The Mower Boy

I first met Roger in 1993 while serving as the Director of Development for Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.  In my field, one has the opportunity to meet many people who make a difference in the world. All these caring people have inspired me and have provided me with stellar examples of generosity and character. But there is one man who has gone far beyond these qualities, and has etched an indelible mark on my mind, heart, and soul.             Roger is a modest man with a long history of generous giving. No one realized or knew of his true generosity to numerous causes. His humility lent comfort to being in the background.             As we became close personal friends, I realized that so much of who Roger is has evolved through his life experiences. Roger grew up with the physical challenges of cerebral palsy. Although he could never competitively play sports, Roger served as an assistant manager for every team his high school fielded. He took challenges head on and learned the value of perseverance, dedication, and genuine care for others.             He graduated from the University of Cincinnati in only three years with a Finance Degree, and earned his MBA in night school. Roger had two degrees, but could not find a job because of his poor handwriting; the result of cerebral palsy.  After returning to his steadfast lawn cutting customers from his youth, and turning mowing clients into tax clients,  he was doing 345 tax returns and became the tax commissioner for three local municipalities. In 1970 he opened his own tax and accounting company with, eventually, eight employees.             While I was serving at Xavier University, Roger developed a unique program of student service-learning.  He visited many colleges and introduced students to the concept of philanthropy. His vision was to teach youth how to research, invest and support community non-profits. With the help of the Ohio Campus Compact, Roger transferred administration of Ohio’s 34 college programs in 2006 and it evolved into the “Pay It Forward” program on 1,100 campuses.              In 2008 Roger’s investments (90% in bank stocks) plummeted. His portfolio shrank dramatically from $7 million to $65 thousand. He was obliged to inform the non-profits he cherished that his ability to give had greatly diminished. When he lost his money, Roger was devastated; not for himself but for all the organizations to which he had promised money.             He shared this great sadness with me, but true to Roger and his ever-positive attitude, faith, and desire to change lives, he was ready to take a new path.  He came up with a vision and dream to establish a non-profit that would inspire, engage, and educate high school students and magnify the impact of their philanthropy to help the community.              His non-profit, Magnified Giving, was launched in that same year of 2008. Roger introduced his concept to eight pilot schools at the secondary level. It was here Roger’s life experiences, connections, and desire to do good, flourished. Herein lies the brilliance of Roger’s extraordinary innovation: a new concept to support non-profit organizations that provides six times the impact of a benefactor’s investment. Here is how it works: 1.     Benefactors invest money into Magnified Giving. 2.     Magnified Giving awards qualifying schools the opportunity for their students to become involved in experiential learning. 3.     Qualified teachers are selected and trained to become coaches. 4.     Students are provided the opportunity to serve as philanthropists, researching non-profits and acting as investment managers of this money. 5.     Students select award-winning non-profits to receive the grant money, which will serve  to support the non-profit’s mission. 6.     The deserving recipients of the non-profits then distribute the finances to help support their mission of helping others in their program. Magnified Giving at its finest! This is an amazing program that impacts today, yet carries on into the future to assure philanthropy’s future. This is a perfect match of mission, vision, and a way to educate our next generation to lead meaningful lives of responsibility and giving.             To date, Roger, through Magnified Giving, has educated over 42,000 students to prepare them to become non-profit board members, donors, volunteers and change makers in the community. During the 2022-2023 school year, participants in Magnified Giving’s youth philanthropic programs selected 127 non-profits to receive 175 grants totaling $185,000.00 to meet needs in their communities.             From my own personal perspective, Roger has had a profound impact on my life. Over the years, Roger has transformed from an acquaintance, to benefactor, to friend, to mentor and to saint. I have heard the saying, “A friend is someone who reaches for your hand, but touches your heart.”  I can attest to this reality in my life through this outstanding man.             Roger displays unconditional love, eyes that see, and a heart that gives. He has a “can do” demeanor with a passion to do God’s work as he is called to do. Roger is unique, original and one of a kind.             Everyone knows and loves Roger, from the city mayor to the young waiter seating him at the restaurant. Goodness comes to Roger, and he returns this goodness back to the world magnified. He is the spark in everyone’s heart that invites and ignites their purpose and optimism for a better world, providing them strength and encouragement through his daily living example.              Sincerely,   James W. Jackson