Selecting my top values from a worksheet with a list of values in class was not a new exercise for me, but the second portion of selecting social causes and issues and connecting them to my values brought a new aspect into the familiar exercise. It was interesting to look at my values and interests and see how they align. Most people automatically list “faith, family, friends” when looking at a list of values, but those seem to be a given, so I tried to think a little deeper and choose values that were not just surface level. However, when I thought about my values, specifically my top three values, I realized that family is one of my core values because of the values they have instilled in me.

My family has been involved in philanthropy and service together since I can remember, and these activities have shaped much of my own philanthropic ideas and actions. There are certain causes I am passionate about because of my family’s involvement – namely my involvement with the Stephen Breen Memorial Foundation. Stephen Breen is my cousin, and he passed away at the age of 15 from a rare form of bone cancer when I was 10. The foundation created in his memory is committed to offering financial aid to local children who seek the strength and values of a Catholic education and to those courageous children and their families whose lives are afflicted with cancer. This foundation has been an integral part of my family’s philanthropy both in terms of monetary donations and in volunteering our time to help run events such as the annual golf tournament, middle school basketball tournament, dinners, and other events.

Because of my family’s involvement together, I have become stronger in my own philanthropic values and have realized just how much my family has influenced me. I am especially passionate about aiding the cancer community, and this passion was only strengthened through my involvement in Camp Kesem throughout college. Camp Kesem is a camp for children whose parents have/had cancer. It truly helped shape who I am as a person and what my philanthropic goals are when I am older. I saw firsthand how difficult and intimidating it was to raise over $60,000 in one school year to fund camp, and how much of a difference large donations can make (in this situation, I am considering over $500 in a single gift to be a large donation). We received a $10,000 gift at a pivotal point in the semester when fundraising was getting difficult, and this gift made such a difference both in morale and in funding. When I have the funds when I am older, I hope to be able to make a large donation to a small organization because I know firsthand how impactful that gift can be.

Camp Kesem is a camp for children whose parents have/had cancer. It truly helped shape who I am as a person and what my philanthropic goals are when I am older. I saw firsthand how difficult and intimidating it was to raise over $60,000 in one school year to fund camp, and how much of a difference large donations can make (in this situation, I am considering over $500 in a single gift to be a large donation). We received a $10,000 gift at a pivotal point in the semester when fundraising was getting difficult, and this gift made such a difference both in morale and in funding. When I have the funds when I am older, I hope to be able to make a large donation to a small organization because I know firsthand how impactful that gift can be.

Though this exercise in looking at our values at first seemed familiar, the extra step of connecting our values to issues we are passionate about caused me to stop and think about my personal passions. I realized just how integral my family has been in my philanthropic habits, and I plan to instill the same values in my children one day.

by Michelle Alpar ’16