This past week, we learned of the passing of Dr. Bob Woodson — civil rights leader, founder of the Woodson Center, community advocate, and a man who spent decades challenging assumptions about poverty, charity, and human dignity.

Two months before his passing, I had the privilege of sitting down with him for what now feels like an especially meaningful conversation.

Not because it was intended as a farewell.

And not because Dr. Woodson spoke as someone looking backward.

Quite the opposite.

He spoke with the same clarity, conviction, and willingness to challenge conventional thinking that defined his life’s work.

A Different Conversation About Poverty

Much of the public conversation around poverty begins and ends with money.

More money.
More programs.
More resources.

Dr. Woodson spent much of his life asking a harder question:

What problem are we actually trying to solve?

He challenged the idea that helping and transformation are automatically the same thing.

He spoke about different forms of poverty.

About the danger of support that unintentionally creates dependency.

About the importance of local leadership, values, responsibility, and relationships.

And perhaps most importantly:

He believed that people were not problems to be managed.

They were individuals with dignity, potential, and capacity.

Why His Message Matters

You do not need to agree with every conclusion Dr. Woodson reached to appreciate the importance of what he was doing. Because at its core, his work asked something valuable of all of us:

To think more deeply. To question assumptions. To ask whether what we are doing is truly helping.

That applies to philanthropy.

To nonprofits.

To leadership.

And to our own lives.

A Legacy Worth Revisiting

There are people whose influence comes through institutions. Others through headlines. Dr. Woodson’s influence often came through something more fundamental:

Changing how people think. Changing how they see. Changing how they approach service and responsibility.

As we reflect on his life and legacy, I’d encourage you to spend time with his ideas. And I’d be honored if this conversation became part of that.

Watch the Full Conversation

As always, thank you to Victoria Hearst, whose generosity helps make these conversations possible.

And perhaps one of the best ways to honor Dr. Woodson is not simply to remember him. But to continue asking the questions he spent a lifetime raising:

Are we truly changing lives?

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What happens when trust breaks?

Not theoretically, but inside a real organization, with real donors, real beneficiaries, and real consequences.

In my conversation with Yael Simon, we explored exactly that.

Within weeks of stepping into a nonprofit leadership role, Yael found herself navigating the fallout of a major fraud crisis. Investigations, broken credibility, donor confusion, and an organization unraveling in real time.

And while the story itself is dramatic, the deeper value of the conversation lies beyond. Because this episode is not really about scandal. It’s about stewardship.

Giving Is Built on Trust

There’s an assumption that sits underneath most philanthropy:

You find a cause you believe in, you trust the people running it, and then you let go.

Most of the time, that works. But when things fail, it becomes very clear that giving is not only about generosity. It’s about responsibility.

Not responsibility in the sense of becoming suspicious of every organization. And not responsibility in the sense that donors need to micromanage the causes they support. But responsibility in the sense of staying engaged.

Asking questions.
Understanding where resources are going.
Recognizing that trust is something that must be built and protected intentionally.

Why This Matters Beyond One Organization

One of the most important parts of this conversation is that Yael does not reduce failure to “bad people doing bad things.”

Instead, she points toward something more challenging:

How systems fail.
How oversight weakens.
How organizations drift.
How assumptions replace accountability.

And perhaps most importantly: how trust, once broken, affects everyone involved. Donors. Beneficiaries. Staff. Entire communities.

That’s what makes stewardship so central. Meaningful giving requires more than emotional reaction. It requires intentional awareness.

Philanthropy as Stewardship

The conversation also moves beyond crisis itself.

We discuss:

• what sophisticated donors look for

• why some organizations struggle to sustain support

• the role of young professionals in philanthropy

• and how philanthropy works best not as a complete solution — but as a catalyst

Because healthy philanthropy is not built only on urgency. It’s built on relationships, clarity, communication, and trust over time.

Watch, Listen and Engage

This episode with Yael Simon is one of the more difficult — and important — conversations we’ve had on You Are What You Give. Join us for an important conversation about better giving.

If you’d like to contact Simon, you can visit her website: https://arakura.co

And as always, thank you to Victoria Hearst, whose generosity helps make these conversations possible.

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New donors.
New volunteers.
New people to bring into the work.

And that makes sense.

Growth often feels like expansion.

But what if growth also depends on something else?

Not who you haven’t reached yet —
but who you’ve already worked with.

There’s a category that many organizations don’t fully recognize:

Their alumni.

Not in the university sense. But in a much broader, more practical way. People who were once part of the organization’s life:

• Former volunteers

• Past board members

• Program participants

• Staff who helped build something and moved on

People who didn’t just hear about the mission —
they experienced it.

And yet, in many cases, those relationships fade. Not because something went wrong. But because no one followed up.

The Missed Opportunity

In my conversation with Jennifer Cunningham, we explore why this happens.

Because the issue isn’t awareness. Most organizations know these people exist. The issue is orientation.

There’s a constant pull toward the next:

The next donor.
The next campaign.
The next initiative.

And in that forward motion, something gets left behind. Relationships that were already built. Trust that was already established. People who already understand the work, and may be more inclined than anyone else to stay connected to it.

Rethinking “Alumni”

Jennifer reframes alumni not as a label, but as a strategic lens.

These are not “former” supporters. They are people who have already walked part of the journey. Which raises a different question: What would it look like to treat them that way?

When you look at your community this way, the approach shifts.

You’re not starting from scratch. You’re building on something that already exists. You’re not introducing your mission. You’re reconnecting people to something they already know. And that changes the nature of engagement entirely.

It becomes less about outreach and more about continuation.

Watch the Full Conversation

In this episode with Jennifer Cunningham, we go deeper into:

• What “alumni” actually means in a nonprofit context

• Why these relationships are often overlooked

• How to re-engage people without turning it into a fundraising ask

• The difference between volunteers and volunteer leaders

• And how alumni can become long-term advocates and partners

To contact Jennifer Cunningham, visit her website: https://engagejc.com/

And as always, thank you to Victoria Hearst, whose generosity helps make You Are What You Give possible.

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The pace changes.
The pressure lifts (at least a bit).
And for a moment, we step out of the routine that defines most of our time.

But what we do with that space… is often left undefined.

This is where the idea behind the Weekend Giving Challenge comes in.

It’s a way to reorient from reacting to what’s immediately in front of us to paying closer attention to what actually matters.

Where is there a need?

Where can I be useful?

What is one step I can take that I might not have taken in the middle of a busy week?

This Week’s Giving Challenge: Step Forward

In a recent conversation with Victoria Hearst on You Are What You Give,
one theme stood out in a very practical way:

Giving doesn’t always begin with a plan.

It often begins with a moment. A realization that something needs to be done, and a decision to step forward.

Not because someone asked, but because you recognize that you can play a role.

And that’s where this week’s challenge begins.

What This Might Look Like

It doesn’t have to be large. Just a first step.

It might be:

• Reaching out to someone who needs support

• Offering help where there isn’t yet a structure

• Taking the first step in a situation where others haven’t

A Different Kind of Weekend

Weekends often give us distance from the day-to-day. This is an opportunity to use that distance well. To notice what we might have missed. To act where we might otherwise wait. To step into something that creates real value for someone else.

Watch the Full Conversation

If you’d like to go deeper into the story of one of an heiress to one of America’s most famous fortunes, you can watch the full conversation with Victoria Hearst here:

We’ll continue this next week.

A short challenge.
A simple shift.
A way to step out of routine, and into something more intentional.

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“We need more volunteers.”

But after speaking with Karen Knight, it’s clear: that’s usually not true.

You don’t have a recruitment problem.

You have a retention problem.
Or a systems problem.
Or a volunteer experience problem.

Here’s what’s actually happening:

People are showing up.

They apply.
They respond.
They’re interested.

And then…

• No one replies to their email

• They arrive and no one knows who they are

• They’re given meaningless tasks

• They don’t understand how their work connects to the mission

So they leave.

And the organization concludes: “We need more volunteers.” And the cycle continues.

The real issue isn’t supply. It’s design.

Karen shared a simple but powerful shift:

Stop designing roles for what you need.
Start designing experiences for how people actually give today.

That means:

• Not everyone will commit to 10 hours a week

• Some people can give 15 minutes — and that still matters

• Flexibility isn’t optional — it’s expected

One example:

A volunteer who gives just 15 minutes a day calling donors to say thank you.

That’s it.

No onboarding marathon.
No committee.
No weekly shift.

And over time?

That role has helped generate significant dollars in support.

A better starting point

Before launching your next recruitment push, do this:

Talk to one volunteer.

Ask:
“What has your experience really been like?”

Not the polite version.
The real one.

Because if you don’t understand what it feels like to volunteer in your organization, then you’re building systems in the dark

This isn’t about adding more volunteers.

It’s about honoring the ones who already showed up.

And building something worth coming back to.

Children in their own communities sleeping on the floor.
No bed. No mattress. Nothing.

Not because their parents don’t care.
Because they can’t afford one.

That’s bedlessness.

Luke Mickelson didn’t set out to solve poverty.

He didn’t launch a broad campaign.
He didn’t write a five-year strategy.

He saw one problem, and stayed with it.

Kids need beds.

So he started building them.

Here’s what’s worth paying attention to:

He didn’t lose focus of the mission.

He didn’t say:

• “Let’s fix housing”

• “Let’s tackle education”

• “Let’s address poverty as a whole”

He kept it simple:

Build beds. Deliver them. Repeat.

That clarity made everything easier:

• Volunteers knew exactly what they were doing

• Donors understood exactly what they were funding

• Communities could actually participate

• The outcome was measurable

One bed = one child off the floor.

And that’s how it scaled.

Not through complexity.
Through repetition.

Today, that work has reached hundreds of thousands of children.

There’s a practical takeaway here:

When giving feels overwhelming, it’s usually because it’s too broad.

Instead of asking: “Where should I help?”

Ask: “What is one problem I can solve?”

Not theoretically. Practically.

You don’t need a movement to start. You need a clear problem and a concrete action.

That’s what people can join.
That’s what people can support.
That’s what actually grows.

Luke did that. And that’s why it worked.

Check out the full conversation on your preferred platforms:

Apple Podcasts

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YouTube

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People don’t just want to give from a distance anymore.
They want to go. To help. To be present.

But here’s the hard truth: showing up may or may not create value.

In my conversation with Erin Hempen, she drew a line that more nonprofits and donors need to understand: not all volunteer travel is service.

Some of it is short-term and disconnected from what communities actually need.

In those cases, the question isn’t “Did this help?” It’s “who was this really for?”

That’s the tension behind what people call voluntourism.

Erin’s work is built around a thoughtful, effective model. Not “come help” but:

Come prepared.
Come aligned.
Come in a way that leaves something behind, not just a memory.

That applies whether you’re traveling across the world to Africa, or supporting communities in Israel or Iran during the current war. And, of course, the same principles are relevant to engaging with your own community at home.

Global giving isn’t about good intentions. It’s about lasting impact.

Watch or listen to the conversation on your preferred platforms:

Spotify

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Amazon Music

Women are not just participating in the Iranian resistance.
They are leading it.

At first glance, that might seem surprising.

After all, the Iranian regime has spent decades trying to control and silence women, policing how they dress, restricting their freedoms, and punishing those who challenge authority.

But according to Zolal, that pressure has had an unintended consequence.

It has created a generation of women who refuse to accept submission, and who have stepped into leadership roles inside the resistance movement.

She described it with a powerful metaphor:

Women are like a spring. The more pressure you put on it, the stronger the force when it is released.

In other words, the very oppression designed to silence women has helped produce some of the movement’s strongest leaders.

For years, women inside the resistance have organized networks, sustained the movement through periods of extreme repression, and taken on responsibilities that require extraordinary courage.

And the logic behind this leadership structure is simple:

Those who experience the greatest injustice often become the most determined advocates for change.

It’s a reminder that leadership is rarely born in comfort.

More often, it emerges from people who have endured the most and refuse to accept that things must remain the same.

Watch the full conversation from the weekly You Are What You Give podcast here

:

Missiles. Retaliation. War.

But there’s another story unfolding beneath those headlines. It’s the story of the Iranian people who want to decide their own future.

This week on You Are What You Give, I spoke with Zolal Habibi, an Iranian-American activist whose life has been shaped by that struggle.

Her father was executed by the Iranian regime during the mass killings of political prisoners in 1988. Since then, she has dedicated her life to advocating for a democratic future for Iran.

We recorded our conversation from Israel during the current conflict. At one point, the interview was interrupted by an air-raid siren, a clear reminder that these conversations are happening in real time.

Zolal’s message:

Whatever comes next for Iran cannot be imposed from the outside. The Iranian people want to shape their own future, by the people, for the people.

In our conversation we discuss:

• What many Iranians actually want right now
• Why they reject both war and appeasement
• The long history of resistance inside Iran
• Why women have become a leading force in the movement
• What people outside Iran should understand about this moment

At its core, this episode asks a question that runs through many conversations on the You Are What You Give podcast:

What does it mean to stand on the right side of history?

Watch or listen to the conversation here:

Spotify

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YouTube

Thank you for joining us for the journey.

— Avi

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It is a holiday about hidden danger and revealed courage. About vulnerability, and mutual responsibility.

And this year, those themes feel less symbolic and more immediate.

Israel is navigating extraordinary security tensions while families across the country continue to carry the daily weight of uncertainty. In moments like these, resilience is not abstract. It is practical. It is local. It is personal.

In this week’s episode of You Are What You Give, I sit down with Joseph Gitler, founder and chairman of Leket Israel, the country’s leading food rescue and redistribution organization.

What began as a simple awareness - that enormous amounts of food were being wasted while families struggled - has grown into a national infrastructure serving hundreds of thousands of Israelis.

This conversation - which we recorded in advance of the current war - is about scale. But it is also about focus.

Joseph did not try to solve every social problem. He identified one gap - food waste meeting food insecurity - and built systems to close it.

We discuss:

• The early grit required to launch Leket

• How to build disciplined systems that allow compassion to scale

• Leading through crisis without losing operational clarity

• Why food rescue is about logistics and dignity

• And what Purim teaches us about showing up for one another

As Purim approaches, Leket is mobilizing to distribute significant food packages across Israel, ensuring families can celebrate with dignity.

Because when life is uncertain, meals must be prepared.
Children must eat.
Holidays must be marked.

For nonprofit leaders, founders, and fundraisers, this episode is a reminder:

Mission does not pause during crisis.
It becomes clearer.

🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode here:
YouTube
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Wishing you a Purim of strength, security, and mutual support.

— Avi

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What should I be giving?

In this week’s episode of You Are What You Give, I sit down with Dr. Zev Gershon - lawyer, physician, rabbi, philanthropist - to explore how someone discerns a life of generosity across professions… and how he ultimately decided to give something that was truly part of himself.

We discuss:

• Why he chose two “giving professions” - and whether that’s even the right framing

• The difference between giving resources and giving yourself

• How to know when a certain kind of giving is yours to do

• Whether he has ever second-guessed something he’s given

• And how he measures the success of his generosity

At one point, the conversation turns to a critical idea:

Giving where someone else has so much more to gain, and you have so much less to lose.

For nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and thoughtful donors, this episode isn’t just about organ donation. It’s about discernment. It’s about purpose. It’s about understanding what is uniquely yours to give.

Watch or listen to the full episode here:
YouTube
Spotify

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As always, thank you for being part of this growing community, as we ask a thought provoking question:

What is your second kidney?

With gratitude,
Avi

When we invite someone to give - to give financially, to volunteer, to pray, to stand with a cause - we often carry a quiet goal: Get to yes.

This week’s challenge is different.

Choose the person, not the outcome.

The next time you invite someone to give with you:

• Ask one sincere question before you make your request.

• Listen without steering the answer.

• If the answer is “not now” or “not this,” respond with respect, not pressure.

And if you can:

• Help them clarify what they are called to give to.

• Point them toward something that fits their season, even if it isn’t yours.

Real generosity doesn’t begin with a transaction.
It begins with relationship.

For nonprofit leaders and fundraisers, this is not soft advice. It’s sustainable strategy.

Long-term trust outlives short-term wins.

That’s this week’s Giving Challenge.

— Avi

The difference between prominence and significance.

Prominence is being seen.
Significance is seeing beyond yourself.

He reminded us that real giving demands sacrifice. It should cost you something - time, attention, comfort - because it is an act of service.

So here’s this week’s Giving Challenge:

Choose one act of willingness.

Not the thing you want to do.
The thing you are willing to do, because it’s needed.

That might look like:

• Showing up for someone when it’s inconvenient

• Taking responsibility for a task no one wants

• Checking in on a neighbor instead of scrolling past

• Making space for a real conversation when you’re tired

• Doing one quiet act of service with no credit attached

This isn’t about visibility.

It’s about willingness.

For nonprofit leaders, volunteers, fundraisers - and anyone trying to live generously -significance grows in the places where we quietly choose responsibility over recognition.

Consider this your friendly nudge to do what you’re willing to do, for someone else.

That’s this week’s Giving Challenge.

— Avi

Far from a typical political interview, this conversation wasn’t about scoring points on policy or rhetoric. What stood out was Cloud’s reflections on service, responsibility, and character, themes that resonate deeply with nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and anyone committed to long-term impact.

Here are three insights from the conversation that land especially hard for leaders focused on mission and stewardship:

1. Serving is an Orientation, Not a Sound Bite

Cloud’s work didn’t begin in Washington, DC. It began in community, church, and grassroots volunteerism. Before Congress, he chaired a local GOP chapter and worked in media communications for a church.

That early service shaped his view of leadership:
Leadership isn’t what you say — it’s what you do consistently.

2. Tough Environments Reveal True Commitment

In Washington, he serves on the House Appropriations Committee, a place defined by pressure, competing interests, and slow-moving wheels.

Cloud emphasized something subtle but powerful:
Pressure tests your character, not your resume.

For anyone leading a nonprofit, especially in tough seasons, that’s a reminder that resilience and integrity matter as much as strategy.

3. Trust Is the Currency That Doesn’t Depreciate

Whether you’re engaging a donor, a volunteer, or a community partner, trust is the thing that sustains relationships long after the campaign ends.

Cloud’s stories - of town halls, constituent engagement, and even disagreement - all came back to trust.

For leaders asking how to build real connection (beyond transactions), this feels like the core lesson of the episode.

If you haven’t yet watched or listened, catch the full conversation here:

The wording.
The timing.
The number.

But in this week’s conversation with J. Paul Fridenmaker, he flips that assumption.

“The ask is coachable,” he says.

What’s harder to coach?
Your posture.

How you sit across from wealth.
Whether you carry suspicion.
Insecurity.
Resentment.
Or quiet confidence.

Fundraising is deeply relational work. And if you haven’t done your internal work, your view of money, success, generosity, it leaks into the room.

That’s why burnout isn’t just about quotas.
It’s often about unresolved tension with wealth itself.

In this clip, J. Paul reflects on:

• Why networking and connecting are the real DNA test for fundraisers

• What happened when he “gave a donor away” in 2001

• Why long-term trust beats short-term wins

🎥 Watch the full episode here:

Because growth doesn’t begin with tactics.
It begins with posture.

— Avi

Your posture.
Your relationship with wealth.
And whether you can sit across from a successful person with respect. Not suspicion, insecurity, or resentment.

In this episode of You Are What You Give, I’m joined by J. Paul Fridenmaker, a longtime major-gifts leader and coach who has spent decades working with Christian faith-driven donors and fundraising professionals.

And whatever your own faith background may be, this conversation lands because it isn’t theoretical - it’s lived.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why fundraising health starts inside the fundraiser, not with better scripts

• How burnout, rejection, and quiet resentment show up long before people leave the field

• Why the “ask” is teachable, but networking, connection, and trust are the real DNA test

• A defining 2001 moment where giving a donor “away” led to a 25-year relationship of trust

• Why the most effective fundraisers aren’t chasing gifts - they’re inviting people to the party

This episode is especially relevant for:

• Nonprofit leaders and executive directors

• Major gifts officers and development professionals

• Fundraisers navigating donor relationships, boundaries, and burnout

• Anyone who invites others to give, serve, or stand with a cause

Make sure to connect with J. Paul on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpaulfridenmaker/, or tune in to his podcast: The Breakthru Podcast.

As with every episode, special thanks to Victoria Hearst, whose generosity and support make You Are What You Give possible.

Listen or Watch on Spotify:

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In this conversation, I sit down with Congressman Michael Cloud to talk about something rarely discussed in public life:

How do you serve the public without losing focus?

This is a conversation about responsibility, values, and overcoming Washington’s center of gravity to serve with integrity.

Michael reflects candidly on what it means to step into public service while remaining grounded in faith, family, and personal commitment, especially in an environment shaped by pressure, ambition, and constant scrutiny.

In this episode, we explore:

• The difference between seeking power and being willing to carry responsibility

• Why trust becomes the real currency of leadership (echoing themes from my conversation with Cathy McMorris Rodgers)

• How to stay anchored when decisions affect people you may never meet

• Why giving isn’t only about what you do on behalf of others, but what you give of yourself

This episode fits squarely within the How Texans Give series, examining what people give when they step into responsibility:
time, attention, integrity, and trust.

Not politics.
Stewardship.

As with every episode in this series, special thanks to Victoria Hearst for her continued support and belief in creating space for these deeper conversations about leadership and generosity.

🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode here:
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Spotify

Apple Podcasts

We’ll be unpacking the ideas from this conversation, including this week’s Giving Challenge, throughout the days ahead.

— Avi

In this episode, Dr. Victoria Sarvadi described what it means for a foundation to act as a sponsor.

In practical terms, that might look like recommending a project, vouching for a leader, or putting institutional weight behind someone else’s work.

But sponsorship isn’t limited to foundations.

This week’s Giving Challenge is simple and practical:

Look for someone else’s vision you can stand behind.

That might mean:

• Making an introduction

• Offering credibility

• Opening a door

• Speaking someone’s name in a room that they’ve not yet been invited to

Sponsorship asks the question:
Who can move forward because you were willing to stand with them?

That’s giving, not by being the visionary but by protecting it, amplifying it, and helping it take root.

Happy giving!

Some resources are not ours to use. They are entrusted to us for others.

When money or resources are designated for giving, such as a tithe, they are meant to move outward. Using them for personal needs, even well-intentioned ones, is off-mark. It actually puts us in debt, because we’ve taken something that was entrusted for a different purpose.

This reframes giving entirely.

Giving isn’t only about generosity. It’s about responsibility.

The question isn’t: “Can I justify this use?” It’s:“Who was this meant for?”

When resources meant for others are redirected inward, the loss isn’t just financial. It’s a breach of trust, not only with the people we were meant to help, but between us and the values that guide us to give.

Good giving starts with recognizing that not everything we hold is ours to spend.
Some things are held on behalf of others, and honoring that is part of what makes giving rewarding.

Watch or listen to the full episode here:

Behind the scenes, they’re often about choosing people.

In this week’s episode of How Texans Give, we go behind the curtain of philanthropic foundations to explore how decisions are actually made, how trust is built, how systems matter, and how vision moves from paper to real-world impact.

My guest is Dr. Victoria Sarvadi, who together with her husband leads the Nathaniel Foundation. What she shares in this conversation is rare and refreshingly honest:

• Why foundations often invest in people before programs

• How internal systems support discernment and accountability

• What it really means to “sponsor” someone else’s vision

• Why some ideas gain momentum quickly, and others stall

This conversation isn’t about pitch decks or fundraising tactics.
It’s about stewardship.
It’s about trust.
And it’s about the quiet responsibility that comes with deciding where generosity grows.

Watch or listen to the full episode here:

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

As always, thank you for being part of this community as we continue discovering how we can give better, more meaningfully, more mindfully, and more measurably.

With gratitude,
Avi

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