Philanthropy that starts at the dinner table

Alfred Sorensen believes philanthropy can begin with something as simple as sharing what you have. (Photo: Laughing Dog Photography)

Alfred Sorensen, ’83 BCom, knows exactly where he learned his first lesson about the importance of philanthropy: around the dinner table. Though his family didn't have a lot, Sorensen recalls his parents always opening their home to guests who needed a place to stay or a helping hand.

Giving back has always been important to Sorensen, who spent decades working in the global energy sector. He was one of the foundational donors to the U of A Innovation Fund, which supports venture companies with funding, education and mentoring. He also founded The Alfred Sorensen Chair in Energy, Environmental and Reputational Risk Management and is chair of the Alberta Ballet Foundation Board. But philanthropy doesn’t always look like large gifts or major time commitments, he says. 

Below, Sorensen shares what he has gained from giving, the importance of starting young and why teaching kids about philanthropy can be as simple as setting an extra place at dinner.  

How did philanthropy become an important part of your life? 

My parents are immigrants to Canada. We never had a very large family, but we always had a room full of people because the biggest gift my parents could give was inviting people to their home. 

I have two parents who believe, even though we never had very much, that you should always share what you have. And I think that’s really where philanthropy begins: a desire to be a better part of your own community. And whether that’s helping out at the local skating rink or contributing to something like the university, there are roles everyone can play, depending upon their skills and their means. 

Would you say your parents think of themselves as philanthropists?

I don’t think so, because they never really had a lot. So that wouldn’t be a word they would use to describe themselves. 

When most people hear the word philanthropy, they’re thinking, “Oh, that’s big money.” They think there’s giving, and then there’s philanthropy. When people give $10, they’d say it doesn’t feel like a very big thing. But all giving is philanthropy.

Giving is something you do to make meaning. You start somewhere, and then you see the impact of your donation or volunteer time, and then you do more, right? Generosity begins in your heart, and you should think about giving as a part of growing up and becoming an adult. That’s one way of giving back to the people who helped you.

So philanthropy can look different for different people? 

When you look at philanthropy as a whole, it’s really about taking what one has and sharing with others – whether it’s dollars or time. Both are equally valuable. 

Do you think most people come to philanthropy naturally?  

Philanthropy is not an innate skill. It’s definitely something you have to learn to do. For the majority of people, you do it because you have the means to do it. In the end, it makes your community a better place to live. 

That’s why time is equally valuable, maybe sometimes even more valuable, because each person only has a limited amount of time. What you’re asking is: Are you going to take some of that time and give it back to somebody else? 

Of all the places you could give, why did you choose the University of Alberta?

Because the university has given back to me. Just that access to people who enrich your life through their own knowledge. It has been personally satisfying to get to know some of the professors, the things they study, the knowledge they create. They’re taking their time to talk about the passions they have. And I think that’s really been one of the reasons I’ve always been interested in giving to the university, because it’s not a one-way street. 

It sounds like you have a reciprocal relationship with the university, then. For example, I know you often talk to leaders, like President Bill Flanagan, to exchange thoughts and provide guidance.

There are roles for both sides, for the university and the donor, to come together and accomplish things. Whether it’s been to provide guidance to Bill or actually connect with the researchers and the chairholders.

I have a very good relationship with Phil [Cote, the professor who holds the Sorensen Chair in Energy, Environmental and Reputational Risk Management]. He has done a really nice job of telling me about what he does — not because he has an obligation to, but he just likes to do that. And he’s invited me along to see how successful some of the students are. He’s a great professor, and these students have found jobs that, when I was graduating university, I had never even heard of before. So I can say, very hand on heart, that I’ve seen a direct line from the donation to affecting somebody’s life.

In terms of impact, your support of the Innovation Fund has helped Alberta-based venture companies develop some very impressive results. From Wyvern, which launches satellites to collect data, to Nanostics, which is working on a non-invasive diagnostic test for early detection of prostate cancer.

It’s been really obvious how quickly [the venture companies] were able to show that, hey, we could really do something real with this. There is some really life-changing technology that’s come out of it in the almost two years it’s been around.

How about student support? I understand your Global Experience Fund has touched more than 300 students. 

At a recent event, a couple of students talked about the impact of that fund. One student called it the most transformative chapter of her life. And when they came up to me after the event and thanked me, I told them, “Don’t thank me. I just want you to remember to pay it forward.” The easiest way to thank me is to give what you can give. 

So when it comes to philanthropy, it sounds like the relationship should always flow two ways.

Maybe that’s the difference between giving and philanthropy. Philanthropy requires more work because it’s about developing relationships — and relationships sometimes take a long time to develop. And is it more meaningful because of those relationships? I think so.