Q: Who influenced your desire to give to charity?
Tom: My parents were very active in giving and raising funds for various neighborhood projects and missions. For many years, my father visited residents of nursing homes in our Dayton View community. He was a chemical engineer for over 44 years at NCR and, after retirement, experienced great satisfaction volunteering with SCORE, an organization of retired executives who mentor young professionals in the Dayton region. I also was inspired to give generously to my community by the nuns in grade school and by the staff at Chaminade High School and the University of Dayton.
Nancy: Children of immigrants, my parents raised me and my sisters with faith, a strong work ethic and generosity, regardless of circumstances. They were great role models, donating their time, talents and financial support to our church and our community. They also participated in all of our activities.
Q: How are you are passing the value of giving on to your children?
Tom: We gather yearly with our children and their spouses for a meeting of our family fund through The Dayton Foundation. Each couple makes a presentation about their chosen charity, explaining their selection to the family. They research various charities to determine where they'd most like to allocate their portion of the fund. This gives us confidence that we are passing on a spirit of philanthropy to our children and hopefully beyond.
Nancy: We are pleased that our children and their spouses are included in this ripple effect of caring for those in need.
Q: What are some ways you are volunteering your time to help others?
Tom: As a member of the Development Committee of Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley (CSSMV), we support socially enriching programs, such as Early Learning and Erma's House. From 2005 to 2006, I served as co-chair of the fundraising campaign for the CSSMV Center for Families on Brown Street. Nancy and I also sponsored the furnishing of the new adoption conference room.
Q: What inspires you about the Greater Dayton community?
Tom: The Dayton community extends its arms to embrace our native population and new arrivals, as well as welcomes immigrants seeking political and religious freedom. Our community offers an attractive balance. It's large enough for exciting and enjoyable cultural events, and our friendly neighborhoods and suburbs offer the intimate and engaging atmosphere of a smaller town.
Nancy: Though Dayton has gone through many trials, it has proven its resiliency by the generosity of the community in giving time, financial assistance and other creative resources. The opportunities to contribute are numerous and anyone can find a good fit.
Q: How does The Dayton Foundation help you help others?
Tom: The Dayton Foundation provides a disciplined approach for us to regularly set aside funds for current, future and deferred gift planning. The Foundation also provides resources regarding diverse charities worldwide.
Q: Why is helping others so important to you?
Tom: Being aware of the many people who seek assistance from CSSMV, I know there are many among us in need. As God has blessed us, I feel it's our duty and our privilege to share with others, which is a personally enriching and gratifying experience.
Nancy: I believe that mentoring can have a profound effect on many lives. Lending a helping hand or spending a little time to lighten another's load can mean so much.
Q: What advice can you share about giving to the community?
Tom: Helping others can be as easy as donating gently used clothing and other items. There are so many charitable organizations in our community that would graciously accept your time and/or financial support.
Nancy: There are many individuals in our midst with various needs who could use our help. It's also a great way to meet and spend time with others of similar values.
Q: How would you complete this sentence, "My giving makes me feel … "?
Tom: … fulfilled in knowing that I made a positive impact in my community and provided a good role model for our children and grandchildren.
Nancy: … joyful and hopeful that I'm making a difference by inspiring others.
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