Can grief change not only what we care about—but how we choose to give?

In this One More Thing episode of The Philanthropists, Quanda Allen and Meredith Hanley reflect on their conversation with Norm Ornstein and Judy Harris and explore what their story reveals about grief, proximity, advocacy, mental health, and philanthropy.

They examine why lived experience can create a kind of understanding that cannot be gained from a distance, why philanthropy sometimes means building infrastructure rather than simply writing a check, and why staying engaged with difficult systems can itself become an act of generosity.

The conversation also explores storytelling as a tool for social change, the role of advocacy in philanthropy, and the surprising place of joy and hope alongside grief. One More Thing is where Quanda and Meredith take one or more ideas from a guest conversation and go deeper—connecting the personal story to broader questions about generosity, impact, responsibility, and how we give.