The Jewish Community Foundation, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City and Jewish Experiences, hosted Raising Charitable Children, a special event for parents and grandparents of children up to age 18.
The session, which took place on Sunday, Sept. 14, in the social hall of the Jewish Community Campus, included a Vaad-supervised kosher brunch, a presentation by family philanthropy expert MiaLisa Millares and break-out groups where participants connected and learned together.
Millares is the executive director of Doing Good Together, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering families to raise kind children who contribute to their communities. The presentation offered eight core strategies for embracing family giving practices, including creating a family mission statement, engaging in volunteer projects and fostering meaningful conversations around kindness and giving. Millares also shared insights from research and real-life stories that highlighted the benefits of philanthropy for both families and communities.
Following the presentation, attendees broke into small group discussions based on the ages of their children or grandchildren. Guided by trained table hosts, these conversations allowed participants to share personal experiences, ask questions and brainstorm ideas. Some of the key takeaways included:
- Many participants expressed a desire to focus their charitable giving on Jewish organizations, emphasizing the sentiment, “Who else will support them if not us?”
- Families were inspired by the idea of weaving conversations about giving into everyday life — especially around mealtimes — to normalize generosity and service.
- Several attendees discussed the value of volunteering alongside their children, seeing it as a powerful way to model compassion and community involvement.
- Ideas like establishing regular family meetings to talk about kindness and giving were well received, with some families planning to start this tradition immediately.
- One table suggested keeping a “kindness journal” to record acts of generosity and service, helping children reflect on their impact over time.
- Creating a family mission statement around values like giving, empathy and justice was seen as a meaningful way to align family actions with shared beliefs.
- Parents and grandparents appreciated the reminder to intentionally talk with kids about moments of service, whether big or small, to reinforce the importance of caring for others.
“I learned so much from this program — more than I expected. MiaLisa’s ideas were not only inspiring, but also incredibly practical,” participant Lindsey Lipsky said. “The breakout sessions were especially helpful. Talking with other parents who are raising kids the same ages as mine gave me new perspectives and ideas I hadn’t considered. I’m already thinking about how to implement some of these strategies with my own young children. It’s empowering to know that small, intentional actions can make a big impact.”
The event concluded with opportunities to explore local resources for youth philanthropy. Exhibits from communal organizations provided additional information about ways families may get involved.
More information about engaging families in charitable giving is available by contacting Jewish Community Foundation Director of Philanthropy Suzanne Galblum Dicken at or (913) 327-8286.
