The Full Story
A journey from giving to thoughtful philanthropy.
Like many, our journey began simply, with giving. In the early 1980s, our contributions were straightforward. We supported charitable causes, particularly through Share and Care Foundation, and like most donors, the act of giving brought a sense of fulfillment. It felt good to contribute and to know we were helping in some way.
But over time, a deeper question began to take shape.
A seed of a different way of thinking
In the 1990s, I was introduced to Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Its ideas did not transform me overnight, but they planted an important seed, the idea that a meaningful life requires balance, awareness, and intentional growth. That seed would quietly influence how I began to think about both life and giving.
A defining question
Years later, in 2012, Deena and I attended a talk in New York by Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys. During the discussion, he posed a simple but profound question:
"What is the difference between charity and philanthropy?"
Narayana Murthy / Co-Founder of Infosys, 2012
From donor to participant
That question stayed with us. It challenged me to reflect more deeply on our role, not just as a donor, but as a participant. I began to feel that writing a check, while important, was not enough. I wanted to be more personally engaged, to contribute not only resources, but also time and effort.
This marked a shift from charity toward thoughtful philanthropy, what I came to see as the three T's.
Time
Showing up in person, not just sending a check.
Talent
Bringing real skills and guidance to the work.
Treasure
Giving with intention and long-term purpose.
From intention to action
In 2014, Deena and I established the Deena and Pravin Shah Family Foundation, formalizing our commitment to a more structured and intentional approach.
That same year, we traveled to India to visit a number of educational and social initiatives. Among them, we encountered the OASIS Movement in Vadodara, an organization dedicated to character education for students, teachers, and parents.
Their approach resonated deeply with us. It focused not only on academic learning, but on emotional intelligence, values, and personal responsibility, drawing from the work of Stephen Covey and others in the field of human development.
I became actively involved, training as a facilitator and spending time each year working directly with students, teachers, and families. Over several years, we witnessed meaningful transformation, not just in knowledge, but in mindset and behavior.
A shift closer to home
The COVID-19 pandemic brought an unexpected pause to travel. While our connection with OASIS continued, it also prompted us to reflect on how we could engage more locally. This led to new partnerships in the United States.
Supporting the whole individual
We began working with Virtual Enterprises International (VEI), an organization that prepares high school students through real-world business experiences. Through this partnership, we created what is now the Life Skills Scholarship.
This scholarship is not limited to financial support. It is designed to bring awareness to five essential areas of growth, academic, financial, emotional, physical, and inner grounding, encouraging students to develop as whole individuals.
Alongside this, we partnered with StreetSquash in Harlem, New York, supporting financial literacy initiatives for students and their families. We believe that financial understanding is a critical life skill, one that enables independence, stability, and the ability to make meaningful life choices.
An evolving purpose
Looking back, what began as simple giving has evolved into something more intentional. A desire to bridge the gap between academic success and a meaningful life.
Our work continues to evolve, guided by a simple idea: that education should not only prepare individuals to earn a living, but also to live with purpose, balance, and fulfillment.
A continuing journey
We do not view this as a finished model, but as an ongoing journey, one that we hope will continue to grow and adapt over time.
If our experience offers inspiration, we hope others may take from it what resonates, and in their own way, begin a similar journey of thoughtful giving.
Growth continues beyond the classroom and beyond this page.
