Thoughts & Ideas: Charity Beck & Jen Hellmann

I guess you could say that I’m a natural humanitarian. I’ve always loved people and found beauty in all things, and one of my lifelong dreams has been to be a philanthropist. I always thought I’d have to be wealthy to be a philanthropist. I was wrong. I now realize that every time I help someone – whether it’s assisting with meal preparation at a local soup kitchen or supporting the cleanup and rebuilding effort in an area devastated by a hurricane – I am a philanthropist. Check any dictionary, and you will find that one of the definitions of philanthropy is “the giving of necessities.” I am thoroughly convinced that kindness and good deeds are necessities, and it is this belief that led me to embark on an amazing journey – the creation of Positive Impact magazine.

My childhood friend Jen Hellman and I are the creators & publishers of Positive Impact Magazine, and we are proud to be seeing the fruition of our dreams in this magazine and our Web site. Jen and I share a joint conviction that grace and compassion seem to be disappearing from our society, and we want to do our part to change that. Rather than dwelling on problems, we want to focus on the solutions that truly selfless individuals have found.

“Our goal is to bring visibility to the countless acts of kindness and compassion that are happening every day throughout the world and, more importantly, provide you with the connections you need to make your own impact”.

Let us show you the stories and people who have the courage and drive to unselfishly give from their hearts for the benefit of others. Turn to us as your source for the who, what, where, when, why and how of actions that bring positive improvement to our global society. We’ll share with you how famous individuals, ordinary people and even children are making positive impacts. Our hope is that their stories will be the fuel that energizes you to live your life with kindness and a positive attitude.

Thanks for reading – we appreciate your support and hope that you’ll take the time to share the experiences of people you know who are making positive impacts. Together we can reinforce the positive. That’s the reason we’ve created this magazine, and we know it will have a powerful impact! And don’t ever forget that even the smallest act of kindness can make you a philanthropist too.

- Charity Beck
Founder, Editor-In-Chief, Publisher

One afternoon while watching my daughter push her toy car on the driveway, filling the trunk with toys, pinecones and other random items, I asked her what was she doing. “I am taking it to kids that don’t have anything to play with,” she stated. Just that morning I had talked with my 5-year-old twins about this magazine, describing to them the concept of paying it forward.

It’s amazing the profound influence we have on our kids. They are listening to every word we say, and they are watching everything we do. And, as they watch and listen, they are learning.

If we strive to enrich our children’s lives with caring words and, more importantly, thoughtful acts of kindness, they will learn the importance of empathy and love.

They will carry these qualities with them for the rest of their lives and continue the goodness by passing these qualities along from generation to generation. That is my goal as a parent, and it melds perfectly with my goal for this magazine – to help spread good news about selfless individuals that commit themselves to helping others.

I am excited and honored to be a part of this magazine. To have the opportunity to launch this publication with my lifelong friend Charity Beck and to put my skills and experiences to use in a meaningful medium is truly rewarding. As Creative Director, I love to inspire others to explore and pursue their creative abilities through beautiful visuals, art and creative writing.

During our journey to search for story ideas and gather a team of contributors, I have been exposed to sensitive, caring people and powerful ideas that have sharpened my perspective on the importance of showing the good things people are doing.

My 5-year-old twins understood (in their 5-year-old way) the concept of paying it forward, and through the coming years I will continue to reinforce that quality in them. We want to reinforce the positive qualities in your life. We want you to feel the balance your life can have. Join us as we strive to make a positive impact – through this magazine and the lives of everyone we touch.

- Jen Hellmann
Co-Creator, Creative Director, Publisher