Why They Give: An Interview with IINE Donor Leigh Bivings

Our donors help ensure that refugees and immigrants receive the support they need to find stability, learn English, secure jobs, and pursue their dreams in our communities. In our Why They Give series, we talk with them to learn more about their connection to our mission and what inspires their support. 

In our latest installment, Leigh Bivings, a generous supporter of IINE and member of our Leadership Council, shares how she first became involved with the International Institute of New England, her experience supporting a family from Cameroon, and how she finds purpose in giving back to the immigrant community.  

¿Puede hablarnos un poco de usted?

I grew up in Arizona and completed most of my undergraduate and graduate degrees in California. I then spent a few years abroad, including in Latin America, where I volunteered with the Peace Corps, and in London, where I met my husband.  

When I was accepted to Stanford University to complete a PhD in Economics, I headed back to California, this time with my husband in tow. I graduated in 1992 and accepted a job in Boston, and we have been living in the South End of the city ever since.  

My career has had essentially three chapters – I worked as a management consultant at The Monitor Group, which has since been acquired by Deloitte, I did due diligence work for private equity firms at a firm called Stax, and then I started a wealth management firm called Artemis. I sold the firm to Beacon Pointe at the end of last year, and so I am finishing up this chapter.  

In my free time, I love reading history, being outdoors, traveling domestically and internationally, and playing tennis.  

¿Por qué es importante para usted la filantropía?

I have been very fortunate in my life in most dimensions. I feel that because I have the time, energy, and capacity to give back, it’s important that I do.  

I’ve been able to provide financial support to several organizations, and I also served on the board of the Boston YWCA for many years, and both of these opportunities have allowed me to make an impact.  

I’ve also volunteered as a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and I’ve served as a mentor to young women through Year Up, a nonprofit focused on providing workforce training. These experiences taught me that I truly enjoy providing direct support when I can – which ultimately led me to IINE. 

On that note, how did you become involved with IINE?

It was August of 2022, and I had some time on my hands (no one wants to talk to their financial advisor in the summer!). I had been following the coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and I was really searching for a way to help. My husband and I own a 5-story brownstone and live on the top three floors. At the time the war broke out, we didn’t have anyone on the bottom two floors, and I remember thinking, “We have this great one-bed apartment and not a soul living there!”  

I began reading about the United 4 Ukraine program, which was looking for volunteers to provide housing and support to newly arriving Ukrainian refugees. My husband and I signed up to help through Welcome.US, and we were matched with a lovely Ukrainian family. Ultimately, the family, who are Russian speakers, ended up resettling in Estonia where there’s a large Russian-speaking community, but we have stayed in touch with them ever since.  

Around the same time that we learned the family wouldn’t end up coming to the U.S., a friend of mine reached out about joining a group of IINE volunteers to help welcome a Cameroonian family—two women and one of their sons. I said yes, and I joined their Resettle Together group in December of 2023.  

It wasn’t an easy adjustment for the family, but they are doing well now. The women are settled in a nice apartment, they both have full-time jobs, and they’re learning English. We helped enroll the young boy in school when they arrived, and this past summer, all of the members of our volunteer group chipped in so he could attend summer camp. It’s been a very rewarding experience to see the family progress, and to help play a role.  

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in learning more about welcoming and supporting refugees and immigrants?

I would say it’s very rewarding because it’s so tangible. These days, I’m thinking a lot about what I can do to help the populations who are being disproportionately affected by the current presidential administration. I can write checks, I can support lawyers and advocates, I can attend protests, and through organizations like IINE, I can have a direct impact – that feels important.  

I would also say be prepared to learn a lot, including how hard it is to be poor in this country. The high cost of living; challenges in accessing public benefits, healthcare, and public transportation; the need to work multiple jobs to make ends meet – this is not an easy place to resettle. Accompanying the family throughout their first year in the U.S., I saw how resilient and determined you have to be.  

Last question – do you have a personal connection to IINE’s mission that inspires your support? 

I do. My mother was born in Britain, and she and her parents were living in southern France when there was news of the Germans coming during the war.  My mother and grandmother were sent to a relocation camp for several months, but ultimately were released because my grandmother had American citizenship. They were able to escape to Portugal and then make their way to New York, where they had family members living.  

I think of their journey, and how grateful I am to be here, and that inspires my desire to help immigrants.  

El IINE sólo puede prestar los servicios que tanto necesitan los refugiados y los inmigrantes gracias al apoyo de nuestros generosos donantes. Hay muchas maneras diferentes de donar. Obtenga más información aquí: Donar fondos.