From this experience, I have learned so much. How to be grateful for the life I have and how blessed I am to not have to survive in this world, but live in it. And I think many second guess living, and aren’t as thankful for it. But if they had the opportunity I do and saw what others have to go through, then maybe their hearts would change like mine.
​– Michaela F, Kewaskum HS

​“It was really awesome to see the people at the charities faces when our class delivered each check. It made me proud that all of our hard work actually paid off just by seeing how happy this one check made people. I’m really glad that I could be apart of this experience. When we went to the Washington County Humane Society they were so shocked to see how big our check was. I know they will use that money for great use.” – Samantha W

“When we delivered the checks to the organizations on Friday, it made me feel like I was making a difference in people’s lives. It was great to see how grateful the recipients were and that made me feel proud of everything our group did while fundraising the money we were giving to the organizations.”
 – Lexie S.​

“Giving the money to the organizations made me feel a sense of accomplishment in knowing what we did was going to help others out in various ways. I felt very good about what the class did and It made me feel better as a person to give the money that our group worked hard to raise. It is nice to see hard work turn out into nice results.”
​ – Nathan H.

​The End. 

I cannot believe it is already over. It feels as if I was just walking into the Key Club room for the first session of Main Street Philanthropy where I met Mr. Levey and received my sacred course book. This journal will act as a reflection on all my work and progress through this course as well as a look to the future.

The thing I will remember most about Main Street Philanthropy will be the people. The reason I love activities like this is because it is a place to meet similar minded service lovers. Talking with others who had the same passions and visions as me was invigorating. Knowing that my concerns were not singular was comforting. A valuable lesson I learned during these weeks was how to handle my money when giving to charities. For me philanthropy has always meant doing service and giving time to a cause. Now that I earn my own funds through jobs, I want to be able to donate smartly, making sure that the money I give is being used wisely and towards the actual cause of the organization. I know that the experience I had with this course only got me more enthusiastic about donating my time and money towards causes I am concerned about.

If I was to give advice to a nonprofit organization looking to receive support from a philanthropist I would say a key factor is solid communication. If an organization returns calls and emails, and has dedicated members who are willing to explain and answer questions about their cause, people are more likely to volunteer and donate.

To others who are considering the Main Street Philanthropy Course– I say DO IT!!! It never hurts to try something you are curious about, or interested in, because you never know the positive results you can gain from a unique opportunity such as this. Programs like this one do not exist everywhere, and getting the chance to be a part of one is quite special. I can guarantee that people of all types and interests kind find a takeaway from this course, whether thats learning more about yourself, donations, charities, worldly causes, team work or planning a fundraiser.

I would rather be given $25 to keep than $250 to give away. Now I know this answer seems selfish but the reason I would rather be given funds is because when donating you get no control over where your money is going and you are not included in the process of it being used to help a cause. If I was given $25 of my own I would use it towards creating my own event to support a cause I care about. For example, last year I created a Battle of the Bands at my school on a budget of $0, lots of planning, and a great support system, and we raised over $800! It is possible that with $25 more than $250 could be raised and during the process you can have the power over where your money is going and who it is impacting. I know at the beginning of this course I would have chosen option b, to donate $250, because at first glance it seems like the better answer. But what Main Street Philanthropy gets you to do, is think deeper and harder about the change one can create, and become more creative with what resources you are presented.

~Ilina G., High School Student and Philanthropist

​The conversation my son and I had the day his Main Street Philanthropy group visited the charities they selected to help was one of the best, and at the same time, most heart wrenching conversations I have ever had with him. He was moved to tears telling me all about the people served by those charities.

Although he was very happy that his philanthropy group was able to help these people in a small way, he was also distraught that there were children who, through no fault of their own, found themselves and their families living in the Pat Reeves Center for homeless families.

My son told me that his experiences that day made him realize how much he took for granted that he had a roof over his head, his own bedroom to sleep in each night, and a kitchen always stocked with food. He felt very guilty for what he had, in comparison to the people he saw that day.

He was deeply moved by the experience and vowed to make a difference in the lives of people less fortunate than him.   He said the Main Street Philanthropy class was the best experience he has had in his 3 years of high school.

Master Ambassador and Co-Founder Scott Farnsworth preparing future philanthropists!

It touches my heart to see the outpouring of care and passion in this room…. You kids are a step ahead of so many people in the world, since you now know the value of caring and sharing. - ​John Loomer of the Homeless Veterans Services

​MSP has really changed me. A few weeks ago, I never thought of contributing to a charity. Now I’m a certified PHILANTHROPIST!!!! I’m a junior in high school and already have a semi-professional title. The feeling of knowing I have accomplished something this big, is just mind blowing to me. I already know more about taxes than most adults. So basically this program is giving me the opportunity to tackle life and quick.   – Khalid

​​It started with MAD Cards (Make a Difference)

​I couldn’t even say the word philanthropy or know how to spell it until Ryan came in and told us about it. He gave us Make A Difference cards to see different causes that needed help. He told us to choose our top three cards and I chose Family Services, Animal Care and Environmental Disaster. Choosing the MAD cards was a new experience and taught me that there are a lot of problems in the world. I hope to gain the experience of being the one person to make a difference in others’ lives. - Ronson

​Continued over weeks and weeks of having to listen to an MSP Ambassador, Ryan Ponsford…

​The 6th week was inspirational. We got to see a video clip about an elder lady who had lots of money saved, which she donated it all to things she felt close to. This taught me that you can still give to people no matter if it’s money or assistance. Whether you are poor or rich you can still change lives. – Alex W

What I learned while creating our Purpose, Vision, and Mission Statements was that each one was a link to one another. For instance, when they told us to make a purpose statement it shows why you would dedicate your time to a cause and how it is important to you. Now that you see how you have a purpose for what you want to dedicate your time for, the vision statement is telling people what you wish to see in the future while helping the cause you want. From there, the mission statement is telling people what you will do to help your cause and get you closer to your goal. –  Jacqueline

​Awesome leaders from non-profit organizations came in to speak with us and answer tough questions…

​We had to make calls to strangers to see if they were interested in what we were doing. What I found from calling organizations is that some of them seemed ecstatic to meet you and talk to you while others seemed to be having a bad day. –Diana

​Students presented their findings, who they selected, and what they learned….

​We piled into a bus, and drove around San Diego, visiting organizations, handing out checks!

My Experience in discovering my purpose, vision, and mission has been eye opening to say the least. Starting this MSP project has made me realize that philanthropy is not just signing a check for some random charity (well, for some “Philanthropists” it is) but there is a lot of research and care that goes into choosing the right organization making sure your dollar goes a long way. – Arthur

​Finally, in front of local organizations, teachers, and community members, students gave speeches about their experience, organizations received investments in their causes, tears were shed, and everyone in attendance received a healthy dose of hope.

​PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING THIS NEXT COHORT OF
PHILANTHROPISTS AND FUTURE COMMUNITY LEADERS!