Serving others is a part of everyday life for David and Paige Thompson. Paige cares for infants as a newborn nursery hospitalist with Prisma Health. The couple came to Greenville for her pediatric residency after she completed medical school at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. David is an attorney with Thomas, Fisher, and Edwards, P.A. focusing on taxation, complex estate planning, probate and trust law, and business advising. As the parents of two young daughters, they want to share a legacy of giving with their children.
“My parents have always been generous and philanthropic. As a child, I remember that they always tithed, and their giving grew as they found more ways to be involved,” David said. “Now that I have small children, I want to encourage my children to be generous with their time or resources. The best way I know how to do that is by actively engaging and supporting organizations that I believe are making a positive impact in our community.”
David and Paige are directors for a private foundation, Joyful Blessings, whose mission is to foster well-being and resilience in individuals and communities. It supports initiatives that enhance physical and mental health, strengthen communities facing hardship, promote spiritual and moral development, and empower youth and families. By promoting community vitality, Joyful Blessings seeks to create lasting, positive impact for people of all ages and backgrounds. It has proudly contributed over $6,000,000 to more than 100 charitable organizations over its 13-year history.
While Joyful Blessings provides grants nationally, it has consistently supported the Peace Center, and more recently certain Red Cross efforts impacting the Carolinas following Hurricane Helene. Another local initiative it has supported is the Canine Healing Project, a Greenville based nonprofit that works with local shelter and rescue groups to identify dogs with the potential to be trained as therapy dogs. Paige and David have three golden retrievers, one of which was initially trained as a service dog herself.
The Thompsons have contributed to the Community Foundation’s annual campaign through Joyful Blessings since 2019. In 2024, David joined the CFG’s Board of Directors, and the couple began making personal contributions to the annual campaign in addition to gifts from Joyful Blessings.
“Something I’ve enjoyed about being on the board is learning about the initiatives offered by the Community Foundation of Greenville that I would never have known about,” David said. “As a board member, I’ve been exposed to the many innovative and unique ways that individuals and organizations seek to achieve their charitable goals.”
After seven years in the Upstate, the Thompsons are still learning about the many organizations that help make Greenville such a vibrant and welcoming place to live. David’s service as a board member has also assisted him professionally as he has grown more aware of the local philanthropic community and CFG’s guidance for giving with more impact.
“In my work as a tax attorney, about fifty percent of what I do is estate planning,” he said. “A lot of estate planning clients have charitable desires, but many do not know how best to achieve them. My service on the board—as well as my personal experience with CFG—has given me the tools to better advise clients with charitable intent as to different types of charitable arrangements available to individuals at CFG and other non-profits.”