Bill Gates has a soft spot for United Way.

Growing up, he spent hours idling in the lobby of United Way King County’s downtown office while his mother, Mary Maxwell Gates, volunteered. A resolute supporter of United Way of King County, she spent decades offering her time as a volunteer, a board member, and then as the board chair of United Way King County. She also served on United Way of America’s board and then helped found United Way International, which later merged together to form United Way Worldwide.

Looking back, Bill said his mother instilled in the family a sense of responsibility to the community. United Way played a meaningful part in their family life, he said, and discussions around volunteerism and United Way were a focal point around the dinner table as Mary and Bill Sr. wanted to impart in their children a sense of civic responsibility and community service.

Through the decades since his childhood—through his success and rise to fame—Bill has remained steadfast in that sense of responsibility. So steadfast, in fact, that he’s dedicating 100% of the net profits from his new book to United Way Worldwide.

His highly anticipated memoir, Source Code: My Beginnings, dropped on Feb. 4. The first installment of a planned trilogy, Source Code offers a personal look into his early life, education, and the founding of Microsoft. It provides never-before-shared insights into the experiences that shaped one of the most influential figures in technology. And to pay homage to one of his foundational experiences, he chose United Way as the book’s beneficiary.

Two days after the book release, Bill Gates graced the stage of the Moore Theatre in downtown Seattle with none other than Bill Nye (The Science Guy, of course) for an author’s talk.

You can picture it: two chairs on a patterned rug, a side table showcasing the new hardback memoir, red velvet curtains framing the stage. The Bills, who were born one month apart, talked about their origin stories, passions, and beliefs for about an hour.

When Gates announced that the proceeds would benefit United Way, the crowd erupted into applause.

“So it’s a do-gooder thing,” Bill Nye said, questioning Gates’ motives.

Gates paused.

“There are things that don’t draw a profit,” he answered, listing off a series of examples like funding malaria research. “We’ve lost that—the value of things that don’t earn money.”

The Bills mused over the stacked set of cards that Bill Gates was dealt upon birth: two loving parents, a stable home, enrollment at Lakeside School in Seattle, the freedom to explore, the support to apply and attend Harvard University.

The origin of greatness started with greatness, they seemed to reflect. And Gates recognizes the dumb luck of his situation—that’s one of the reasons his commitment to philanthropy is unwavering.

“The dream would be that no matter where you’re born, you have the same chance to live—to thrive,” Gates said.

At United Way of King County, we’re committed to working with community to create a more equitable future for our neighbors through access to food, quality education, and a safe place to call home. If that works resonates with you, as it does Bill Gates, please consider making a donation that feels meaningful to you. You can access Our Neighbor Fund here.