What if you could take your money and double or maybe even triple it? Investors are looking for that kind of return every day. One such man, Dr. George MacMaster, was pondering how to do this, too. But his quest for profit was never for his own financial gain.
Dr. MacMaster (or Dr. Mac, as he is affectionately known) married his high school sweetheart, went to dental school, then settled in the small, lazy town of Alpharetta to start his pediatric dentistry practice. He founded Alpharetta Children’s Dentistry in 1989. At that time, he had no way of knowing the population boom that would soon spring up around him.
“When we started our practice, the exit of 400 was a stop sign,” he laughed. “Old Milton Parkway was one lane in each direction.”
Alpharetta is now one of the largest and wealthiest cities in Georgia. As the city grew, Dr. Mac’s family and practice did also. He and his wife have three adult children, and the practice now has four pediatric dentists and an orthodontist. Years ago, he began looking for a cause that he, his family, and his practice could support. Through a friend whose wife was a pediatric oncology nurse, he found out about CURE.
“I wanted to find a good cause that everyone could get behind,” Dr. Mac said. “If children with cancer don’t move you, then nothing else will!”
But Dr. Mac wanted to do much more than simply write a check. He wanted to invest his money to have a greater impact, while ensuring no overhead cost to CURE. So he began having meetings with his staff where they considered how to accomplish that, considering ideas like a charity race or concert. They finally settled on a coin drive because it offered many possibilities – and Coins4CURE was born.
“First of all, we’re not even asking for a buck,” mused Dr. Mac. “Change is disposable these days, and we like to say that we don’t want your quiet money, just the noisy kind. Secondly, we really like the idea of kids helping kids and we felt like we could start our program in schools.”
The ripple effect of the creation of Coins4CURE has been enormous. Since 2014, 250 schools, businesses, and organizations have raised more than $358,000 – one coin at a time. Dr. Mac’s initial investment has yielded incredible returns, and he offers some advice for those considering something similar.
“It’s a simple formula for us,” he explained.
“Cash plus effort multiplies impact. We provide the tools to raise money, but it also requires a highly motivated person at each location to take the ball and run with it. We just have to find those people. I have not been personally affected by childhood cancer, but this is the right thing to do.”
We applaud Dr. Mac and his team for their hard work. Their efforts have advanced research and brought tangible help and comfort to children fighting cancer and their families. They’ve also created a model that others can follow to create a ripple effect of their own.