Art of giving

Philanthropist turned author Carrie Morgridge is doing her bit to spread the message of helping those in need with her book Every Gift Matters. The American writer who is known to possess a true gift for giving takes readers into the heart of the world of philanthropy with her touching stories, showing how everyone can leverage their gift of time or money — regardless of size — and make it work harder, work smarter, and have a bigger impact on the community surrounding us. Be the change you want to see and find your own passion to change the world, feels Carrie, Vice President of the Morgridge Family Foundation, who has been working with her husband John Morgridge to leverage their foundation’s funds, spark innovation, and fuel transformation for the past 15 years.

She explains in her book how to turn the act of giving into a vehicle for positive change. In Every Gift Matters: How Your Passion Can Change the World, Carrie argues that philanthropy isn’t about writing a cheque — it’s about the value we create when we invest in local communities, follow our principles, and make a lasting difference. Talking about her book, Carrie states, “The smallest donation on the planet can transform a life — I have experienced this first hand. And, the best part is, it transforms two lives: the one who receives and the one who gives. Through my book Every Gift Matters, I have shared real-life stories of how having a hands-on approach to giving has transformed lives including my own. I believe that everyone can make a difference in their community, no matter what the size of the gift. The first step is believing you can — are you ready to change the world?”

Every Gift Matters by Carrie Morgridge Greenleaf Book Group LLC pp.184, Rs 1,341Morgridge believes every dollar can always work harder, and she delights in finding nonprofits that seek every way possible to maximise the money they are given. By sharing both the successes and failures of grant makings, she will show you how to make all of this happen — compounding your gift to others. “I believe that every person has the opportunity to make a difference, and hope that through this book you find your own passion to change the world. I wrote the book after two friends encouraged me to write a book for two years. I hope that the readers are inspired to give back when they finish the book and go on a journey with me, get tips from me, get inspired to take their own first step in giving, no matter what the size — because every gift matters.”

Sharing her story, she reveals, “I used to work at a bar as a cocktail waitress in San Francisco and one handsome man came one night and asked me out for dinner. It was almost love at first sight and since we could both water ski and jet ski I found a gifted athlete in him. That man is John Morgridge (son of the founder of Cisco Systems who made a startup with 34 employees into one of America’s big companies) and we have now been married for 25 years. I learnt about the act of giving and sharing from the Morgridge family and nothing can match that feeling of joy and satisfaction one gets after doing something good for others. “Balancing work and family will always be a constant challenge, I try to read about it as much as possible and set goals to achieve what I want out of life. I unplug every day, and now that I have biked across the country unplugged I understand the world can wait sometimes, and I enjoy time with my husband and my family and friends.”