Genevieve “Aunt Geni” Murphy (center) and Colleen Marocco (left) with most of her nieces and nephews.
Philanthropy – in all its forms – is at the core of this extraordinary family. Aunt and niece duo, Genevieve (aka aunt Geni) and Colleen, are both Nature Sacred donors that were introduced to the organization through the power of personal connection.
For Colleen, the value of nature was cultivated from an early age through her mother’s love of gardening. Beyond the beauty is her mom’s lifelong desire to gather and connect people there. Colleen, an urban dweller for more than two decades, finds her escape to nature as often as possible to recharge. Her happy place is on Nantucket exploring the beach and many preserved nature spaces. As she came to know Nature Sacred, she resonated with its mission and wants to provide this nature access to others — especially where it is not readily available.
Her desire to give back is rooted in her family – inspired especially by the generosity of her uncle and aunt – and her faith. Colleen and her aunt Geni, who was married to Colleen’s uncle, the late J.D. Murphy, for 32 years, both describe their philanthropy as “in their DNA”.
Geni came to philanthropy by way of volunteerism. While her parents did not have disposable income, she learned from an early age the power of sharing resources – time, presence, attention, and care – with others.
Over time, she has cultivated a “big bubble” of charitable outreach and likes to invest in organizations where she feels there is capacity to make an impact alongside organizations who are “dreaming big” and have the know-how to deliver.
Alden’s leadership of Nature Sacred and the clear strategic trajectory of the organization inspire her giving.
Colleen and Geni enrich Nature Sacred, and many other organizations, through their collective generosity — a family legacy that is much greater than financial resources. They are a reminder of the power of relationship and connection to be a force for good.
We invite you to stay connected to Nature Sacred and the impact that is unfolding as we finalize our next strategic plan. You may just hear more about Geni’s impact in the months to come as we explore an exciting new Nature for Wellness partnership.
