First Day Podcast

In this episode of The First Day podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., is joined by Patty McIlreavy, President and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), to discuss how charitable giving shifts during times of disaster. Patty begins by reframing the very concept of disaster—not as the event itself, like a hurricane or wildfire, but as the collision of an event with a community’s vulnerability. This vulnerability, often rooted in systemic inequities, becomes the true disaster. CDP’s mission is to mobilize philanthropy not just for immediate relief, but for long-term, equitable recovery—a mission that becomes increasingly critical as disasters grow in scale and frequency. Patty highlights the challenge of donor behavior during crises, noting how people are often moved to give in the immediate aftermath—when headlines are fresh and emotions run high. While this instant generosity (hello, $10 million in days after Damar Hamlin’s collapse) is heartening, Patty stresses that lasting change happens