While giving has always been a part of my family and the way we lived our lives, it was never a part of my life specifically. I gave time to charitable causes, donated clothes that I no longer needed, and sent money to places in need, but none of this came from a place of personal obligation, rather it stemmed from a blind obedience to norms I never bothered to question. Signing this pledge is a way to signify a change in my mindset; to have purpose and commitment to my giving. My father and mother have striven to impart upon me two important characteristics, honesty and integrity. They stressed that honesty should not only be practiced in relation to others, but also to oneself, and emphasized the importance of self-reflection in all aspects of life. Integrity then is the application of that honesty. After progressing through the Nature of Giving course load and conducting detailed discussion, research, and analysis on nearly 100 charitable organizations, I have learned that giving is hard and that giving well is harder. I also realized that in order to be honest with myself I was no longer content to give blindly or without purpose. In order to keep my integrity I commit to the following statements. As of signing this pledge I will donate 5% of my monthly personal income to a cause(s) of my choosing. I am not allowed to lower the percentage of giving, only increase it. If I am unable or unwilling to donate that percentage, I am required to donate the equivalent amount of time at a rate of $18 per hour, the rate I earned while working in college. I also pledge to commit myself to establishing a close relationship with at least one charitable organization within my local community. All aspects of this pledge are subject to a yearly review in order to remain committed to my pledge.

The idea of giving back, whether that be through time or monetary donations, has been a value instilled in my family for generations. It is rooted in the idea that no matter what, you have something to give to others. Eventually, this act is supposed to become selfless in nature and a part of one’s everyday life. I want to participate in active giving for two reasons. First, I want to honor those that led by example and instilled this value in me. If it weren’t for my close extended family and their countless acts of service to others and to each other, I would not have developed such an appreciation for giving. I have received much from my family and others that have invested in me, and I want to act on their behalf. Second, I want to give back to a community in order to aid those that do not have access to the same opportunities that I have been granted. In any community there is room for growth and the ability to impact the lives of others in order to increase quality of life. To participate in this is surely an incredibly humbling experience. As a member of the 2016 Spring Nature of Giving Class, I wish to honor our class giving pledge with one exception. I personally believe that giving can be done through acts of service and monetary donations. In a state of unemployment and being a full time student, I pledge to give through time and service. I will volunteer on a weekly basis to an organization that aligns with my passions. Once I have a job and income, I pledge to donate 10% of my monthly income to a cause of my choosing. In conjunction with our class, I will practice due diligence before committing to an organization. I believe that monetary donations are not as effective without a personal relationship to the organization. To any organization that I donate, I will also continue to donate my time and services through volunteering in order to establish personal relationships. I will also review my donations/service annually and adjust as I see necessary.

Since I was in third grade, I have always known that my life purpose was to give back. Unsure if this was in monetary value, time, or talent, I have known my greatest passion was to be a helper to those in need. In the Nature of Giving class, I have only been reconfirmed in my aspirations. I have learned the importance of not only giving, but in giving to a cause that I am passionate about and that will use my money wisely. My passions are social injustices and specifically within the international world. I am a bleeding heart for international crisis such as the refugee crisis, women equality in the Middle East, and orphans. I am committed to spending my time and money to make a difference in these topics. While in America, I pledge to give money and time to local refugee services. This is an international cause that I can have direct hand in while still living in the States. Whether this is me spending time mentoring a refugee, adopting a refugee, working for a refugee service, lending my talents to help in any way, or pledging 5% of my monthly income towards their services, this is where my giving will go towards. Also, I desire to grow my heart for giving to others. I do not want to give out of obligation, but to grow a heart for sacrificial giving and compassion for others. In order to do this, I pledge to give up one thing each month that I wanted to buy or do for myself. Instead, I will use the money or time I would have spent on myself and give it to an organization in my community. Hopefully a generation will rise behind me that is passionate about giving. If everyone gave what extra they had, the world would be a better place and I am confident in that.

I will devote myself to giving based on the principles of time, talent, and treasure. Having been raised in a family with a mind and heart for others, I have been ingrained with the need and the desire to serve others. I believe I can utilize both my talents and my skill sets to make a positive impact on the community. Because of this inherent drive to serve the community, I pledge to give 5%+ of my income, beginning in 2019 with my first job as a lawyer. I also believe in the highly valuable talent and time interests one can devote to the community. In the case I am not able to devote 5%+ financially, I will replace that donation with the equivalent of my time and talent. To become connected and devoted to the community I am living in, I will develop a personal relationship with at least one organization. I view service as a holistic way of life – being a person for others by giving of that which is important to me, including resources and time. To ensure I am giving of my time, talent, and treasure in a way that both aligns with my values and benefits the community in a positive and needed area, I will evaluate my financial gifts and my community involvement each year. It is important to me to make sure I am doing good in the best way I can.

As two people who intend to spend the rest of their lives together as the McPhersons, it is important for us to consider our potential to impact others in the future. We have been blessed with more than enough and raised with similar values, as our families instilled the importance of service, giving and selflessness. Our hope is to carry these out throughout our lives, influencing our communities as well as our future family. Faith is the foundation of both our relationship and our motivation to give, as nothing we have truly belongs to us. We have been called to be good stewards, sharing with those who are in need. With this in mind, tithing 10 percent of our income will be our first priority. These funds will benefit not only our own church body, but also mission work throughout Fort Worth, Detroit and Brazil. As a young, soon to be married couple, we anticipate that our understanding of the world will continue to evolve as we experience it together, but our core values will remain the same. We will focus on giving to organizations who recognize the potential and worth of all people, empowering them to live fully and feel truly loved. Therefore, we pledge to donate 5 percent of our monthly personal income (in addition to our tithing) to the causes of our choosing. We pledge to practice responsible philanthropy by conducting due diligence before giving to an organization. In addition to financial support, we commit ourselves to volunteering with organizations in order to foster personal relationships in the community. We will work to better our local community by establishing at least one partnership with a charitable organization. In order to remain actively engaged, we will review our donations and involvement annually.

As TCU students, we hope to build upon the school’s mission and become ethical leaders in our community. Through the Nature of Giving course and the advice of guest speakers like the Jeff and Kelly Dillard, Ed Schollmaier, and John Robinson, we have learned of the importance of investing in our community through providing financial support, giving time and labor, and sharing our own expertise and passions. As a student in the 2016 Nature of Giving class, I commit myself to giving my time and finances, while maintaining the mindsets of a giver throughout my life. Therefore, I pledge to donate 7% of my monthly personal income to a cause(s) of my choosing. I pledge to practice responsible philanthropy by conducting due diligence before giving to an organization. In addition to financial support, I commit myself to volunteering with organizations in order to foster personal relationships in the community. This may occur in the form of substituting hours of work equaling the value of 7% of my monthly income when such occasion presents itself. In other words, the value of my monetary and time donations each month will amount to the value of 7% of my income and/or the approximate time required to earn this amount. I will work to better the local and/or international community by establishing at least one partnership with a charitable organization. In order to remain actively engaged, I will review my donations and involvement annually.