This blog, originally published in 2020, has been updated. While the theme remains timeless, the details are current.
There is much discussion about three 3G networks, 4G networks, and 5G networks. 5G Networks are touted to be better and faster. This may well be the case with cell phones. However, at Pack for a Purpose, the 4G Network is efficient, impactful, and makes every trip a traveler takes go farther than the miles they travel.
The 4Gs that make up Pack for a Purpose are Gratitude, Generosity, Giving, and Global Impact.
Gratitude is a universal emotion which we learn to express at an early age and continues throughout our lifetime. Everyone is inherently capable of gratitude. The expression of gratitude enriches the experience of the person expressing the gratitude and the person receiving it. Gratitude is at the heart of Pack for a Purpose. Whether you are 5 or 95, you can express gratitude when you travel.
Generosity, while not always the first thought of small children, is easily taught as a behavior. Children observe their parents and friends expressing generosity, understand the benefits and then choose to incorporate this behavior into their lives as well. Generosity will of course vary on a person’s resources but not necessarily the amount of their generosity. Many people with the fewest resources are the most generous. Pack for a Purpose travelers have expressed their generosity over the past fifteen years since we went live on December 17, 2009. In the ensuing years, including the years of COVID, generous travelers have taken over 204,396 kgs (450,616 pounds) of community-requested supplies to over 55 countries.
Giving is the natural outcome of gratitude and generosity. Making sure the “giving” is meaningful is most important. Without knowledge of the recipient, this can be very difficult. At Pack for a Purpose, our mission is to assist travelers who want to make meaningful contributions to the destinations they visit. This is achieved by providing a needs list curated by the communities themselves for the projects supported on our website. The list is updated as the needs of the community change.
Global Impact
People from all 6 inhabited continents have chosen to make a Big Impact around the globe by Packing for a Purpose. This way of expressing gratitude through the generous giving of supplies has provided meaningful benefits to over 450 community projects. Packing for a Purpose is simple and easy— making it possible for everyone to participate. Simple and easy and the human ability to choose to express gratitude has driven our enormous growth. We have grown from 29 projects in 2010 to over 450 projects currently.
Our 4G Network has continued to grow and thrive. We hope when you travel, whether for pleasure or business, you will always choose to Pack for a Purpose. When you Pack for a Purpose, every trip you take will begin and end with gratitude.