By Chrissy M. Thornton
In a world filled with division, uncertainty and economic anxiety, generosity can sometimes feel like a lost art – a quiet gesture in an increasingly loud and divided world. Yet, at Associated Black Charities (ABC), we were recently reminded that generosity is not lost at all. It is alive, resilient and capable of flourishing in the most unexpected places.
In August 2025, our office received a call from a mother inquiring on behalf of her son, who is currently incarcerated at North Branch Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Md. Her son wanted to begin making charitable contributions as part of his rehabilitation process. She asked if there was a way for him to give to ABC, because he believed deeply in our mission to create opportunity for Black people in Maryland and beyond.
Since that first call, he has made monthly donations ranging from $13 to $15, faithfully giving every month for the past three months. He has also inspired two others at the same facility to join him in making recurring contributions.
We are continually inspired each time the phone rings and we hear the familiar tone of a monitored call from the correctional facility. On the other end are individuals who want to talk with us directly, who ask thoughtful questions about our mission, and who seek to understand how their contributions – however modest – can make a difference. These conversations remind us that philanthropy is not reserved for the privileged. It belongs to anyone with a heart to give. Each call is a moment of connection that bridges worlds, affirming that generosity can exist even where hope is scarce.
At a time when individual giving has declined across the nonprofit sector – and when organizations like ours must compete in an oversaturated philanthropic landscape – these quiet acts of generosity are nothing short of extraordinary.
Maryland’s incarceration statistics reveal just how profound this story is. Although Black residents make up about 30 percent of the state’s population, they represent over 71 percent of Maryland’s prison population, one of the highest racial disparities in the nation. Maryland also leads the country in incarcerating young Black men, sentencing them to longer terms and offering fewer opportunities for parole and rehabilitation.
This isn’t simply a story about crime or punishment. It’s about systems that have historically over-policed, over-prosecuted, and over-incarcerated Black people – systems that too often have disconnected individuals from their communities and their sense of belonging.
And yet, within that system – inside one of Maryland’s highest-security correctional facilities – three men who have lost their freedom have chosen to give. Month after month. Quietly. Consistently.
Their actions challenge us to rethink what it means to belong and to contribute. They remind us that these men who are incarcerated are still members of our community – sons, brothers, fathers and neighbors. They are human beings capable of empathy, reflection and transformation. Their circumstances may confine them, but their humanity does not end at the prison gate.
Across the country, nonprofits – especially those focused on civil rights, racial equity and community advancement – are facing mounting challenges. The philanthropic landscape is shifting. Individual giving is at one of its lowest levels in decades, even as community needs continue to grow.
For organizations like ABC, this means doing more with less – innovating, collaborating and holding fast to our belief that collective care is the foundation of progress.
And then, out of nowhere, comes a gift like this: a handful of small checks from a Maryland correctional facility that carry the weight of something far greater. Because when someone with so little gives so much of themselves, it renews your faith – not just in the work, but in the people the work is for. It reminds us that generosity is not the privilege of the wealthy or the free. It is a conscious choice to believe in community.
At ABC, we see this story not as an anomaly but as a lesson in humanity. These donors’ giving isn’t defined by the size of their contributions, but by the depth of their conviction. They give from a place of intention, not abundance. They give to stay connected to community, not to be recognized. They give to reclaim their humanity, one act at a time. And perhaps most profoundly, they give to remind us that generosity is not limited by circumstance.
These men have shown us something powerful: that giving is an act of resistance, a declaration of hope, and a reclamation of humanity. If three men behind bars can give consistently, find meaning in generosity, and inspire others to do the same, what’s stopping the rest of us from giving more freely, more intentionally, more often?
Imagine what could happen if even a fraction of the thousands of Marylanders who support ABC committed to a monthly gift of $13? The collective impact would be transformational. Those small, steady contributions would sustain our work to advance racial equity, promote economic mobility, and strengthen community well-being for everyone.
When we invest in organizations doing civil rights and equity work, we invest in stronger neighborhoods, better schools, healthier families, and more just systems. This work benefits not just Black communities – it benefits all communities. Our future as a society depends on the belief that progress is shared. That equity, justice, and opportunity are not zero-sum goals. And that when we uplift those most marginalized, we strengthen the fabric of our collective humanity.
At Associated Black Charities, we are deeply honored to receive these gifts because of what they represent. In a world that too often forgets the humanity of the incarcerated, these men are reminding us all that the power of giving cannot be confined.
When generosity finds a way to survive in the harshest of places, it doesn’t just transform the giver – it transforms us all.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.