Generosity Needs a Connection

From The Founder | Antoine B. Richards

Working across public health and emergency management, with a heart for humanitarianism, has truly opened my eyes to one common theme: Too often, resources flow to those who already have the most.

We see it in healthcare, where health inequities are directly tied to factors such as income, education, housing and the ability to afford rising healthcare costs. We see it after disasters, when recovery can widen existing wealth gaps as those with property, financial security, and access to support emerge with greater wealth while those with fewer resources face displacement, lost income, and deeper financial hardship. We see it in climate change where communities that have contributed the least to problem often bear the disproportionate burdens of the climate crisis on their health, livelihoods, and quality of life. We also see it humanitarian assistance, where local organizations receive only a small share of direct funding, despite their proximity to the communities doing the daily work of surviving. In each of these areas, there is always a group of people that are overlooked.

I think often about my own friends and their peers who travel and have the heart to visit the local orphanage, bring books or resources, or who give where they say a need while abroad. I think about how noble this is of the people in my circle, but also how their influence and impact could be larger if they knew exactly who to support while experience culture and philanthropy differently – because their giving is philanthropic. This led me to the question – How could we connect them?

This question sits at the heart of Seed Change Collective’s mission: To connect everyday generosity to grassroots leaders around the world, demonstrating that even small contributions can grow into life changing impact.

Every part of this mission means something to me, so this “From the Founder” blog is diving into the true meaning of the mission and why Seed Change Collective exists.

Breaking Down the Meaning of the Mission

Everyday Generosity means making room for people to give from where they are. I know people who care deeply about others while managing bills, raising children, and trying to build stability in their own lives. Their capacity to give may change month to month, but their desire to contribute still matters. I want Seed Change Collective to be a place where they can participate. Where a dollar is welcomed and contributions come together because giving should feel accessible. It should also come with a responsibility on our side to use those contributions meaningfully and carefully.

Grassroots Leaders means recognizing the people already doing the work. Recognizing the unseen, the unheard, and those that may never have the access to direct funding for a myriad of reasons. Long before we learn about a community, there are people within it organizing, teaching, and cultivating ways forward. They bring knowledge that a funding application or photograph can only begin to capture. Our mission asks us to build relationships with those leaders and listen closely. To understand their priorities before deciding how we can help. To respect their roles in shaping the work and telling its story because the resources we help bring together should support community leadership.

Around The World reflects the relationships and experiences that helped shape this organization. My work has been centered around cultivating over 100+ global partnerships to fulfill various missions. These lives look different from mine, but the hopes are shared: safety, opportunity, health, better access, and a better future. Those encounters have made the world feel more connected to me and those conversations have become a responsibility that I constantly think about. Through Seed Change Collective, I hope more people can experience the connection of their impact, globally, because there is so much world to see and being connected to it is an amazing feeling.

Then, there is the part of the mission that gives the whole idea its possibility:

Small Contributions Can Grow Into Life-Changing Community Impact because the word can matters. Impact takes more than collecting donations. It takes thoughtful decisions, trusted relationships, clear expectations, and follow-through. We have to understand what resources are needed, support their responsible use, and report honestly on what happens. A collection of small gifts create an opportunity. Our responsibility to the world, and to you, is to help that opportunity become meaningful support.

Standing Behind The Mission

With well over 15 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations, I have always been very aware of mission of nonprofits and it’s role in achieving impactful outcomes. As a Founder, I’m learning that the mission truly guides our everyday decisions: who we build relationships with, how we communicate, what we fund, and how we remain good stewards of our purpose.

That is why I keep coming back to the collective. It’s about the network of generosity and connecting it where it has the most impact. It’s highlighting that each act helps build the capacity to do something together. It’s visible in how we treat people and connect random acts of kindness to the hearts and needs of others.

Seed Change Collective is a constant realization of what can be possible, and what will be possible. Our mission is a commitment to keep building those connections – between people who want to give and grassroots leadership working toward change. You don’t need extraordinary wealth to take part. You need willingness to contribute what you can, and a community willing to bring those contributions together with care.

That’s what we’re planting, that’s what we’re sowing, and that’s what’s growing! There’s always room for everyone to grow together!