My Invitation To You....
Be a philanthropist today.
Bottom Line: Please donate to my brother’s Memorial Campaign as soon as possible.
Total needed: $50,000.
Where we are today: $22,350.
What is the rush: The university will match the next $15,000, dollar for dollar but only until May 15th, 2024.
Request: I invite you to kindly donate any amount now.
If 150 folks give $100 or 600 folks give $25, we can meet this goal. Surely, if you are reading this, I hope I have touched your life in some way that you believe my request is not too much. I feel that smaller donations will probably add up quicker than waiting on much larger donations. The site does not publish how much any one person gives, so please, don’t be embarrassed if your gift is smaller than you wanted to give. And please, only give what you can truly afford and with intention as to why it is important.
I ask you to give as he was a kind person. To give to this memorial campaign is to invest in who he was and his values which, if we continue to uphold them, continue to make the world a better place for all of us.
More….
Why this is important: Establishing this scholarship will have an incredible impact on the educational community at Behrend where my brother taught for 20+ years. The community is saying, “This is someone whose life was very important to us. Let us memorialize him with a scholarship.”
I don’t know and I have not investigated it. However, I would not be surprised if this scholarship is probably the “first” scholarship NOT named after a white male at UPenn Behrend! Think about it. It is Erie. There are not many people of color there. I would love to be wrong about this but…. Until I have further information, that is what I suspect. And so, for the university to be determined to put a scholarship in his name goes beyond what we may think of as the possible impact.
Why this is important to me: My brother was a 3rd generation teacher. Teaching is my family’s legacy. Personally, there is nothing better sounding to me in the world than an educational scholarship in the “Onipede” name. My plan is that when I leave this planet, everything I own will probably go right into this scholarship. I have no one to leave anything to right now, so that is the plan. This is my legacy too.
In my family, generosity has always been a core value. My parents modeled it for us and frankly, my siblings are the most generous people I have ever met. I have never spent much time thinking about giving my resources to others. It is the most natural thing in the world for me to do.
However, when my sister decided to start her philanthropic consulting firm (yes, shameless plug for family – it is allowed!) as I reflected with her on the nature of her work, I realized that I was not very intentional about where I give and what I give towards. She helped me understand that giving of my time, energy, and resources is an investment of my values and not just my labor. She taught me that dreaming of a future includes a love for humanity, for community.
I have always given to benefit others, but when you give, you are actually planting the seed of your own soul into the future that you want to see.
The difference between philanthropy and almsgiving has to do with the recipient and the accompanying intention.
With almsgiving, you pity a person in a situation, and then you give. It is very specific and targeted. "Pity” or “mercy" are part of the etymology of the word, “alms.”
Philanthropy is an attitude. It is an act of courage and belief in oneself and one’s values. You have a dream of a better world, and you give towards what you want to see the world be.
Often, “philanthropy” connotes “big money.” But it is actually about what benefits the “public good” and philanthropic giving focuses on improving the “quality of life.” So, when you have a philanthropic mindset, you are thinking about the fact that you live in a community, that the world is larger than just you, and that you believe you can have a positive impact on the world.
The etymology of the word “philanthropy” is “love of humanity, “from philo - “to love, be fond of” and anthrōpos “humankind.”
When operating with a philanthropic mindset, you are loving humanity as you envision a different future and you are contributing to that dream, that vision of an improved future.
Please, let us dream together to envision a different and better future that values critical thinking and education. Let us uphold being intentional with our giving and know that each one of us can make a big difference in this world. I invite you to join me in making a difference in the world through my brother’s gifts, legacy and character.
Please give. You don’t have to have known him to give. You know me and we share the same DNA - that is sufficient.
Thank you for reading this far. I am deeply grateful that I have a community that I know will support me in this near and dear cause that is close to my heart. Thank you.
Hope everyone is doing well! I am grateful for each of you. Thank you.
Again, the link for donation is: https://give.communityfunded.com/o/annual-giving/i/pennstate-crowdfunding/s/dr-dipo-onipede-memorial-campaign?champ=44602