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Seeding Projects to Change the World

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A 13-year-old collects items for animal shelters. An 88-year-old offers up land to community agriculture. A young man trains prisoners in nonviolence. For Ari Nessel, each story is just another day along his journey in giving. After making a fortune in Dallas real estate, Ari wanted to give back. Yet he noticed that modern-day philanthropy tends to hold a disconnect between the funders and those who are doing the work. So he decided to seed projects rather than fund them, and has embarked on an experiment to give away $1,000 a day, every day, for the rest of his life. "My experience is that transformation happens on the fringes and in the micro areas and the individuals," he explains. "It doesn't happen on a large scale, it happens through all these people coming together in communities." Learn how the seeds of The Pollination Project continue to blossom.

Be The Change

Read more stories of grantees that have been seeded and encouraged by the generosity of the Pollination Project. Perhaps you might be inspired to submit your own idea!

Giving can take many forms, including anonymous acts of kindness. Read these beautiful stories to learn how creative you can be in your giving!

There is no correlation between the amount one gives and the transformation one feels when giving. Experiment with a daily giving practice, whether it is in the form of currency, smiles, or a listening ear, and observe the inner transformation.

Reflections (21)

Carol S.

Love is the catalyst for change, with positive change comes - peace, compassion, and lives are turned around, all for the better. Ari Nessel, through his generosity, is showing how love works when directed in ways that help people - this help raises people up and gives many of them back their dignity. He certainly has the right idea in helping many, one day at-a-time. It creates a wave that travels across the country, a wave that ends up touching many people. I believe we are all connected, like the threads in a woven blanket, and this model makes the weave even stronger.
Thank you, Ari Nessel, you are helping people to help others and to understand each other clearly and more deeply.

Vicky Vaughan

Thank you, Ari Nessel! I keep telling people that there is hope in our future, but getting back much negativity. The Texas Panhandle is very traditionally oriented. I am planting my small seed here in Lubbock, TX with Sisters of Unity. I hope to gather women who believe in shifting the focus from the empty glass of the past to a full glass of hope for the future, by investing energy in uplifting the hopes and dreams of our young people. You, Ari, are our young people. Thank you for proving me right! Love

Kat

What a lovely story. Thank you!

Patricia Amazon

Ari Nessel philanthropy model is inspiring. I wish more wealthy people will plant small seeds of financial assistance because it works.

Adele Gauer

I will daily look for opportunities to share my presence and my love, time and treasure and faith

Mihaela

Thank you for reminding me that small things still count. It filled my heart today. :)

What a Beautiful man and a Beautiful project. Small Changes everywhere-make Big Changes for the world. Thank you so much for this inspiring story.

deborah

I am curious as to how the fortune was made? After Inside Job and learning how the money systems are rigged to pretend to be other than they are - well , is this guilt giving as in Carnegie etc?

Kristin Pedemonti

THIS is how we create impact. One person, one project, one Seed at a time. Kudos to you Ari Nessel for using your financial gain to plant so many seeds! As someone who sold her small home & most possessions to create/facilitate a volunteer literacy project & now travels throughout the world serving others to share their stories to change the pity/poverty view to truly seeing potential & possibility and LISTEN to locals, I deeply resonate with planting seeds. HUGS from my heart to yours!

gretchen

This is one of the greatest stories I've ever seen. Bless him.

Gary

Impact on a global scale, one project at a time.

George

That life is truly made up of little things.

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Seeding Projects to Change the World

Reflections (21)

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