It’s time to give, gather, and do no harm. 

Recently, I had the privilege of hearing Heather McGhee, New York Times bestselling author of the book “The Sum of Us,” speak at a national community foundation conference in Indianapolis. While there were many moments and comments that resonated with me, three points that were synthesized at the end really stuck: give, gather, and do no harm. 

Right now, the chaos in the world can feel overwhelming, but I think that communities small and large can all think about how we collectively can give, gather, and do no harm. It was a reframing of the term “generosity” that I really needed in that moment. 

One definition of generosity, as defined by Summer Allen, Ph.D, from Berkeley University, is a “prosocial behavior—acts that benefit others.” The emphasis is really on the benefit to others and in a social network. 

When I think of generosity, I also think about the way in which people speak and may be generous with their kindness or generous with their time. This can be in addition to being generous with their financial resources. Generosity doesn’t start or stop with financial resources. It can mean making an introduction, it can mean holding a door open for a stranger, or offering to help a neighbor during a time of need. 

This concept of generosity is also shown to have some differences globally. In parts of Africa, generosity is viewed as “community-mindedness” or “mutuality,” when people look out for one another. It is best summed up in the word “ubuntu,” which means “I am because you are.” In the United States, we don’t have just one word that holds the concept of ubuntu; however, I think we’d all benefit from considering it in our relationships with others. 

Community foundations near and far are thinking about how we can leverage our networks of donors, philanthropic partners and funders, stakeholders and community leaders to give, gather, and do no harm. That’s really the value proposition of community foundations—our vast network of community connections that, when brought together, can do so much good. 

We hope you’ll join us and consider how you can give, gather, and do no harm. In the meantime, I’ll leave you to ponder the concept of ubuntu. 

To learn more about the Wayne County Community Foundation, visit www.waynefoundation.org. 

Ryanne Jennings is the president/CEO of the Wayne County Community Foundation.