Legacy

10 ways to be generous this summer

It’s amazing how the Lord can use a small gesture of generosity to make a big impact. This summer, we encourage you to take advantage of the extra time you have with friends and family to think of creative ways you can give together.

To help you get started, here are 10 simple ways you and your family can practice generosity this summer:

  1. Take a vacation from digital: Close the laptop, put down your phone, and give the gift of uninterrupted time to your family and friends. Make it a priority to savor moments together. Encourage everyone to look at life through each other’s eyes, rather than through the lens of a phone’s camera or by scrolling through social media.
  2. Go on a family giving adventure: Set up some time with an organization and surprise your kids or grandkids with a service opportunity. You can even choose a nonprofit together by logging in to your Giving Fund to browse charities by cause.
  3. Explore your family giving story: Where do your beliefs about money and giving come from, and what does the next generation believe? Learn how to tell your giving story and take advantage of time together this summer to ask questions that could impact your legacy.
  4. Empower someone to make their first grant: Share the joy of generosity by opening a Giving Fund for a family member, friend, or employee. Tell them how you use their fund, choose charities, and budget for giving. Then, plan a celebration for when they make their first grant.
  5. Share your bounty: If your garden is overflowing or it’s time to empty your fridge before vacation, donate to a community fridge near you. Find one near you at freedge.org, or learn how to start one in your neighborhood.
  6. Encourage your encouragers: Pick up the phone or schedule a coffee date to tell your spouse, parent, grandparent, or someone else who has influenced you just how much they have blessed you. Start with: “The greatest gift you ever gave me was _____,” or “I want you to know how much it meant to me when you _____.”
  7. Get ahead on Christmas generosity in July: As you vacation this summer, dream big about how God wants you to give in the future. Now is a great time to start planning your year-end giving, before the rush of autumn arrives. Contact your local NCF team to discuss opportunities to maximize your resources with non-cash giving while there’s still plenty of time.
  8. Keep a generosity journal: Take some time out on vacation to reflect on your giving journey. You can download our 10 Days of Biblical Generosity devotional to explore Scriptures about giving and record your thoughts, prayers, and questions. Your journal will come in handy when you create your Giving Strategy™.
  9. Make someone’s day with a playlist: Support a friend with a Spotify playlist of worship songs or music that speaks to their situation. Send it with a note, such as, “Listen to this when you’re lonely on the long drive home,” or “Play this to pump you up before your busy day.”
  10. Cultivate joy with a thankfulness jar: Take time to savor blessings that come your way each day by jotting them down on a scrap of paper and placing them in a special jar. Make sure the whole family participates. Then, open the jar on Labor Day to look back on the highlights of your generous summer.

Start your summer of giving today

Contact your local NCF team

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