Give away a million bucks?

If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?

This is a difficult one.

There are thousands of charities out there, many of them exist for a good cause. Of note for me personally are the MS Society, the American
Cancer Society, the Wounded Warrior Project…. I mean, the list goes on.

But then, the cynical side of my brain kicks in and says, “yeah, but how many of the people who run these supposed non-profit organizations are making bank in their positions? How much of what you donate is actually going to go to the cause rather than funding someone’s salary?” And so, I think more….

If I had a million dollars to give away to any cause, I would use the money to build homes for homeless veterans, with the first year of property and school tax included to allow them time to get back on their feet. And I would work exclusively with contractors and suppliers who would work with me on the costs of their products and services, understanding how important the cause is. I, and the vendors, would make zero dollars in these transactions. This would be an opportunity to do the right thing for people who did right by us, and if the contractor or supplier is more interested in making money, they don’t get the business. Simple as that.

Now, would this endeavor help thousands of people? Probably not. Maybe a handful at best. But, to completely change the lives of 6, 7, maybe even 10 people, people who put their lives on the line for me? And to change those lives for the better, with no ill effects to anyone? That would be an amazing opportunity, and one that I would jump at with no hesitation.