A Million Lives in Ten Years

You were doing service work long before you joined the firm. Where did it start?

I grew up middle class. We were not well off, but we always had what we needed. I was about 16 when I volunteered at a soup kitchen through my church. I still remember scooping mashed potatoes and how good it felt to simply be useful. That stuck with me. In high school I became a Big Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters and spent afternoons with a younger kid, just showing up every week and being someone he could count on. In college at Ohio University, a friend and I threw ourselves into a student group called Enactus. Athens County was, at the time, the poorest county across all thirteen Appalachian states. We worked mostly with single mothers, arranging rides, helping with food assistance, and connecting them to resources in the community.

What does giving back actually do for you?

It takes very little effort to help someone, and it gives a lot back. The feeling of making an impact for a person I do not know, without expecting anything in return, is hard to beat. I planted a tree with Canopy not long ago. Now I pass that park, see the tree, and know I had a hand in it. Even when a small act feels like dust in the wind, it is still something. I can go home at the end of a day and relax knowing I at least tried to help someone.

You have said this work also keeps you grounded.

It does. I moved out on my own at 18 and went through some hard years. There was a summer where ends truly were not meeting, and it was a very tough time. I have worked on myself ever since to get where I am, and landing at Wealth Architects felt like a godsend. That history keeps me humble. There was a time when people helped me. So while I am able to help, I want to. Being around people with less also resets my perspective. It is a steady reminder of how much I actually have.

Tell us about the WA Impact Team. What is it?

Everyone at the firm is part of the Wealth Architects Impact Team. The idea is simple: build a wealthier community. That means caring about the well-being of the people around us, beyond portfolios and account balances. It started at our ten-year strategic planning meeting last year, when our CEO, Mark T. Johnsen, set a goal to impact one million lives over the next decade. A million is a staggering number. But then you start doing the math. Spend a morning at Second Harvest, help feed 800 families, and that is roughly a thousand people right there. One thing worth clarifying: the Impact Team is the hands-on, in-person side of our giving. The financial side lives with our charitable foundation. This is the part where we show up and do the work ourselves.

What has the team taken on so far?

A lot has centered on Second Harvest. The November matching gift for clients was only the start. We went into the food bank ourselves to sort and pack food, and in one month the firm helped provide 40,000 meals. For years we’ve sponsored Cops and Gobblers and the Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run & Walk. Recently we did a western burrowing owl habitat restoration at Mountain View Shoreline Park, as well as completed our first volunteer event with Animal Assisted Happiness, where we took barn animals to meet special needs students at Mountain View High School. At the end of this year we’re planning on doing a CSA food drive. I host beach cleanups too, and you would be surprised how much trash turns up once you start looking, especially the microplastics.

Where do you want to take it from here?

We are expanding, both the number of events and the kinds of work. I have been meeting with groups like Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which builds beds for kids who do not have one. That sort of project is hands-on and something families can do together. Beyond food security, I would love to see us in education and tutoring, in the environment, in helping nourish community members, in giving back to the youth and in housing. The bigger vision is to bring our clients along. Many of them are deeply charitable and know exactly where the needs are. If we can connect their generosity with real, in-person work, everyone gets to be part of something bigger.

Anything you would add?

Talking about this can sound a little fluffy. But it is honestly some of the most rewarding work we do. What sets it apart is that our leadership gives away company time to make it happen, and company time is one of the most valuable resources a firm has. Plenty of companies will send around an invitation for a Saturday beach cleanup, and surprise, nobody shows up. At Wealth Architects, we close the laptop in the middle of the workday and go do the work together. That is a real commitment, not a line in a values statement.

Clients who would like to learn more about the WA Impact Team, or join us as we open up volunteer opportunities, are encouraged to reach out to their advisor. There is room for everyone who wants to help build a wealthier community.

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