Giving can take many forms: charitable donations, tithes, mutual aid, volunteering, and more. No matter how you decide to give, you are going to leave a mark on others–and yourself! To celebrate the power of giving, here are our favorite 50 quotes about giving!
50 Quotes About Giving
For some people, giving is about religion and faith. For others, it's a family tradition. And there are so many reasons in between to consider giving. If you are just getting starting or looking to give more, these quotes will have you feeling empowered and motivated.
Quotes About Giving Back
Giving is powerful. It's so powerful that some of the most influential people in human history–from Rockefeller to Einstein–spoke out in favor of giving. Take a look at what they had to say about the power of giving back.
1. “Think of giving not only as a duty but as a privilege.” – John Rockefeller
2. “I absolutely believe in the power of tithing. My own experience is that the more I give away, the more that comes back. That is the way life works.” – Ken Blanchard
3. “No one has ever become poor by giving.” – Anne Frank
4. “The raising of extraordinarily large sums of money, given voluntarily and freely by millions of our fellow Americans, is a unique American tradition… Philanthropy, charity, giving voluntarily and freely… call it what you like, but it is truly a jewel of an American tradition.” – John Kennedy
5. “It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” – Albert Einstein
Quotes About Volunteering & Service Work
Giving doesn't have to mean donations, offerings, or tithes (though it certainly can!). Volunteerism and service work are powerful ways to enrich the lives of others and add more meaning to your days.
6. “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” – Mohamed Ali
7. “Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” – Elizabeth Andrew
8. “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.” – Erma Bombeck
9. “Volunteering is an act of heroism on a grand scale. And it matters profoundly. It does more than help people beat the odds; it changes the odds.” – Bill Clinton
10. “Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future of which we can all be proud.” -Helen Dyer
11. “If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.” – Kofi Annan
12. “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands — one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” – Audrey Hepburn
13. “Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.” – Heather French Henry
14. “Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. […] You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
15. “Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” – Booker T. Washington
Quotes About Helping Your Community
Whether you give locally or globally, you have the opportunity to cultivate community. A willingness to help others through money, words, and actions strengthens your community today and in the future.
16. “Wherever you turn, you can find someone who needs you. Even if it is a little thing, do something for which there is no pay but the privilege of doing it. Remember, you don’t live in the world all of your own.” – Albert Schweitzer
17. “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” – Herman Melville
18. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
19. “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
20. “If you're in the luckiest one percent of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99 percent.” – Warren Buffet
Quotes About Giving & Growing As a Person
One of the most powerful benefits of giving are the effect felt by giver, not just the receiver. As you look to continue growing as an individual, don't overlook the impact that giving can have on you.
21. “The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your contribution. When you work to improve the lives of others, your life improves automatically.” – Kurek Ashley
22. “Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have.” – Jim Rohn
23. “An effort made for the happiness of others lifts us above ourselves.” – Lydia Maria Child
24. “The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves.” – Helen Keller
25. “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
26. “Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves.” – Horace Mann
27. “What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.” – Aristotle
28. “To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own.” – Abraham Lincoln
29. “Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.” – Albert Camus
30. “Every charitable act is a stepping stone toward heaven.” – Henry Ward Beecher
Quotes About Benefiting as a Giver
It's easy to think about the benefits that giving has on a receiver. But did you know that giving really benefits the giver too? Check out these quotes for proof!
31. “I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” – Maya Angelou
32. “Giving does not only precede receiving; it is the reason for it. It is in giving that we receive.” – Israelmore Ayivor
33. “As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.” – Mary Anne Radmacher
34. “Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
35. “There is no better exercise for your heart than reaching down and helping to lift someone up.” Bernard Meltzer
Quotes to Get Started and Keep Going
Whether you are just getting started or want to give more, these quotes about giving will inspire you!
36. “Money is not the only commodity that is fun to give. We can give time, we can give our expertise, we can give our love, or simply give a smile. What does that cost? The point is, none of us can ever run out of something worthwhile to give.” – Steve Goodier
37. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso
38. “He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own.” – Confucius
39. “We rise by lifting others.” – Robert Ingersoll
40. “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” – Maya Angelou
41. “If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little, give of your heart.” – Arab Proverb
42. “Giving to others will not take away from what you have but will in fact add to your life. ” – Catherine Pulsifer
43. “It seemed to me that the people who were genuinely thriving in their lives were the ones who had made room for well-being, wisdom, wonder, and giving.” – Arianna Huffington
44. “If you knew what I know about the power of giving you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.” – Buddha
45. “The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
46. “You have to start giving first and expect absolutely nothing.” – Dalai Lama
47. “It is in giving, not in seeking gifts, we find our quest.” – James Allen
48. “Selfless giving is the art of living.” – Frederick Lenz
49. “You don't have to be an angel, just be someone who can give.” – Patti LaBelle
50. “Men are rich only as they give.” – Elbert Hubbard
Final Thoughts on Quotes About Giving
Saving and spending are important parts of your financial journey. But they aren't the only ones!
Giving and sharing with others is a powerful part of money–for the impact it can have on others and ourselves. If you don't know where to start, we suggest checking out Charity Navigator or Volunteer Match today!
Do you have any favorite charities or mutual aid groups? Are you involved in volunteering?
Please let us know in the comments below.
