During this season of thanksgiving, it is important to remember that not all entrepreneurial endeavors are for profit. Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Jane Albanese, a serial entrepreneur whose latest venture is a response to a deeply felt need to give back. A year ago, while watching Oprah, Jane “knew� she was to start a charity based on the Pay It Forward concept. Using the drive and passion that are so familiar to all of us After 55 entrepreneurs, she founded Giants of Generosity. Within a month she was incorporated, and within three months she had single-handedly filed for and received the 501c3 status. Her first fundraiser was four months after that, and Giants of Generosity has already made its first grant.
Using our skills of vision, determination, planning, organization and heart we not only can build a profitable business, we can bring comfort, support those in need, and even change our world. That is an ROI we aspire to. Have a happy and meaningful Thanksgiving.
This entry was posted on Sunday, November 18th, 2007 at 9:41 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.3 Responses to “A Different Kind of Entrepreneur”
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November 23rd, 2007 at 11:38 am
Hi Bonnie,
I heard about Giants of Generosity from a friend who lives in Bergen County, NJ, where I lived for nearly 20 years and where I still have friends.
First of all, I think it’s a great name for such an organization. And, putting the concept of “we’ll help you in your time of need, but expect you to do the same when you are on your feet” approach to giving out front should serve it well.
With so many organizations “begging” for dollars these days, it’s difficult for the average individual to know who’s legit and who’s not – with the result of being turned off to giving, period.
If Ms. Albanese can develop an operation that is trustworthy and open, and demonstrates that the bulk of the funds collected go where they truly make a difference … it should see solid support by those who have a heart for giving.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Hi Marilyn,
Thank you for sharing your concerns about Giants of Generosity, which was formed when my own donations in response to Katrina relief were not even cashed. We pride ourselves in being Your Personal Charity, which simply means that you participate in the distribution of funds. We serve as a community Host foundation for a variety of shared giving circles. This is a simple yet powerful concept. As an approved 501(c)3 tax exempt organization, your donations are tax deductible.
Here’s How it Works.
We are uniquely positioned to encourage donor involvement by offering a flexible form of philanthropy ~ By joining GOG you play a pivotal roll in the selection process of how your funds will be distributed.
You may to start your own social giving club or join an existing one under the Giants of Generosity umbrella, enabling us to collectively pool our resources and accomplish that which can not be done alone. Everyone is welcome. Unlike traditional forms of giving, each member of a personal giving circle participates in the process of selecting who will be helped.
And you will actually get to see who is being helped.
Our new brochure is about to go to press and our website is presently being updated. Please do not hesitate to write to me directly at info@giantsofgenerosity.org and I’d be happy to send you a pdf of our brochure.
Thank you D. Jane Albanese
And many thanks to Bonnie Price
January 16th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Hi Bonnie,
Happy New Year! Hope all is well with you. I just wanted to give you an update on Giants of Generosity. Last year, which was our 1st year, we were able to help three people who are experiencing desperate times. The first is a 48 year old woman who has suffered cardiac arrest and who has been in a coma since Oct 2006. GOG has helped financially as well as with massage therapy. The second recipient is another 48 year old woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she has NO health insurance, cancer is bad enough, but the mounting medical bills can be overwhelming. And the Third is a 62 year old woman who was being evicted from her apartment because her welfare stopped at age 62. She is a medical transcriptionist working from home, but her income in not sufficient to pay her living expenses. We hope we have helped each of these people in some small way to get them back on their feet.
Our revised website is up and running and we hope your readers will check us out and get involved.
Thanks Bonnie, D. Jane Albanese