"No one has ever become poor by giving"
About this Quote
The intent is ethical, but also practical. Frank is writing to preserve an inner life under siege, and giving becomes a way to stay human when history is trying to reduce people to bodies and papers. The subtext is defiant: if oppression depends on turning everyone inward, fearful, hoarding and suspicious, then generosity is a form of resistance. It creates a private economy of meaning - one where value is measured in solidarity, attention, and care rather than goods.
There’s also a subtle psychological wager here. In confinement, small acts (sharing food, offering patience, listening) are both scarce and potent. Frank suggests that generosity doesn’t drain you; it reorders your sense of self from “I lack” to “I can still contribute.” That doesn’t deny material deprivation; it refuses to let deprivation become the final story.
Coming from someone denied a future, the quote carries a hard-earned clarity: giving may not save you from poverty as a condition, but it can keep you from becoming impoverished as a person.
Quote Details
| Topic | Kindness |
|---|---|
| Source | Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl (Het Achterhuis), 1947 — quote commonly attributed to her diary: "No one has ever become poor by giving." |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Frank, Anne. (2026, January 17). No one has ever become poor by giving. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/no-one-has-ever-become-poor-by-giving-29869/
Chicago Style
Frank, Anne. "No one has ever become poor by giving." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/no-one-has-ever-become-poor-by-giving-29869/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"No one has ever become poor by giving." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/no-one-has-ever-become-poor-by-giving-29869/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.














