“I barely earned enough money to pay the rent, buy food and pay my student loans,” she remembers. “But squeezing out about a dollar a day seemed possible.”

That’s because the importance of giving back had been instilled in Eileen at a very early age. Growing up, she saw the way her parents gave to their church and other charities, even when they did not have much to spare. As she grew older and traveled to countries where she saw extreme poverty up close, Eileen became even more determined to share what she could with those who need it most.

“I realized that these are people just like me, except they were born into poverty,” she said. “They are just as smart, as talented, as motivated as I am, but with fewer opportunities. All their energy goes to survival.”

Over the years, Eileen has sponsored children from around the globe and donated to projects like child trafficking prevention, education scholarships and microfinance. But these days, there is one issue that is closest to her heart.

“My current gifts are focused on girls,” she says. “I know boys in poverty need help also, but girls have fewer opportunities to get an education and change their lives. I strongly believe that the only way we will solve world problems is to empower youth everywhere with education and opportunity.”

Eileen believes that when everyone does their part, big or small, the collective impact will be tremendous, and this gives her hope for the future.

“There are so many problems in the world, it is easy to feel helpless,” she says. “Giving is my way of saying to myself, ‘You can make this world a better place.’”

And she isn’t just making a difference today. Eileen plans to leave behind a legacy of hope for future generations by including Plan in her will.

“I initially felt an obligation to leave my assets to my nieces and nephews,” she explains. “And they will receive a small ‘I love you’ gift. But they had all the advantages of a loving family and access to excellent education. They have the tools to be productive citizens and live happy lives. I want other children to have that opportunity. This is a wonderful way to leave a bit of goodness in the world when I depart.”