When 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.

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