“We need our children to do well in life,” remarks Michael Amin, as he sits behind the desk inside his Los Angeles-area office. “Children grow into adults, and that’s who ends up shaping our world, as they take their place in governments, corporations, nonprofits, and powerful global organizations of all kinds. This is why I chose parents as the primary focus of our efforts when I created MDF.”
MDF refers to Maximum Difference Foundation, which is the charitable organization Amin founded back in 2001 to address a wide variety of issues he cares deeply about. Chief among these are the parents of young children. MDF holds the belief that, like evaluating a business’s return on investment, the greatest impact can be achieved by creating the most units of positive change per dollar spent. Amin explains, “We asked ourselves, ‘For every dollar invested, how can we make the maximum difference?’ The answer we arrived at was by empowering parents.”
Rather than providing direct parenting classes, MDF motivates parents and offers them resources, guiding them on how best to seek knowledge and direction in raising their children. If parents need further assistance, MDF encourages them to connect with skilled counselors or therapists. Michael Amin is clear: “Our goal is to motivate parents to understand the art and science of good parenting—reading, attending seminars, and if necessary, consulting trained professionals.”
Amin goes on to emphasize that MDF doesn’t work directly with children or youth but instead focuses on parents. “Parents are the first and most important influence in a child’s life,” he notes. “The younger the children are, the higher the return on investment in terms of shaping their future, as well as the future of society on the whole. And I should say that we don’t teach parenting skills directly; rather, we aim to inspire and equip parents to raise happy, emotionally intelligent children.”
Amin underscores three core goals for parents. “First and foremost, parents should aim to raise happy children. Too often, people focus on making their children materially successful, believing that will inevitably lead to happiness. In reality, happiness should be the primary goal. Second, children should be supported to develop themselves fully, in every aspect of their personhood that they see fit. Third, we want children to grow into adults who make a maximum positive difference in the world, contributing to the overall well-being of society.”
To help parents achieve these goals, Maximum Difference Foundation promotes four key steps:
- Reading parenting books
- Watching educational videos
- Attending seminars and classes on parenting
- Meeting with therapists or counselors if necessary
For several years, MDF has advertised on the radio in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, encouraging parents to learn about parenting through these four methods. “We put a lot of thought into how best to assemble an effective campaign,” says Amin. “Advertising through mass media is the method which we determined would provide the most overall value for our dollar.”
While Maximum Difference Foundation remains firmly dedicated to its mission of supporting parents, it also champions causes relating to social justice. For example, MDF has long supported and partnered with the Innocence Project, an organization that works to exonerate individuals wrongfully convicted and facing the death penalty. Michael Amin explains, “The cause of the Innocence Project aligns perfectly with our belief in creating a more just and equitable world, but our primary mission remains the same—helping parents raise happy, capable children in order to foment the creation of a better future for all humankind.”