“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill

In Israel, the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are fed by the Jordan River, but the Sea of Galilee is filled with life and it flows back into the Jordan River and feeds other streams that flow to the surrounding areas allowing them to flourish with life as well. The Dead Sea on the other hand receives fresh water from the Jordan River, but it does not flow out, or give any of its water away. It hoards everything it has been given and in turn no life can survive in its extremely high salt content. This metaphor reminds us that to have life we need to also give life away. This is why generosity is so important, because it allows us to be full of life and also provide that life to others and leave a legacy.

This is why Tim Goodwin, Founder and President of Goodwin Investment Advisory (GIA) included generosity as part of it’s mission. When asked, “Why are you generous?” he replied, “Generosity is good for the soul. No matter how much you love your job, some days can be rough and if you are just living for yourself and all that money you made ends up getting spent on you, it won’t make that rough day any better. However, what if, for a portion of that rough day, you weren’t working for you, you were working for someone else? Let’s say you have a plan in place to give 12% of everything you make. Then 12% of the day, you aren’t working for you, you are working for those great non-profits, the ones that are close to your heart, the ones that tug on your heart strings, you are working for them. At least for me, that makes my rough days worth it, and that is good for my soul.” Tim Goodwin not only believes in being generous, but he sets a personal example of living generously.

GIA staff working on the transitional houses in downtown Canton.

GIA staff take off work twice a year to volunteer together and serve with Goshen Valley. Goshen Valley is a local non-profit committed to creating environments of safety, love, and stability for youth in foster care. The kindness and generosity doesn’t stop there as generosity is caught not taught. By setting an example, GIA also encourages its clients to be generous and the ethos flows outward like the Sea of Galilee bringing life to the surrounding community.

The staff as well as clients have sponsored Compassion International children as well as World Vision. In the office, they have a map on the wall displaying all the photos of the kids who have benefited from their generosity. Do you sponsor a child who isn’t on our wall? Let us know and we’ll obtain their picture on your behalf and add it to our wall.

The GIA Compassion wall

Why is GIA generous?

GIA knows that simply making the wealthy wealthier will not alone lead them to happier lives. The truth is… people find the most gratification when they are giving and serving a purpose bigger than themselves. This has driven them to challenge their clients in creative ways to give to trusted organizations and causes close to their hearts. GIA’s clients are very involved in the community and GIA loves to support their efforts, both locally and abroad. Tim Goodwin stated, “If tomorrow, your company disappeared, would it be missed? Well, if GIA disappeared, we would want to me missed. We would hope that not only our clients would notice, but that the community would notice… and miss us. Not just for the great service we provide our clients or for the great careers we offer our team members, but for the time, money, and effort we have invested into our community.” That is why Goodwin Investment Advisory’s mission is: To Lead People to Financial Peace, Independence and Generosity. It’s why being a part of GIA doesn’t just mean better returns for the long run; it means being part of something big, something that is impacting lives and families for generations.

“My intent is to be generous of spirit and live with total integrity every day of my life.” Deepak Chopra.