“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
My working class family inspired me to always stride to aid others in the community. Regardless of feeding the homeless, cleaning the church, or tutoring children, providing service to others is a familial expectation. As a struggling graduate student, I also benefitted from countless scholarships, community programs & activities. When I completed my graduate degree in 2008, I pledged my life to public health service through compassionate actions and stewardship of time, resources, and talents. When I relocated back home to Chicago in late April, 2015, I discovered many organizations struggling financially due to city and state cuts. As such, I gave philanthropic gifts to AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, and National Association of Black & White Men Together totaling over $15,000 this year alone. Also, several years ago, I founded the B. Chambers Scholarship Fund and awarded nearly $8000 to LGBT students and organizations. During such hardships, either you are a part of the problem or part of the solution and personal action speaks louder than words. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to give to others.
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Sincerely,
Preston Shumaker
Review from #MyGivingStory
