Young Siblings Donate Their Allowance to Help Others

The budding philanthropists barreled up two flights of stairs and through the doors, each clutching glass jars representing a year’s worth of savings and the wish to help people in need.

They were distracted in their quest to deposit said funds only by a much larger jar in the lobby, one filled to overflowing with candy.

M&Ms, meet The Kintz Kids.

The three young children of Nashville’s Andrew and Towles Kintz — Claire, Elizabeth and Peter — stopped by The Community Foundation’s Green Hills office, and you’ve never seen more enthusiastic givers.

Claire Kintz, age 8 and a third-grader, donated to The Community Foundation’s Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville Emergency Response Fund.

“I thought about how sad it would be to lose my home in the forest fires, so I wanted to give back,” said Claire, whose Daisy Girl Scouts troop recently made and sent sympathy cards for victims of the devastating wildfires in the Smoky Mountains.

Elizabeth, age 6 and a first-grader, said she wants to help immigrants and refugees. Elizabeth learned about the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and donated in honor of her teacher, who worked in the immigrant community.

Peter, age 4 and a preschool attendee — “My name is Peter. That’s spelled P-E-T-E-R,” he helpfully tells the photographer — said he wants to help the poor and homeless.

Proud papa Andrew Kintz, executive vice president of the Music Industry Group at First Tennessee bank, said his son learned about homelessness through their church and its work with Room In The Inn homeless outreach.

So how do the Kintzes instill the spirit of giving back to their youngsters?

Mom Towles Kintz, a freelance writer, got the idea from the book “The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who are Grounded, Generous and Smart About Money” by author Ron Lieber.

The parents set up three jars for each child — a “give,” “spend” and “save” jar. The children then learned how to portion their allowance accordingly.

Towles says the process helps teach her children about decision-making, giving and helping others. And it also helps them discover what they truly care about and want to support in the world as they grow into adults.

For this young family, it just feels good to give.

After posing for photos with The Foundation’s ever-popular bee statuary, it was time for the Kintzes to say goodbye to their give jars and begin a brand new year of giving, spending and saving.

But first, there would be one last stop at the candy jar.

Our Charitable Giving Cards can be bought in a variety of amounts and given to friends and loved ones, teachers and graduates, colleagues and clients so that they can support a worthy cause of their choosing. Giving Cards can be redeemed online within a year and can be designated to support qualified charities throughout the U.S. – including nonprofits, schools and religious institutions.