It's sometimes interesting to see how my view of United Ways differs from other Gen Z and Millennials…

Over the years, one of the most common challenges United Ways have shared with us is their difficulty attracting younger donors…

Throughout my years working with United Ways, one of the most common questions we get asked is, “How do we get younger donors?”

As an older sister, I’ve had the chance to spend a decent amount of time around teenagers, even as I enter my late 20s.

Recently, I was hanging out with a friend, and the topic of United Way came up. They were talking about how United Way had come into their workplace and given a presentation and asked them to give. Curious, I asked if they had donated. The answer: No. I, much like you probably are, was curious why they didn’t give. This is a person in their late 20’s with a very established career who could give if they wanted to. When I asked why they didn’t donate, the answer came in two parts…

As a member of Gen Z, I know that I think about things such as philanthropy and volunteering differently than even my parents’ generation.