By Jacob Gordon

I’m so proud of Birmingham. And you should be too.

We often take our most positive attributes for granted. Year after year, Birmingham is recognized as one of the most generous cities in the U.S.

• Magnify Money: Birmingham 2nd most charitable city in America
• Chroncicle of Philanthropy:  Birmingham 3rd most charitable city in America
• Interna tional Business Times:  Birmingham 3rd most charitable city in America

If you don’t believe these publications, ask the leaders coming to Birmingham to see for themselves.

Later this month, staff and board members from United Ways representing many of the 65 largest cities in the country will be here to learn our “secret to success.”

Every city has the capacity for philanthropy, but Birmingham is truly in a league of its own.

How United Way of Central Alabama Ranks Nationally Is Nothing Short of Extraordinary.

Our Tocqueville Society—individuals contributing $10,000 or more annually—has more members than New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, or any other city in the U.S. And we have the lead all to ourselves. Birmingham has close to 1,000 members. The second-place city has 580.

Look at our rankings:

• #1 Tocqueville Society by members (individuals $10,000+ annually)
• #1 Tocqueville Legacy Circle by members (individuals $250,000+ to UWCA endowment—190 members, with 34 at the $1 million+ level)
• #1 Leadership Donors by number (individuals contributing $1,000-$9,999 annually)—more than 6,500 people
• #5 Campaign by dollars raised (the 2025 campaign was the largest in our organization’s 103-year history)

Growing up in the South, you learn early that helping your neighbor isn’t optional—it’s expected.

I saw that clearly in my grandparents, who would never call themselves generous but lived it every day. They found a way to help, even when it was inconvenient or came at personal cost. Like many, they didn’t do it for recognition. They did it because, in their words, “it’s the right thing to do.”

After more than a decade working in fundraising throughout the community, I’ve come to realize that what I witnessed in them is shared across Central Alabama. We don’t just talk about community. We practice it.

Generosity Is Special Here

Birmingham’s difference is our people and the way we approach philanthropy. We own our civic responsibility and treat it as an obligation, an expectation, a promise.

In Central Alabama, giving isn’t just something we do when it’s convenient. It’s part of who we are. The success of United Way of Central Alabama, the Tocqueville Society, and Birmingham depends on it.

When these leaders arrive, I’ll be sure to tell them what makes Birmingham special, but I suspect they’ll see it for themselves.

They’ll see that it goes beyond simply giving money. It’s about community ownership of both the process and results. From board members to our Visiting Allocation Teams, community volunteers lead our work.

They’ll see the pride our volunteer leadership takes in their community and why they graciously give their talent and time above and beyond their financial contribution.

They’ll see how we drive meaningful change across Central Alabama by working regionally to build partnerships, align strategies, and maximize impact instead of duplicating services.

They’ll see that when you invest in UWCA, you’re investing in the belief that we’re better united to work together to improve our community.

Here are just a few examples of what that generosity makes possible:

• EXCEL (Expanding Childcare and Early Learning)
• InCommunity
• LEARNUnited

I trust that when representatives from United Ways across the country visit Birmingham, they’ll be as amazed at what we can do together as I continue to be.

I am proud to be a lifelong resident of a community where generosity is our identity, not the exception. It is my honor to be tasked with carrying on the legacy of prior volunteers and UWCA staff in stewarding the Tocqueville Society.

If you’d like to learn more about the impact you help create, or if you’re ready to support this work, visit Impact-United Way of Central  Alabama.

Jacob Gordon currently serves as the Vice President of Major Gifts for United Way of Central Alabama, where he has the immense honor to lead the largest Tocqueville Society in the United States alongside community volunteers. Jacob is a lifelong resident of Central Alabama, born and raised in Walker County. Today, he lives in Vestavia with his wife and two children.

David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown.  He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

Care about Birmingham, sign up for ComebackTown newsletter

Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com