People often assume there's a deeply personal reason behind the causes I support—that I had a family member with childhood cancer, that I grew up around disaster relief, or that I have some life-changing story that led me here. The truth is much simpler. I was fortunate enough to grow up healthy, I don't have children of my own, and I haven't personally experienced many of the hardships faced by the people these organizations serve. I simply found opportunities to help, and I chose to say yes.

Over the years, those opportunities have taken many forms. I've hiked hundreds of miles to support Make-A-Wish through the Trailblaze Challenge. I've volunteered with Samaritan's Purse to help families recover after Hurricane Helene. I've joined Team Rubicon with the hope of serving communities impacted by future disasters. I've committed to shaving my head for St. Baldrick's to help fund childhood cancer research. None of these opportunities came from obligation—they came from proximity. Someone invited me to help, I believed in the mission, and I stepped forward.

A phrase I've carried with me throughout adulthood is, "I want to do things that matter with people who care." To me, that means more than simply doing good things or supporting popular causes. I want my time, energy, and resources to make a genuine difference. I want to work alongside people who are deeply committed to what they're doing—people who care enough to show up, do the hard work, and keep going even when no one is watching. Those are the kinds of organizations I want to support, and those are the kinds of people I want to surround myself with.

This website isn't about convincing anyone that my causes are more important than someone else's. There are countless organizations doing incredible work around the world. My goal is simply to share the ones I've personally come to know, trust, and support, and to invite others to join me if they feel inspired to do so. Whether that means making a donation, volunteering your time, or simply learning more about an organization you've never heard of before, every act of service has the potential to change someone's life.

I don't know exactly where this journey will lead, but I hope it becomes a lifelong pursuit of serving others with purpose. I may never have a family of my own to pour my time and energy into, but that has given me the freedom to invest in the world around me. If there's one thing I hope people take away from this website, it's that you don't have to wait for a personal connection before choosing to help. Sometimes the next right thing is simply the opportunity that's already in front of you.