Paul Mayer: Why I Give
We’re excited to share the below Why I Give profile on Paul Mayer. We connected with Paul on Twitter/X after he posted about the organizations he chooses to donate to through the Combined Federal Campaign. Paul has supported CHC: Creating Healthier Communities through the Combined Federal Campaign for three years in a row! Learn more about his reasons for giving below, and find great nonprofits to donate to at chcimpact.org/combined-federal-campaign.
-
Why do you give through CFC?
I give through CFC because it is a convenient and trustworthy way to fulfill one of my core responsibilities in life: to try to make our world a better place, happier, more habitable place. I don’t do it for virtue signaling or public praise, but because as a federal employee, I have a stake in a happier and healthier community.
2. Why do you choose to support Creating Healthier Communities?
At the risk of being labeled a nerd, I spend a lot of time reviewing the CFC charity list every November, thinking about what motivates or troubles me, and then zeroing in on sectors or causes that click with me. I’ve just moved from suburban Washington DC to southwestern Illinois, and the 800-mile drive showed me that there are pockets of poverty and need in places we might not expect. I was motivated to find organizations that serve underrepresented and under-resourced communities. I did my homework, I read the financial reports, I read the 990s, and CHC’s mission (and AFR) appealed to me.
3.What would you say to others to encourage them to follow your example and give back?
Charitable giving and volunteerism should not be motivated by guilt or shame or self-aggrandizement, but rather by a sense that it feels good to do something that is unconditionally positive. After years of ennui and bad feelings, I think there are a lot of people out there who are hungry to do something that is meaningful; they just need a little encouragement or reassurance. Perhaps we might also ask, “Do you think that we have too many happy/healthy/well-fed people in the world right now?” “Are you satisfied with the status quo?” When people answer “no”, we should have an easy way to say, “Here’s a way that you do something…” – like donating to the Combined Federal Campaign. Find nonprofits to support this CFC season here.
