When I consider giving, two concepts lead me above all others: personalization and stewardship. These may appear to be big, complicated terms, but to me, they’re simply about personalizing giving and properly managing what follows. Through the years, I’ve discovered that philanthropy is mostly about the people you meet, the relationships you establish, and the obligations you take on after the project concludes.
Giving personally begins with listening. Every cause and community is different – what works in one place may not work in another. During my time in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, I really saw the significance of listening before taking action. In one case, the biggest challenge could be sourcing secure materials for home construction. In another, it might be maintaining a project over a number of years. The only way to truly understand what’s important is to spend time with people, listen to their stories, and understand their dreams and goals.
I’ve seen how impactful it can be when Canadian volunteers collaborate with local families. They usually arrive expecting to make a contribution, but leave with a deeper understanding, realizing they’ve gained almost as much in return. They recognize that the real lives behind the people they’re helping – the mothers, sons, and friends who are working hard for a better life. This is what personalization means – not arriving with pre-packaged solutions, but supporting the people you’re meeting, valuing their experiences, knowledge, and input, and creating something collaboratively.
I’ve built my career in the housing market, and in many ways, it’s changed how I see the world of philanthropy. A house is more than just a structure. It provides safety, stability, and a chance for a family to build a future. The same is true for clinics or schools. When we personalize the way we give, we see the deeper meaning behind these projects. We’re creating something together that will become a lasting part of the life of a community.
But giving doesn’t stop once the walls are up or the doors are open. That is where stewardship comes in. To me, stewardship means nurturing what we’ve started. It means asking hard questions when things threaten to get complicated. Who are you entrusting with looking after the building? How will the program keep running when the volunteers go home? How do we make sure that the people who live there or use the services feel ownership over them? Without good stewardship, even the best intentions can fade away too quickly.
I’ve learned that long-lasting collaborations create the biggest impact. Rather than appearing only once, it’s important to come back, continue providing support, and adapt when situations don’t unfold as expected. Projects may see failures or obstacles, but becoming a steady presence lets you learn from errors and create something stronger. To me, stewardship involves honesty as well. It involves being transparent about resource allocation and building trust that people’s needs are being prioritized.
When I consider philanthropy in this way, I can see that personalization and stewardship are interdependent. It’s important to make giving personal, but if you fail to follow through, the project’s impact may not last. If you focus too much on the logistics without properly engaging with people, the task may seem meaningless. When both are there, however, something real and significant occurs. Philanthropy goes from completing one action to creating a lifelong impact.
To me, philanthropy isn’t measured by the quantity of homes built or clinics launched. It’s measured by the quality of the connections made, the trust gained, and the resilience that a community builds through participation in a project. Personalization maintains our connections with those we help. Stewardship ensures that our contributions remain significant well beyond the completion of the projects. Together, they bring about a transformation that is genuine, long-term, and continuously adds value.