Abstract people are so much easier to be kind to.
Magnificent singing by Cheryl Barnes, BTW. After a brief film career she became a piano teacher in California, staying there even when professional friends encouraged her to come to New York. A quick look does not reveal what happened after.
"And especially people
ReplyDeleteWho care about strangers
Who say they care about social injustice
Do you only
Care about the bleeding crowd
How about a needing friend?
I need a friend"
This fits right in with a small research project I undertook last month. My oldest granddaughter is going to be 'rushing' a sorority this fall and I compiled a list of the charities/fundraisers that each of the sororities 'say' they support. Whether my input will have an impact... we'll see. I wanted to highlight the ones where she could do something other than submit a photo and say please send money because I'm cute. (That was the preferred fundraiser for her high school sports team... with 20% of the proceeds kept by the fundraising organization that coordinated the photos and email campaign... participation was required although our family managed to not actually send in any money.)
I looked for those who supported causes with a local connection and fundraisers that required - or at least allowed - more hands-on participation. There were several and some of them for quite large non-profits. The one I was most impressed with was literacy for area schools in impoverished counties. The second was for St. Jude's Hospital which offers services/clinics in states surrounding Tennessee.
Nixed were those offering only monetary support for large nationwide charities and fundraisers, such as United Way -- the let's throw a big party and everyone can make tax-deductible contributions at the door.
An excellent distinction, and I hope someone listens. My wife was Kappa Alpha Theta, and one of their big charities is CASA. I don't think many did much about it, but one of her friends donated lots of time her whole legal career, and it likely cost her career advancement because the big firms like to see you work many hours.
ReplyDeleteCASA (thus Kappa Alpha Theta) made the list of worth raising money for, although not offering anything in the way of hands-on volunteering because she won't be 21 for a while. Considering their mission, that's understandable. My daughter worked for them in Richmond VA many moons ago (in marketing and fundraising) and thought highly of their work. My husband's motorcycle gang... er, club, supported their efforts in Shreveport LA in various ways.
ReplyDeleteNow that you've reminded me again, I need to look up my local CASA. I'm looking for another local cause/charity because one of the ones I supported for the last 5 years seems to have lost sight of their mission.
I forget who it was who said, "I love mankind; it's people I can't stand."
ReplyDeleteLinus Van Pelt
ReplyDelete