As co-founder of the Ascendants podcast, Parker Samelson has helped create a platform for descendants of generous families who are ascending into their own identities and impact. Here’s a glimpse into his own journey of generosity and some of his observations from the front lines of the Great Wealth Transfer.
As a student at Wheaton College, Parker attended a Journey of Generosity event with several other students led by an old family friend, Roger Sandberg of the National Christian Foundation (NCF). This gathering led him to consider generosity in a new way, and it eventually became a central part of his life.
During college, Parker interned overseas with Young Life and traveled to Dublin, Ireland, where he met his brother’s mentor who was a Catholic priest at an old historic school. During his time there, Parker and the priests connected over deep, meaningful discussions and a close friendship was born.
As a young person who was traveling on his own limited budget, Parker was struck by the priests’ overwhelming kindness and generosity. They shared their lives and their resources, hosting him for free, even though they typically charged a nightly rate. And they never asked for anything in return. Their open-handed approach to life had a profound impact on Parker.
Growing through a generous relationship
After college, Parker moved back to his home in Colorado Springs, where he opened a Giving Fund at NCF with the help of Eric Most, who heads up the NCF Rocky Mountains team.
“I appreciate the Giving Fund’s simplicity and straightforwardness,” Parker says. “I can manage my giving from anywhere in the world on my phone. And when things are time-sensitive, like when I needed to make a DAF contribution at the 11th hour of the fiscal year, my NCF team was there to see it through, every step of the way.”
But his friendship with Eric is one of the things that Parker values most about NCF. “Eric and I go backpacking and rock climbing together,” Parker says. “And he introduces me to other givers and ministries that are bringing the kingdom to earth. He has also exposed me to a wide variety of resources on generosity like The Locust Effect by Gary Haugen and Victor Bouros, which was really eye-opening.”
Remembering a kindness
Several years after his visit to Ireland, Parker and a friend started a company building and selling storage facilities. For the first time, he had more resources for giving, and he decided to bless the Irish priests and the Dublin school.
Naturally, Parker thought he could use his Giving Fund at NCF to recommend the grant. But he learned that because it was international, it could not be made directly from his Giving Fund.
That’s when NCF referred him to TrustBridge Global, which specializes in making global giving easy. Parker was surprised to learn that cross-border granting is much more complicated than he thought, with each country’s complex banking systems and laws, expensive due diligence, and governmental red tape.
But TrustBridge helped facilitate Parker’s grant, and he was able to get resources to the priests in Ireland smoothly and easily. He was impressed by the experience. “If I ever hear of anyone wanting to give internationally, I automatically recommend TrustBridge,” Parker says.
Giving voice to ascendants
Through his experience with the Ascendants podcast, Parker has observed that different people gain access to family money in different ways. Some young adults graduate from college and suddenly get a large inheritance, while others are involved in the family’s philanthropy, such as being employed in the family office, the family foundation, or serving on the board. Still, others have zero access to the money and are completely in the dark about it.
Parker says co-hosting the Ascendants podcast has helped him reflect on his own legacy. “I have been encouraged by examples of Christian families who were intentional about setting up a multigenerational legacy for generosity and stewardship. I hope to strive towards this vision myself and show others that it is possible.”
Learn more about how NCF works with TrustBridge Global to help you give with greater joy and more impact all across the globe.
