A year ago, I became a serial blood donor.
My sisters cajoled me into donating with them at the annual Michigan vs. Ohio State Blood Battle held by the American Red Cross. I learned three things when I became a blood donor for the first time:
Upon realizing how suited I am to give to others, I made a habit of it. I’ve since donated five more pints of blood, which could save as many as 18 lives.
The experience reminded me that it’s not enough to advocate that others give back; I can be personally involved. This is the same philosophy we hold at the Mackinac Center: Private generosity is most effective when it becomes a habit, a culture and a choice freely made.
We believe philanthropy can lift communities in ways government programs — funded under compulsion by tax dollars that are frequently misallocated — cannot. But if we champion voluntary, people-driven charity, we must also model it. And I’m proud that our staff does exactly that.
Throughout the year, Mackinac Center employees volunteer at Midland’s Open Door homeless shelter. Those hours spent serving meals and talking with guests put a face to the issues we research, reminding us that lasting solutions often come from neighbors helping neighbors.
This holiday season, our team continues that commitment through an Angel Tree project with Adoption Option, coordinated by our intern, Hannah Golab. Adoption Option, originally founded to provide adoption services, also supports children in the foster care system, offers free information on adoption and foster care, conducts home studies for Michigan families, and provides foster care licensing and services.
Through the Angel Tree project, local foster families in need submit gift requests, each represented by an ornament on our staff tree. Team members select an ornament and provide gifts for the child or parent it represents. Before our staff Christmas party, we gathered the gifts wrapped for the 31 children and parents we supported this season.
I drew a nine-year-old girl who asked for a stuffed animal; I’m giving her a stuffed elephant that resembles one I had when I was a girl. It’s a small thing, but small things matter. Personal giving is meaningful; the sincerity of it defines a free and flourishing society.
Whether the gift is a pint of blood, an hour of service at a shelter, or a present chosen with care, philanthropy flourishes when individuals choose to act.
As donors to the Mackinac Center, you share this conviction. Your support allows us to champion policies that empower private giving and strengthen charitable institutions that hold communities together. In this season, we remain grateful — not just for what you give, but for the principles you help us live out every day.
