The Everyday Good Samaritan

We all know that the real heroes of this world are not Captain America or Superman; they are the first responders, military personnel, and medical professionals who sacrifice their time and lives for the greater good. While these heroes may risk their lives on the front lines, there are many ways that everyday citizens can help as well.

For those with a social media account, there are numerous Facebook groups or Instagram pages dedicated to helping victims of car theft find their cars. For example, Titan Crawford, a Portland citizen, founded “PDX Stolen Cars.” Whenever Titan has spare time, he travels throughout his hometown looking for cars listed on the Facebook page. Although his group primarily focuses on finding local vehicles, Titan often finds vehicles from out-of-state and reports them through the proper channels to reunite the vehicle with its owner.

While you may feel that Titan undertakes a noble act, finding stolen vehicles may not be your calling. However, there are almost infinite ways you can make a difference. For example:

  • If you are an animal lover and want to spend your time finding lost cats and dogs, there is a page for that. Similarly, we have clients who volunteer to assist vets who provide pro-bono neutering services.
  • If you want to devote your time to spreading the word of a nonprofit you believe in, but it just needs more marketing to be known, you can join the page and spread the word of their charitable deeds.
  • For those affected by natural disasters and who want to help families and neighborhoods that have gone through similar experiences, there are crisis response pages that help members learn how they can contribute supplies to the victims.

If you are currently an inheritor and want to donate your time or money to one of these groups but are not completely certain that the group or page is legitimate, clients of The Wealth Conservancy are always welcome to reach out and seek guidance from their advisors. As your fiduciary, we will go to great lengths to ensure that your well-intentioned donations are not going to any fraudulent groups. If you are not a client but are interested in learning more about how The Wealth Conservancy can help with the complex aspects of an inheritance, please give us a call, or submit a consultation request to speak confidentially about your specific circumstances.