September 19, 2010 | Read Time: 1 minute
Jill A. Warren, nonprofit consultant
(West Bloomfield, Mich.)
How much she makes: Ms. Warren, 51, and her husband, the Rev. Robert D. Schoenhals, 60, a Methodist minister, typically earn just over $100,000 when they are both working.
How much she gives: Between 30 and 60 percent of her and her husband’s income, for a total of $520,000 over their 17 years of marriage. The couple gives away what they would be spending on rent or a mortgage if the Methodist church didn’t provide them free housing.
Why she gives: Ms. Warren says she and Mr. Schoenhals were struck by how much stuff they had acquired before they got married. That anti-consumerist impulse, along with their religious faith, compelled the couple to make a commitment to living a generous life. They support human-rights and civil-rights groups, social-service organizations, and churches. Says Ms. Warren: “We look at it as investing our money in other people rather than ourselves.”
How it has affected her: Saving little hasn’t always been easy, especially when Ms. Warren and her husband were both out of work a few years ago. But they have put a daughter through private college and graduate school, and they eat well, travel, and say they are frequently reminded of the reasons they like to give. Says Ms. Warren: “It’s made us more mindful of what we have and how lucky we are.”
