Woman Gives Away Her Inheritance, $100 A Day

One woman's desire to make a difference,--and to change herself,--led to a courageous and novel idea: to distribute her inheritance  from her mother in $100 bills to a different person every day. Her website is hundredsofhundreds.com.

Portland woman wonders if giving away $100 a day can change lives, and changes her own

Published: Saturday, October 23, 2010, 4:31 PM     Updated: Saturday, October 23, 2010, 10:36 PM

 By Nikole Hannah-Jones, The Oregonian 

Bruce Ely, The Oregonian

Jill Ginsberg offers a $100 bill to Angelah Shakier on a MAX train last week. Ginsberg is giving $100 to a stranger every day in October as a means of honoring her mother. "Every person has a story, every family has its struggles," Ginsberg says. "I realized that thing about who's worthy, who's neediest, I've kind of let that go."

The crisp $100 bill weighs heavily in her pocket. She scans the MAX train, her eyes resting briefly on a long-haired brunette who offers a fleeting smile. A young man in baggy jeans squeezes in next to her, sighs and says, “Rough day.” They share a few words. The moment passes, and he jumps off.

As her hands flex on her suitcases, she makes her way toward a woman with Marilyn Monroe-red lipstick.
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