Every modern generation of Americans has embraced the importance of charity. For baby boomers who continue to lead the way in charitable giving, the emphasis has been on supporting religious organizations and social services. While Gen X’ers tend to prioritize children’s charities and animal welfare, Millennials often support collective causes that support human rights and social change. The current young adult population of Gen Z tends to support socially conscious efforts started on social media and other influencer-led campaigns.
But, the truth is that many more individuals, families, business owners, and corporations could do more to give of their time, talent, or treasures – and doing so without expectation of recognition or notoriety makes the giving all the more rewarding. According to statistics, 62% of nonprofits identify recruiting volunteers as a “big problem,” and nearly half of nonprofits report increased demand for services.
In 2020, Tom Walter – longtime Head Coach of the Wake Forest Baseball team–launched Get In the Game, a nonprofit that inspires young people to be intentional in service leadership. The goal of Get in the Game is to teach high school students how to proactively prioritize volunteering their time and efforts by performing selfless acts that can create a lasting impact. Through guided conversations and reflections, students become enlightened on how volunteer services can change a community, a family, and an individual.
The Mindset of Giving Without Expectation
As the head baseball coach at the University of Wake Forest, Tom Walter has spent much time sharing his experiences on the rewards of giving without expectation with the current Generation Alpha. He has successfully galvanized over 1,500 high school students who, in a short period of time, have demonstrated how selfless acts can create lasting impacts, both personally and in the community.
Many Americans embrace charitable giving for the tangible benefits, such as tax breaks or community recognition. Tom Walter shares with students the personal gains that are the true rewards. Through volunteering, not only do young Americans foster real and genuine connections to the community, but they also gain an inner peace that comes with altruistic actions.
The mindset of empathy towards those less fortunate or those who are experiencing a temporary life challenge is underpinned by a kindness that is offered freely and without need for reciprocation. This gives young people the opportunity to experience firsthand the social obligation and moral value of helping others, while also learning about political systems that are designed to fix inequalities in vulnerable populations.
Motivating Selfless Acts in a New Generation
A year after Walter accepted the head coaching position at the University of New Orleans, the area was struck by Hurricane Katrina. The massive storm devastated the Gulf Coast and destroyed not only the team’s home field but also many team members’ homes and livelihoods. Since that time, Coach Walter has been a tireless advocate for a number of local and national causes, including Brenner’s Children’s Hospital, Goodwill Industries, Habitat for Humanity, and the Special Olympics.
In his work to engage and retain young adult volunteers, Walter feels it is important to align their passion for volunteering with personal or professional interests. In this way, selfless acts can also promote skill-building and increase a student’s knowledge base. In Tom’s experience, when students see the real and visible impact of their efforts, it makes a lasting impact that these same students will carry into the workforce.
Walter is approaching a career milestone, with over 900 wins; he is poised to top 1,000 victories to become only one of two active head coaches who have led three schools to the NCAA tournaments. Even in his personal life, Walter takes giving seriously. He donated a kidney to a freshman outfielder, making national headlines and appearing on an ESPN-produced feature story.
Tom Walter urges organizations and school leaders to connect for the purpose of directing more civic-minded students to have greater opportunities in community service. And parents can offer similar encouragement for their children to perform more selfless acts, for the purpose of building confidence and enhancing personal growth.
