People Eat All Year Long
Keep in mind for 2007: We can blather all we want about revolutionary changes in politics, technology, whatever….but the Maslow hierarchy still applies. Until people have a safe home, enough to eat, a certain basic level of comfort, the rest is so much – well – blather.
This really resonated with me in a seminar I and some colleagues did last year. We were talking about challenges in the non-profit world. The ED of Roadrunner Food Bank noted, “Well, mine is that people eat all year long.” Traditionally, people donate during the holiday season, which is great. But what about July?
So, as we’re listing our goals, resolutions, and “to-dos” for 2007, remember:
People need to eat all year long. Contribute accordingly. Find your local food bank and help. Even a few dollars (or a few cans) can make all the different to a hard-working famiy.
People need safe, comfortable housing all year long. Contribute accordingly. If not Habitat, look around your community and support a homeless shelter or halfway house.
Me? I’m already setting aside part of my 2007 budget for Albuquerque Habitat. It’s not much, but it’s consistent and it’s a start. Just about any worthy cause allows you to contribute using a credit card, so it’s automatic, trackable, and you get points, cash back or miles. What could be easier?
So endeth my Pollyanna pitch for the year-end. Whatever you do, think about making a difference somewhere, somehow – economic development, job creation, a simple meal. It all helps and ultimately makes all of us better for it.
Happy New Year!
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As a nonprofit exec, Mary, let me just say, YOU ROCK!!! As a husband, father, son, etc. let’s remember that “charity begins at home.” So, in addition to your ideas, let’s try to improve relationships with those closest to us. If you don’t know where to turn, I suggest Dale Carnegie’s “How To Win Friends And Influence People.” Those principles not only work just as well on family members (even teenagers) they return a better investment:-)
Happy New Year! I’ll be reading…
Glenn
Great social-awareness wake-up Mary. The idea of giving out of season doesn’t occur often enough.
Glenn,
Thanks – and, absolutely, we often take our friends and families for granted – until we lose them. We’ll say and do things to our loved ones that we’d never do to customers (or strangers.)
Carolyn – Thanks for contributing to the coversation!