From the time I was a young child, I was fortunate to learn firsthand the importance of helping others.

My father was a police officer and, at that time, many social services were not available in our small town. Police officers, like my dad, often volunteered to help individuals in need. It was not uncommon, for example, for my parents to provide a warm meal or temporary shelter to people and animals. To this day, my parents still receive a Christmas card every year from a family in Mexico that stayed with us for two weeks after they were robbed.