Mrs. Orsolya LawrenceWhen people think of philanthropy, they often picture giving on a grand scale, large checks, press releases, sweeping campaigns. But to me, true philanthropy begins not with a gesture, but with a posture, the posture of listening.
I have spent my career navigating both the clinical research world and the community spaces where impact is most needed. What I’ve learned is that global equity doesn’t begin in policy rooms, it begins when we care enough to ask: What does this community need? And how can we walk alongside them, not in front of them?
At The Lawrence Family Foundation, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Whether we’re supporting access to clean water in West Africa, educational preparation in Europe, or healthcare resources here in the United States, our work is guided by dignity, not assumption. Each community we serve teaches us something, about resilience, about resourcefulness, about what equity should truly look like.
Philanthropy, when done right, is not about giving to, it is about giving with. It is about partnership, humility, and the belief that those closest to the need are also closest to the solution. This is the philosophy that shapes every grant we give, every campaign we support, and every relationship we build.
Global equity is not an abstract idea to me. As someone raised in Hungary and now working across the UK and the U.S., I’ve seen how opportunity can change the trajectory of a life, and how its absence can do the same. We owe it to each other to close those gaps, to share what we have, and to remember that justice doesn’t need borders to be real.
I am honored to be part of a foundation that centers people over projects and legacy over headlines. We give because we have received. We build because someone once built a path for us.
And we will continue, quietly, faithfully, boldly, until every person has the chance to thrive.
Mrs. Orsolya Lawrence
Co-Founder, The Lawrence Family Foundation