This Holiday Season: Get High on Giving!

Ever felt high on giving?

That’s how I am feeling this morning. HIT 3100 meals this am.

I looked it up, and it’s real. Giver’s Glow And Helper’s High is real.

Studies behind the science:

A 2008 study by the Harvard Business School, found that giving back to others lifted study participants’ happiness more than spending money on themselves did.

When studying the biological effects of charitable giving, scientists at the National Institutes of Health found a “warm glow” effect in MRI scans that indicated the activation of brain regions associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust. They believe giving back releases endorphins that produce a feeling known as the “helper’s high.”

A University of California, Berkeley study from 1999, has linked health benefits to many forms of generosity.

My story:

I work in the tech community and was born and raised in India.

Last year I was laid off from a dream job. To help myself feel better I started a mentoring initiative that resulted in 600+ conversations. The idea was to volunteer my time for other folks in tech that were impacted like me. Eventually I monetized the effort and raised 3K, contributed all of it to Feeding America = 30,000 meals.

This year I am happily employed. But as of October 2024, over 141,000 tech employees have been laid off in the US and the layoff wave continues.

This year I am partnering with Neeraj Madan in an organized effort to raise 5K = 50,000 meals.

I saw a lot of poverty growing up. While I call the US home now, food insecurity is an issue that impacts 47 million people in the US.

Food Insecurity, what does it mean: people are unsure where they will get their next meal.

Impact of Food Insecurity on children in the US:

1 in 5 children in the US suffers from Food Insecurity - 14 million children.

Higher chance of developing Type 1 Diabetes.

19.1% higher chance of developing asthma.

27.9% of higher chance of depression.

Want to help?