Mother Counts. We help support a family that we know doing campus ministry in Scotland, and we typically give one time gifts each year to Plant With Purpose (to honor Earth Day!) and the Chalmers Center (for end of year giving).
We believe as a family that God invites us to share our resources and our time as a way of inviting us into deeper relationship with those around us and in turn with Him. This is inherently life-changing, and such a gift!