Hallmark University’s “Keep the Change” Generosity Initiative
Did you know that Hallmark University gives every new student $10 to donate to someone in need, pay forward, or do a good deed?
This Generosity Initiative is part of Hallmark University’s Character 360 Training in an effort to teach, model, and inspire generosity in the community.
You can be part of this initiative. You can join us in teaching philanthropy among our students. Join the global giving movement today by donating $10 to the Generosity Initiative Fund at Hallmark University. Your $10 will go into the hands of a new student in the new year, and then that student will find the perfect opportunity for kindness in the community. This is what $10 has meant to some of our students:
An IT student kept his $10 folded neatly in his pocket as he looked for an opportunity to deploy it. While at HEB filling up with gas, he noticed a young man pushing his car into the fill up area. He watched the young man go to the cashier and return to his vehicle, where he did not pump any gas, clearly defeated by an empty tank: physically and spiritually. Our HU student then recalled his $10 and paid for the young man’s gas. In his act of generosity, he learned that this small gesture would allow the young man to get to his sister’s wedding. He had been blessed with the opportunity to give to someone in need, and that feeling of giving, helping, of pouring outward stayed with him all day, long after he watched the young man drive away.
-March, 2019
I was in my car at a stoplight, and a man came up to wash the windshield of my car. He looked like he’d been through some rough times. He looked unclean, ragged, and tired. I gently declined the windshield cleaning. He was really hoping for the work and the money and tried to continue to wash my windshield. Instead, I pulled out my $10 and gave him the money, without the requirement of a clean car. And listen: I hate to admit this, but I’m 51. I’ve never done anything like that before, given to someone without expecting something in return. Let me tell you how the expression on his face changed. That man was almost in tears from the small act of kindness. I always knew that it was more blessed to give, than to receive, but I had not personally felt that moment of joy until I gave him my $10.
-October, 2019
Yesterday when you passed out the $10, the Lord immediately put two of my friends on my heart. They have been married for a year now, both have work time jobs, are fully immersed in the youth, and have been “drifting apart” from each other. When you gave us the $10, I knew it was the answer. I doubled it and then gave them a card. Thank you for helping me pay for a date night for my friends.
-October, 2018
My story starts with my daughter, Maddie, listening to Christmas bells outside of Walmart. We stopped to listen, and I gave her money to put in the bucket. He thanked her for helping the homeless. That started a million questions, “What’s homeless? Where do they sleep? How do they eat?” Driving to preschool the next morning there was a man at the red light in the cold with a sign, and Maddie exclaimed “Mom, he’s homeless!” She insisted I roll the window down and gave him a dollar. She then asked if he liked pop tarts and kindly gave him one. The next day, the same gentleman was at the light, and Maddie asked what he wanted for Christmas. He wanted socks, so Maddie took every penny she had saved from her pageant and bought him socks, gloves, scarves, and toothbrushes. A few days later, you can imagine the joy on her little face when she finally spotted him, and he was so happy to get those socks. We now make care packages to keep in the car to hand out at red lights. Most of the time it’s just water and a granola bar. Last Wednesday, we were out of granola bars. Maddie was so worried she would see a homeless person and not have anything to give. Thursday I dropped her off, and she said not to forget the granola bars. The price of those granola bars? $9.98.
-June, 2019