Ep. 274: Giving a damn: The secret to making a difference

Guest: Martin McNish, Give A Damn

“It’s more blessed to give than receive.” (Acts 20:35) – but not if that is the reason to give.

Giving with a purity of purpose manifests if your intention is in the true spirit of giving. Giving of oneself, one’s time, one’s skills, one’s heart and sometimes their money.

Giving helps others and improves lives. Now, imagine you can come together as a small group of people who can make a difference to small charities that make a difference in the lives of people in need.

Margaret Mead is credited with saying, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” It’s a quote that also epitomizes what Martin McNish and a 100 or so of his closest friends are doing. They are changing the lives of hundreds of people who rely on small charities.

So rather than wait for the opportunity to give to come to him, McNish sought out a way to build his own small group of committed citizens. What started as 100 men who give a damn morphed into an expanding group of women and men who show up at four events each year to support micro charities.

Give a Damn is about believing you can make a difference. Martin McNish, at each quarterly event, emphasizes the point that not giving a damn is to resign yourself to believing you can’t make a difference.

We invited Martin McNish to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the gift of giving.