Service to the community

[PureX]

On a public level part of the problem of directing aid is the back-slapping self-congratulatory philanthropic mentality where the size of the donation matters mostly. This gets back to the problem of cash interactions in society generally. They remove the term "personal" from term "service" in "service to the community"./

Similarly "corporate responsibility" as a concept implies ownership.

Exactly. This is why I fruballed you earlier post. I thought it was an astute observation to recognize the sort of 'de-humanizing' factor involved with money.

When I lived in Chicago, there were always beggars and panhandlers around asking for change, and it was easy after a while to just ignore them. I remember on one occasion, the weather was awful, and an old man asked me for change outside a gas station. I just walked by him going in, but while inside I made a point to keep some money in my hand to give him on my way out. As I went out, I stopped and said "hello", and gave him some money, and smiled and told him to try and stay warm or something to that effect, and the man just lit up from head to toe. It wasn't the money I gave him, it was the fact that I stopped and looked him in the eyes like a human being, and talked to him like a friend, that really meant something to him. I don't think even a hundred dollar bill could have made that man happier than he was just because I stopped and talked to him like a man and a friend. And I try to remember the lesson that moment taught me.

I have nothing against institutional charity, I have availed myself of it in the past, and was truly grateful for it, and to those strangers who contributed to it. But we should never overlook the impact of a touch on the shoulder and a kind word to people who have fallen outside the "social norm". These things can be more important than money.

 

[Ozzie]

Exactly. This is why I fruballed you earlier post. I thought it was an astute observation to recognize the sort of 'de-humanizing' factor involved with money.

When I lived in Chicago, there were always beggars and panhandlers around asking for change, and it was easy after a while to just ignore them. I remember on one occasion, the weather was awful, and an old man asked me for change outside a gas station. I just walked by him going in, but while inside I made a point to keep some money in my hand to give him on my way out. As I went out, I stopped and said "hello", and gave him some money, and smiled and told him to try and stay warm or something to that effect, and the man just lit up from head to toe. It wasn't the money I gave him, it was the fact that I stopped and looked him in the eyes like a human being, and talked to him like a friend, that really meant something to him. I don't think even a hundred dollar bill could have made that man happier than he was just because I stopped and talked to him like a man and a friend. And I try to remember the lesson that moment taught me.

I have nothing against institutional charity, I have availed myself of it in the past, and was truly grateful for it, and to those strangers who contributed to it. But we should never overlook the impact of a touch on the shoulder and a kind word to people who have fallen outside the "social norm". These things can be more important than money.

Funny, I have the same story to relate, with a different outcome but similar message. I got stressed in India with the poverty. So one night I walked out of the hotel and started handing out money to beggars camped by the road for the night. They took the money but looked at me as if I was crazy. I couldn't speak a word of their tongue so all of this was done in gestures. After a while I thought better of it and returned to the hotel in case I got mugged - there were hundreds of families by the road around charcoal fires. I probably would have continued donating if I could have communicated with them or stopped to talk a while. I gave away only about $50 in large rupee bills.

 

[Green Gaia]

Love is the message of this church, and service is its law.

We say those words every Sunday, it's part of our affirmation. To me as a UU, service to the community, my religious community and the human community, is essential.