Publication Date: September 10, 2024
What happens when we act on our innate kindness?
It all started with a chance encounter outside of Grand Central Station in November 1981. Karen Olson, a successful marketing executive, was on her way to a business meeting when she saw an elderly homeless woman-her shoulders sagging, her eyes dull. Impulsively, Karen darted across the street and bought the woman a sandwich and an orange juice. She listened to the woman’s story and learned her name: Millie.
This small act of kindness changed the trajectory of Karen’s life. Karen dedicated her life to those in need and founded Family Promise, a national nonprofit organization that helps homeless and low-income families. In Meant for More, Karen tells her story, from tragedy in childhood to an adulthood full of compassion and service, which has made her stronger, healthier, and more fulfilled than ever before. Many people seek happiness through acquiring material goods or achieving status, only to find a lack of fulfillment. With firsthand testimonials from Karen and other volunteers, Meant for More is a call to action: when you reach out beyond yourself and seek to make a difference in the lives of others, happiness will catch up with you.
From an early age, Karen Olson knew she wanted to help people. However, it took a random encounter on a New York City street for that desire to evolve into something tangible.
Olson shares her story in Meant for More, a first-person narrative that allows readers insight into a childhood loss, serving as the catalyst for wanting to help others.
With 21 chapters, the book is packed with examples of how Olson makes her dream a reality. Kindness and compassion toward others, particularly the homeless, create opportunities for self-fulfillment through serving others.
She also incorporates stories from recipients, many of whom are in dire circumstances through no fault of their own. Having someone initiate a conversation goes a long way to helping a person feel valued.
The book is easy to digest and includes a number of helpful resources for readers seeking to learn how they can find happiness by helping others.
Meant for More offers a motivational tool for making a difference in other people’s lives.
Karen Olson is the founder and CEO emeritus of Family Promise, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless and low-income families. Her organization has trained and mobilized over one million volunteers over the past thirty years to provide services to homeless families. Olson has received many awards for her remarkable social service contributions, including the 1992 Annual Points of Light Award from President George H. W. Bush.
