Giving back continues to infiltrate my soul on a daily basis and light an amazing fire deep inside me.
I know that I blogged about it on June 9th ("Time to Walk the Walk"), but giving back – in any shape, form, or fashion – deserves another post. (And I PROMISE it won't be the last.) I refuse to let my blog get stale, but I will continue to address this issue on a regular basis.
This is why:
• I LOVE IT!
• IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME!
• I WANT TO INSPIRE YOU TO START GIVING BACK!
In this post, I want to share one of my recent volunteer opportunities and tell a brief story about how one company took the emphasis off profits for one day and made it a point to give back.
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VOLUNTEERING: An Intimate Introduction to Homelessness
The Fact Sheet provided by PNS describes Safe Haven as, "The only place of its kind in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Safe Haven aims to establish a trusting relationship with clients, so they will utilize available mental and physical care at the nearby Mental Health Mental Retardation center."
I have volunteered at the main shelter during the holiday seasons, but it doesn't compare to this experience – with only 18 to 20 Safe Haven residents it's more personal and intimate.
It's a very special experience every single week, because all the residents are very appreciative and aren't afraid to express it with words or a big smile.
Some of the residents are starting recognize me and remember that I'm there on Tuesday nights. They've even started to ask me questions – my favorite being, "What's your name?"
Do you know what I like about the most? NOW, I know their name! (This probably won't come as surprise to most people reading this blog, but I'm not afraid to use their name any chance I get. It's like a free pass to the other side.)
After I help clean up at Safe Haven, I work in the main shelter's dispensary for about an hour and a half. I pass out shampoo, soap, Tylenol, lotion, Tums – anything that has been donated to make the "clients" more comfortable.
Again, this has been a tremendous experience.
One at a time, a client sticks his or her head in the small, chest-high window and asks me for something they need and/or want.
"Dinner wasn't great tonight...do you have any antacid?"
"Please tell me you have some foot powder."
"OK...tell me what I need to help with this toothache."
I am receiving a VERY personal introduction to the homeless community in Tarrant County. I might be passing out a disposable razor or a handful of tampons, but it's helping me wrap my mind around one of society's biggest problems.
When I drive home after a couple hours at the shelter, I think about Lawerence, Michael, Alice, Elizabeth, Lori, Benda, and the countless number who have introduced themselves and said "thank you."
I know that I'm helping to a certain degree on Tuesday night, but I feel like I'm gathering valuable knowledge about how I can really help the homeless initiative.
Before I started volunteering at the shelter, I was introduced to a book by photographer Lynn Blodgett, which focuses on
"The Face of America's Homeless." After six short weeks, now I understand what they mean when they say, "But first: We must decide to look."
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CORPORATE GIVING: Profits take back seat
a few weeks ago.
Three words in the headline, "Social Responsibility Day," caught my attention. (Otherwise I would have written it off as another company in the midst of layoffs, coming up short on its quarterly projections, or discussing a possible merger with one of its competitors.)
I went on to read how this Chicago-based company shut the doors of its 21 offices and gave back to communities across the United States and Canada, specifically to elderly residents who simply needed a helping hand.
Awesome, right? Just wait.
In the article, the president and CEO estimated that Convergint lost almost half a million dollars by shutting down its operations for one day. His response: A preferable outcome to "losing our heart and soul" in the pursuit of profits.
After weaving through their corporate web site for a few minutes – to find out what the heck
Convergint Technologies actually did to make money – I stumbled across this verbiage: "Making a Daily Difference."
It was like a breath of fresh air – a company that doesn't just talk the talk. Anyone can slap those words on a web site or inside a brochure.
Will you actually close your doors?
Will you take a $500,000 hit against your profit margin?
Will you have the intestinal fortitude to really give back?
Just asking.