Generosity (noun):

“the quality of being kind, understanding, and not selfish : the quality of being generous; especially : willingness to give money and other valuable things to others.” – Merriam Webster Dictionary

When we think of generosity, we often focus at the individual level. An employee contributes a portion of their paycheck to a United Way campaign. A young professional looks to give back by mentoring a teenager. A family opens their home to a neighbor facing a crisis.

But, what does generosity look like in a city? How do the actions of individuals, corporations, and organizations come together to make a city better? And, in what ways are cities developing creative and effective ways for their residents to give back?

These, and other questions, will be explored in The Heart of a City’s new series “How Generous is Your City?” Over the next few weeks, the will take a look at how generosity is defined at the city level. In addition, cities at the forefront of community service and philanthropy will be highlighted. Through the series, my hope is that we would all ask how we can be a part of making our own city a more generous place to live.

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
— John Wesley, Letters of John Wesley