COMMUNITY COMMITMENT

Giving Back: Our Philosophy

Doug and Natalie Freeman
 

Giving back is in our firm’s DNA. It starts from the top down. Doug grew up in a family where serving and giving were as important to the body and soul as food and water are. Natalie had a similar upbringing, where she learned the value of a dollar and the good it can provide.

Doug and Natalie have had years of plenty and years of want. Regardless of the ebb and flow of funds, they always have found time and money for the ministries they love. To build on what they learned from their parents, Doug and Natalie have been blessed by the teachings of Crown Financial Ministries and Perspectives.

God has used organizations, including The Global Orphan Project, America World (an adoption ministry that helped Doug and Natalie in their adoption process) and PastorServe, to shape Doug into the person he is.

Natalie has been impacted by those same ministries but has always been drawn to the underdog in social settings. This nature has led her to involvement with international students and the wives of married students through International Students, Inc. Most come to Kansas City without having local family members or friends. Often, they complete their degrees and return to their home countries without ever being invited into an American home or having had an American friend. Natalie loves getting to know them and assisting wherever possible to make their time in Kansas City a bit less daunting.

Kelly and Debbie Davis
 

As they were growing up, Kelly and Debbie each saw their parents tangibly demonstrate giving. Debbie helped her parents tend an enormous vegetable garden in the summer, and she wondered why they planted so much for a family of four. As she grew older, she realized the abundance was designed so her dad could supply the whole neighborhood with fresh vegetables. Three things stood out when she saw her father sharing the overflow: the bounty God blessed them with, the smiles of those on the receiving end and the joy it brought her dad to give to others.

These experiences sparked Debbie’s desire to give back. She channels her love for building connections and relationships into volunteer roles with associations and organizations that provide education, hope and healing to individuals and the community.

Kelly’s parents grew up during the Depression, when many in their communities were out of work or severely underemployed. They recounted that, when someone in the community got work, he or she shared with neighbors so no one went hungry. Kelly’s family had little excess when he was growing up, but his parents supported their communities, their church families and people who were less fortunate, following the model they had seen in childhood. Kelly carries on the legacy of giving by supporting the Catholic Charities Food Bank and giving his time, talent and treasures to many organizations within his parish community.

Others in the firm share the Freeman’s and Davis’s passion for giving back, regularly contributing time, dollars and leadership to civic, community, faith-based and charitable organizations. Our philosophy of giving back also informs how our firm operates, from unwavering ethics to a spirit of caring about our clients and the outcomes we achieve for them.