These words, spoken by North Carolina giver Francisco Rodriguez, communicate a sentiment held by many individuals in his community in Kernersville, NC. In fact, several years ago Francisco formed a giving group with other friends, family and neighbors, all of whom originally hail from Mezquital, Mexico.

The group, called “Patronato Mezquital,” first emerged through informal fundraisers these Kernersville residents put together in support of their hometown’s needs. Less than a year after they started collecting money, the giving bug caught on – someone back home had heard of what Patronato Mezquital was doing for the people, and offered to donate a plot of land.

What started as a few friends’ charity pools for sporting events eventually led to a movement across 200-plus families in central North Carolina—a movement that ultimately saw a brand-new, much-needed nursing home built on that donated plot of land in Mezquital.

And along the way, the Mezquital group in North Carolina grew tighter. “Our main reason for doing all this fundraising was of course the money,” notes Francisco’s wife, Maria. “But we took it as an excuse to get together more often as a community. And that’s how we’ve been working for the last seven years.”

Francisco and Maria can be seen in NCGives’ documentary “North Carolina Giving: Philanthropy Across Cultures,” to be released Fall 2009.