Years ago, my husband Larry and I got in the car to drive down to Provo, Utah, where he was teaching an entrepreneurship class at Brigham Young University. Each semester, he invited me to join for one class, where I would speak to the students and their spouses. The lecture, titled “What Is It Like to be Married to an Entrepreneur?” was always lively.
During one particular class, a brave student raised their hand and asked a question that has stayed with me: “Now that you are in a position to purchase anything you want, what would you buy?”
The room grew quiet. After a moment’s thought, the answer came: There wasn’t a single thing so important or exciting that it would send me rushing out to buy it. That response still holds true today. Early in our marriage, Larry and I made a deliberate decision — money would never define us or own us. As long as we had enough to sustain our family, the rest would be used to help others.
That choice became more than a guiding principle; it became the heartbeat of our lives and the foundation for our family’s philanthropic work. Over the years, the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation has been a way to channel that belief into meaningful action — supporting causes that strengthen communities, open doors for opportunity, bring people together and enrich lives.
Money, in itself, is just a tool. It can buy things, yes — but things fade. What lasts is the impact made when those resources are invested in people, in ideas, in shared dreams for a better tomorrow.
This perspective didn’t come from abundance; it was born out of experience. Larry and I were born soon after the Great Depression and, like many others, our families learned how to make do, how to share and how to value what truly matters. That era left an imprint — a belief that generosity is not about wealth but about willingness. Money doesn’t make a philanthropist.
Across the nation, that belief is alive and well among those able to give. According to a Bank of America study, 85 percent of affluent U.S. households give to charity in some form each year. And here in Utah, generosity runs especially deep. The latest Giving State Report by Cicero Group found that 70 percent of Utahns reported giving time, money or both to causes they care about. These numbers aren’t just statistics — they’re a reflection of values. They show a country, and a state, where people still show up for one another despite what some news coverage may say.
But generosity alone isn’t enough. The real opportunity — and the real challenge — is to give with purpose. That means asking the harder questions: Where can this contribution do the most good? How can it strengthen the fabric of a community, not just for today, but for years to come?
Meaningful giving requires focus, planning and care. Through the foundation, we’ve focused on initiatives that not only address immediate needs but also create lasting change — whether that’s through education, health care, arts and culture, or community development. Each grant, each partnership, is guided by the belief that true generosity leaves people better equipped, more connected and more hopeful than before.
This is not work that can be done alone. Philanthropy is most powerful when it invites others in — when it sparks collaboration, trust and shared responsibility. Some of my most rewarding moments over the years have been seeing communities come together around a common goal, each person contributing in their own way.
It is tempting, in a world driven by accumulation, to measure success by what can be acquired. But the real measure is what can be given away. When resources are shared — time, money, expertise — they become something far greater than what they could ever be in a bank account.
That’s why my answer to that student’s question will always remain the same. There’s no “thing” worth more than the joy of seeing someone’s life change for the better. No purchase can compare to the pride of watching a child learn, a family find stability or a community gain new opportunities.
Having “enough” isn’t about what’s in our bank accounts. It’s about what’s in the heart. By giving thoughtfully, consistently and with purpose, it’s possible to leave a legacy that endures far beyond any individual lifetime — a legacy not measured by possessions, but by the communities served and lives enriched along the way.
Gail Miller is chair of the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation and presides over the Larry H. Miller Education Foundation.
This story appears in the October 2025 issue of Deseret Magazine. Learn more about how to subscribe.