The doctrine that one should act in such a way as to benefit those to whom one is closest before engaging in more general charitable activities. Similar to "brighten the corner where you are."
In my family, this was always followed by "baby needs new shoes." At its best, this fosters a society where everyone is supported and taken care of by their families, friends, SOs, etc. A support network.
At its worst, it is an excuse for selfishness, I've Got Mine behavior, the bunkering which happens when, sometime after college, one realizes that the world is not going to change to one's liking in one's lifetime despite one's best efforts, so it would be wise to build a wall around the things one cherishes and defend them to the best of one's ability.