Generosity has always been about lifting others up, but science tells us it also does something incredible for the giver. Adam Grant recently pointed out that even small acts of generosity can ease anxiety and depression over time. When we stop focusing on what we lack and instead use what we have to meet someone else’s need, we shift our mindset from scarcity to abundance. It’s a powerful cycle—one that turns kindness into an unstoppable force for good.
Hope and Horizons has seen this firsthand. Take the Yaschenko family, for example. After losing everything, they were stuck in survival mode, wondering how they would ever rebuild. But when donors stepped in and helped provide them with a new home, everything changed. Despair was replaced with dignity. Anxiety gave way to a renewed sense of purpose. Their smiles weren’t just about having a roof over their heads—they had hope again.
And here’s the thing: generosity isn’t a one-way street. Studies show that giving triggers the brain’s reward system, releasing feel-good chemicals that reduce stress, ease anxiety, and even fight off depression. When you help someone else stand on solid ground, you end up standing a little taller yourself. It’s why so many people who give once, give again. The gratitude and hope from the families ripple back to the givers, fueling more kindness and creating a cycle that keeps on going.
So, if you’re looking for a real way to lift your mood, ease anxiety, or even push back against depression, consider putting a family in a home. Maybe it’s a personal gift, or maybe you gather a few friends and make it happen together. Either way, your generosity won’t just change their lives—it will change yours too. At Hope and Horizons, we believe in building better futures—not just for the families who receive, but for the givers who make it possible. Join us in the generosity loop at HopeandHorizons.org, and let’s keep the cycle going.