Building connections through generosity

By Jeremy Freeman

One of the things that the past year of quarantine life and pandemic fatigue has shown us is how much we need to learn to appreciate the mundane. It is the simple things that can carry us forward, such as a card in the mail, a surprise phone call, or a random act of kindness. Facilitating moments of generosity can play a pivotal role in the field of youth development.

Cultures around the world uphold the value of generosity and many religious traditions speak of the process of giving as being mutually beneficial. Now there is research to support these ancient instructive words. Research done in the past year found participants who helped others more often reported higher positive emotions, lower negative emotions, and more satisfaction with their relationships. In her book, The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky writes, “Being kind and generous leads you to perceive others more positively and more charitably,” and this “fosters a heightened sense of interdependence and cooperation in your social community.” There are clear, research based links between generosity and fostering a sense of interconnectedness.

The Minnesota 4-H program has provided many ways for youth to extend generosity to others over the past year. Local counties have created avenues for youth to engage in service and statewide regions are now collecting winter clothing as part of the Head, Hands and Toes Winter Gear Drive. These opportunities address community needs, but more importantly, they can create threads of relationships that will last long after the last pair of boots is distributed.

There was a time when gifting was a common practice as neighbors and small communities lived and thrived together. For many today, it is more likely that they share greater threads of exchange with their delivery truck driver than with the neighbors next door. In facilitating environments for young people to experience generosity, we are opening their world and expanding their possibilities by helping them form relationships with those outside of their established social order. We are also laying the seeds for other positive traits to emerge.

During these difficult times, how can youth development work play a pivotal role in building connections across our communities to demonstrate genuine care and compassion? How are acts of service, kindness and generosity key to youth development? I’d love to hear your stories. What challenges or opportunities do you see ahead?

As our neighborhoods and cities wrestle with issues of social justice, equality, and pandemic fear, we need small acts of kindness just as much as we need large institutional change. When we unveil the commonness of each other's humanity through simple gifts and generosity, we may awaken a care and connection that was never truly gone, but only slumbering.

-- Jeremy Freeman, Extension educator

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