Family
12 Ways to Give While Social Distancing: A Philanthropy Kit for Kids and Families During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people out of our comfort zones, keeping us home to face our fears, our values, our family members, and what matters most in life. If you are parent, grandparent, or caregiver with children at home, you have been working hard to keep your family healthy, while striving to find a…
Dealing with Death and Transition – Family Dynamics Fixes
“If you think you’re enlightened, spend a weekend with your family.” – Ram Dass Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed a restful holiday season. I’ll admit: I have, what I like to call, a bit of a family hangover. It’s not been an easy week. I’ve been in Florida this past week, where…
Making the Most of Family Dynamics
In my work as a philanthropy advisor at Hammer & Associates, I meet with a lot of families who share stories about what it’s like to give as a family—with parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and/or siblings. As they make decisions together, they get to know and respect each other in new ways. They better…
Family Celebrating and a Gift to Find Balance
Happy holiday week! I have a gift for you (be sure to scroll down to open it). First, I have to ask: How are you and your family celebrating? What traditions did you grow up with that you now carry forward? I grew up in Summit, New Jersey, and in our family, we celebrated both…
Starting a Values Conversation
“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same, but you leave them all over everything you do.” ~ Elvis Presley The way to fulfillment in philanthropy—and by and large as a family—is the degree to which you are driven by purpose and shared values. In other words, why you give matters just as much, if…
How Family Office Staff Can Support Family Philanthropy
With the holiday gifting frenzy behind us, and now that we’re well into the new year, I’ve been thinking about how wealthy families can sustain the generous (albeit impulsive) spirit of the holidays into more strategic giving throughout the year. Wouldn’t that be a fantastic resolution to keep? While what I like to call “spray…
When a Loved One Dies: Dealing with Family Dynamics (Part 2 of 2)
The death of a family member—especially a foundation leader—is likely the largest change a family will undergo. Suddenly, or not so suddenly, family members must grapple with grief and loss, and also an onslaught of financial, legal and organizational issues. How can you plan ahead—as a family, or as a family enterprise (business, foundation, family…
When a Loved One Dies: Dealing with Family Dynamics (Part 1 of 2)
This past January, my dad’s health went downhill. On our annual father/daughter trip to Aruba, we stepped off the plane into the warm tropical air, and he asked me to take him to the hospital. He had fluid on the lung that had started ‘squeezing’ his heart and making breathing difficult. Instead of sipping margaritas…