Making the World a Kinder Place in Honor of Grady Paul
It was important to Kaitlyn and me that we show Grady the power of philanthropy. We discussed plans for the holidays, and our goal for him to understand that a multitude of events can lead to a rough shake in life, many times at no fault of the downtrodden. But it was also important to us that he learn of grace, love and forgiveness.
We wanted Grady to desire to help people, animals and this planet, not because they were always owed something, but because it was the right thing to do. Whether someone had contributed to their misfortune entirely, or not at all, we hoped he would see through the mess, and offer support because regardless of one’s journey thus far, he’d have the power to help change its trajectory for the better.
Time continues to march forward since Grady’s heart stopped beating, taking part of mine along with it. But the goals we had for Grady remain, and my heart still beats for the spirit of philanthropy we wanted to instill in him.
I wonder if you might be interested in helping me do that.
#GradysGifts began with my cousin Nick and I passing out visa gift cards to as many people experiencing homelessness in Portland as we could afford. And thanks to an incredible number of friends/family/strangers on social media, we were able to support over 50 people with over $3000 worth of gift cards that first year. In 2023, that number grew as over 100 contributors supported our effort to help people experiencing homelessness and families struggling with food insecurity. With a bit still left in the tank, 2023 saw #GradysGifts provide a bit of refuge to over 200 families and houseless people to the tune of over $7000. Gifts have varied from shopping sprees at grocery stores in low income neighborhoods, to hot meals for those sleeping on the streets, to backpacks, snacks and winter gear for folks doing their best to survive -25 degree frigid temperatures.
Grady wasn’t afforded the opportunity to take a breath on this planet, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make a difference. As his parent I’m never going to stop honoring his memory and the goals we had for him. And if this world can’t be better for him, I’m damn well going to ensure it’s better because of him.
Thanks for helping me do that.
We’ll get a better plan in place as things progress, but for now, if you’d like to pitch in I’m on venmo at apwq44.
But if money is tight, I get it. Just do me a favor and hug those kids of yours. Do something nice for someone you’ve never met. Be kind to someone who doesn’t deserve it. ❤️
K&G Conservation 