Doug Plummer & Robin Shapiro

Robin and I both grew up in families that believed in philanthropy, and it’s a core value that we brought into the marriage. We have enough. Not everyone does. We’ve worked for it, sure, but it’s mostly the result of luck and timing and privilege. We both consider it a duty, a joyful one at that, to see to it that our fortunate circumstances get used to make the kind of difference we want to see in the world.

I found the music and dance scene after college, at a stage of life when I was emotionally not in such great shape. Dancing literally gave me the first sense of belonging somewhere. The long term friendships that I’ve maintained only began then. Dancing saved me and made me more whole.

We make sure that a portion of our giving goes to urgent needs—food, rescue, shelter. But my experience of community, and how the music and dance scene nurtured and healed me as a young adult, reminds me how life changing the activities that CDSS supports can be. It can be as vital as food and shelter.

We have a nest egg that will keep us comfortable. Our retirement is secure. We don’t have kids. We get to give it all away, after we’re done using it. In our estate plan we’re proud to name CDSS as a major beneficiary.