Why My Son Gave $100 to the Radford College Foundation

When my 11-year-old son handed me, a crumpled envelope filled with notes and coins and said, “I want to give this to the Radford Foundation,” I was both surprised and deeply moved. It wasn’t a suggestion I had made, nor had he overheard a conversation about fundraising. This was something he had decided on his own.

The $100 represented months of pocket money saved from doing chores, birthday gifts from relatives, and a few coins here and there. For a child his age, that’s a small fortune. So why give it away?

As it turns out, the reason was simple, yet profound: he wanted to give back to the school that gives so much to him.

Radford College isn’t just a place he attends Monday to Friday. It’s where he feels safe, challenged, and inspired. It’s where teachers know his name and passions. It’s where he is learning not just how to solve math problems or write creatively, but how to be part of a community, how to care, and how to make a difference.

He had heard about the Foundation from my involvement and know that as a family we have contributed to the Foundation to support it's goal to ensure more children, regardless of financial background, can access the same incredible education he’s experiencing. And that struck a chord with him. "I want someone else to have what I have," he said. "Maybe they’ll love Radford as much as I do."

His gift might not seem like much in the grand scheme of a fundraising campaign, but it’s a reminder of what philanthropy truly means. It’s about heart. It’s about community. It’s about believing in something bigger than ourselves.

As a parent, I often hope I’m teaching my children the right values. That day, my son reminded me of what generosity, empathy, and gratitude look like in action.