Comparing versions of Boda - Ethnography Assignment
Showing changes between September 1, 2010 at 11:15:36 pm (crossed out) and August 1, 2012 at 11:00:07 am (underlined)
Helping kids.
Helping minority kids.
Helping sick kids.
Helping homeless kids.
Helping the homeless.
Helping homeless families.
Helping the homeless get homes.
Helping build homes.
Helping build parks.
Helping build.
Help.
I helped set up the Civic Engagement Fair and had the opportunity to speak to many agencies. I'd heard of most of their names before today. Some were new to me, but had missions I'd seen others do. There was a lot of overlap. However, regardless of the stated mission or area of expertise, they all wanted to do the same thing. To help.
How to help? There's the catch. Boiled down, do you give a man a fish or do you teach a man to fish. I prefer the latter and it seemed most did the former.
The nonprofit I most connected with was Daystar Life Center, Inc. I spoke with a gentleman named Ed Riehl. He genuinely wanted to connect. It wasn't in a desparate, "please help me" kind of way. He was sincere person who looked into your eyes and listened to what you had to say. Daystar helps the homeless - which I learned after about 5 minutes of conversation with Ed. They work mostly in the "give a man a fish" area as to alleviate suffering. I can respect that - in a country like ours, no one should suffer.
My Writing to Explore NOFOs post, I explain my position on what I think about giving $5000 to a nonprofit. But if we must, I think Daystar would genuinely appreciate it and use it wisely.
To be frank, I find it a bit distasteful making the decision of who to help. If you're in the business of helping people, the environment, the world - you deserve the money. The folly is for the one with the money. They become mired in a web of questions. Who's the neediest? Who's going to do the most? Who can help the most? Face it, it's only $5000. Sure, it's better than nothing. And I understand the exercise - we get to dip our toe in the philanthropic water while minimizing the potential of wasting vast sums of money. But when faced with hundreds of hungry mouths asking for food, who am I to say who's hungriest?
Personally, I'd be just as satisfied awarding the money by lottery. But I suppose we don't learn how to write a NOFO that way. And so we must research. To be continued...
