I gave a talk last weekend at Ecumenical Christian Ministries and one of my points was on being irrationally generous. It's awesome to talk about. It's another thing to see it.
Two of the most amazing things have happened today. I am finding myself so full of gratitude (and needing a break from coding the new Just Food website) that I absolutely had to write about it.
My day started out by one of our team members coming to me saying that one of our Senior Commodity folks had passed away. He had been having health complications and his wife was unsure of his health when she picked up their commodities earlier last week. He passed away on Wednesday. On the obituary, it said that in lieu of flowers, to please donate money so the family could bury him.
Heart wrenching stuff. And that sucks, you know? We pride ourselves on getting to know people here. We want to know their families, their kids, their faces. Not having enough to eat is bad enough. Having to go somewhere where people treat you badly because you're poor is something I'm hell bent on us not doing. People matter here. Customer service matters. When our clients feel like they're mistreated, we talk to them, and we fix it. They matter. Which is why (this is the second person in the last 10 months that this has happened) this sucks so bad. I didn't KNOW this guy, but I knew him. I saw him every month. I knew his smile, his laugh and his troubles in life.
Not the best way to start off a Friday...BUT! A nobody (because they do not want to be identified) called this morning. One of our donors (who has given just as much time as money), contacted me this morning, as they knew this person through their help on Senior Commodity day. They said they wanted to take care of all of the rest of the expenses. I was blown away. "Nobody should have to not have an opportunity to bury their husband," they said. So, we called the funeral home, let the donor know that they could go down and take care of this anonymously at the funeral home.
No one will write a story, or it won't be shared on any newscast. The family won't even know who it was. But this donor changed somebody's life today.
See, it isn't JUST food that happens here.
Around 10:30am, as I'm coding away and still high on what had just happened, our client intake coordinator came back and said she had someone that wanted to donate some money. I am always eager to talk to these people. She came back and I recognized her as a client. She has volunteered here many times doing data entry. She's extremely smart, a former social worker, who has mountains of medical bills and after the bills are paid, doesn't have a lot leftover for food. We had all of our team in my office (they followed her in and started to pick up on what was happening). She pulled out her wallet and pulled out a $20 bill. TWENTY dollars. Now, it may not seem like that's a lot to you, but to someone who's social security is less than $1500 a month to pay all the bills, medicine, etc...this is a HUGE sacrifice. "We had some leftover this month and I've always told you that if we do, we'll give it here. It's the least we could do," she says.
We said thank you, told her that we wanted to see her volunteering around here some more, to which she said that she would when she felt better. And then she walked out.
LJWorld wasn't here for the monetary exchange of hands presentation. 6News was capturing more important stories that citizens in the community are concerned with. But this. This was our big news today. These are the stories that change our world.
I had two other people in my office. One started bawling. The other wouldn't stop grinning from ear to ear. I was shocked. This is how I can tell that we're doing right. When the people who so generously receive our services start helping to provide for others to have those services.
These are the stories we tell. These are the things we get on the rooftops to yell to everyone who is within earshot.
After all, it isn't JUST food...
Friday, May 4, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Answering The Wrong Questions
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and asked them a question -- and they go on this elaborate rabbit trail and never address the question?
It sort of reminds me of Billy Madison when asked about the Industrial Revolution. Billy started talking about a lost puppy he learned about in Kindergarten. The moderator had this to say after his response.
It seems as though culture is awesome at answering questions that people aren't asking. And rather than listening to how they can better answer the question, they just repeat the same answer louder, as if an amplified answer will suffice.
I'm learning that it isn't that people don't have the solution. It's that they can't see the problem.
It sort of reminds me of Billy Madison when asked about the Industrial Revolution. Billy started talking about a lost puppy he learned about in Kindergarten. The moderator had this to say after his response.
It seems as though culture is awesome at answering questions that people aren't asking. And rather than listening to how they can better answer the question, they just repeat the same answer louder, as if an amplified answer will suffice.
I'm learning that it isn't that people don't have the solution. It's that they can't see the problem.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
The Replacements
I was intrigued by the article that Karrey Britt from Wellcommons wrote about Lifestyles to blame to depression epidemic.
I have always wondered, amidst being so connected to everyone else in the world how anyone can be lonely. I agree with Dr. Ilardi on a lot of the information that he presents. It just doesn't make any sense. We are constantly surrounded by people. At the store, basketball game, downtown, at work, on facebook, twitter, linkedin, etc.
It seems as though our culture has stopped putting any importance on the group, and put all the importance on the individual.
Everything is put on the success of the individual. People have become replaceable. If some part of a team can't function in that part of a team, it's not a big deal. We'll just find someone else.
One of the opinions I have on our culture being lonely is that no one wants to take the risk of merely being a replacement for someone else.
Here are a few thoughts on replaceable people.
1. If you view people as replaceable, you don't value what you have
I remember growing up and I didn't have much in the way of clothes. My shoes, shirt or my jeans weren't replaceable. If I lost or messed up those clothes, I wasn't getting more. If you're constantly thinking that people are replaceable in your life, you will never value the things that you have and appreciate the individuality that each person possesses.
2. If you view people as replaceable, you never need anyone but yourself to be a success
People don't want to be just wanted. They need to be needed. They need to know that they have some intrinsic value to contribute to life. Wanting someone is different than needing them. Our motivation for simply wanting people is wholly for our own benefit and success. Typically, these relationships merely exist so that we can use people to get where we want, and then we throw them to the curb and replace them with someone at the next level.
I'll have some more thoughts on this tomorrow.
I have always wondered, amidst being so connected to everyone else in the world how anyone can be lonely. I agree with Dr. Ilardi on a lot of the information that he presents. It just doesn't make any sense. We are constantly surrounded by people. At the store, basketball game, downtown, at work, on facebook, twitter, linkedin, etc.
It seems as though our culture has stopped putting any importance on the group, and put all the importance on the individual.
Everything is put on the success of the individual. People have become replaceable. If some part of a team can't function in that part of a team, it's not a big deal. We'll just find someone else.
One of the opinions I have on our culture being lonely is that no one wants to take the risk of merely being a replacement for someone else.
Here are a few thoughts on replaceable people.
1. If you view people as replaceable, you don't value what you have
I remember growing up and I didn't have much in the way of clothes. My shoes, shirt or my jeans weren't replaceable. If I lost or messed up those clothes, I wasn't getting more. If you're constantly thinking that people are replaceable in your life, you will never value the things that you have and appreciate the individuality that each person possesses.
2. If you view people as replaceable, you never need anyone but yourself to be a success
People don't want to be just wanted. They need to be needed. They need to know that they have some intrinsic value to contribute to life. Wanting someone is different than needing them. Our motivation for simply wanting people is wholly for our own benefit and success. Typically, these relationships merely exist so that we can use people to get where we want, and then we throw them to the curb and replace them with someone at the next level.
I'll have some more thoughts on this tomorrow.
Friday, February 24, 2012
So Close...Yet So Far
I remember as a kid reading Highlights magazine. There were several good things as a kid that I loved that aren't around anymore. Highlights Magazine, Bill Nye the Science Guy (Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!), Reading Rainbow (you're welcome for getting that stuck in your head!)
But each Highlights magazine would contain a picture zoomed in at something like a thousand times and you'd have to guess what it was. I'll be completely honest here - I NEVER got it right. From what I remember, those things zoomed in that far looked so beautiful. Even ugly things.
I think that's how it is with our lives too. The closer we allow ourselves to get to people, the more we see the beauty that they have. We stop seeing all of the flaws, the scars, the annoyances, and we start seeing them for who they really are. We start seeing the value that they possess. We start hearing the voices that we've blocked out. We start seeing how incredibly beautiful they really are.
Beauty is found in the most unlikely of places.
The moral of the story?
Engage someone in a conversation today and allow yourself to get close to them. You'll find that while they may look like a dirty toothbrush on the outside, they are beautiful when you get close enough to see.
My metaphors need help. Badly. :)
But each Highlights magazine would contain a picture zoomed in at something like a thousand times and you'd have to guess what it was. I'll be completely honest here - I NEVER got it right. From what I remember, those things zoomed in that far looked so beautiful. Even ugly things.
I think that's how it is with our lives too. The closer we allow ourselves to get to people, the more we see the beauty that they have. We stop seeing all of the flaws, the scars, the annoyances, and we start seeing them for who they really are. We start seeing the value that they possess. We start hearing the voices that we've blocked out. We start seeing how incredibly beautiful they really are.
Beauty is found in the most unlikely of places.
The moral of the story?
Engage someone in a conversation today and allow yourself to get close to them. You'll find that while they may look like a dirty toothbrush on the outside, they are beautiful when you get close enough to see.
My metaphors need help. Badly. :)
Thursday, February 23, 2012
One
Disclaimer:
Not everything I write about on this blog will be about hunger, or food insecurity. Some of it will be telling stories, statistics, thoughts on what's happening with our state or federal governments, or maybe just something funny I saw or a trip that I took. But today, this is what's on my mind.
I spoke with a Journalism class at KU recently (and strangely enough left my notebook there, and was reminded to pick it up as I wrote this), and had an opportunity to share my thoughts regarding hunger and what Just Food is doing in the community to fight it.
I started out by asking a question. How many people have to be affected by food insecurity or hunger before it matters enough to do something about?
The first person gave a wonderful answer. She said that it really wouldn't matter until it affected someone close to her. That would motivate her to have to do something about it. I applauded her honesty.
The second person gave the answer I really thought was spot on. One.
One person. Whether you know their name or face. Whether you recognize their voice when they speak. Regardless of their age, race, religion, political preferences, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
One person.
Hunger has become an epidemic of enormous proportions because one person wasn't important enough.
1 in 7 people in Douglas County are hungry. 1 in 7. That means 16,285 people don't have adequate access to nourishing food.
Do you know what 16,285 people are made up of? 16,285 individuals. 16,285 ones.
At what point will issues matter to us? Truth be told, the first young lady was right. It'll matter to us when it hits close to home.
But it matters to those that are suffering that you care now. I'll tell you one of their stories tomorrow.
Not everything I write about on this blog will be about hunger, or food insecurity. Some of it will be telling stories, statistics, thoughts on what's happening with our state or federal governments, or maybe just something funny I saw or a trip that I took. But today, this is what's on my mind.
I spoke with a Journalism class at KU recently (and strangely enough left my notebook there, and was reminded to pick it up as I wrote this), and had an opportunity to share my thoughts regarding hunger and what Just Food is doing in the community to fight it.
I started out by asking a question. How many people have to be affected by food insecurity or hunger before it matters enough to do something about?
The first person gave a wonderful answer. She said that it really wouldn't matter until it affected someone close to her. That would motivate her to have to do something about it. I applauded her honesty.
The second person gave the answer I really thought was spot on. One.
One person. Whether you know their name or face. Whether you recognize their voice when they speak. Regardless of their age, race, religion, political preferences, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
One person.
Hunger has become an epidemic of enormous proportions because one person wasn't important enough.
1 in 7 people in Douglas County are hungry. 1 in 7. That means 16,285 people don't have adequate access to nourishing food.
Do you know what 16,285 people are made up of? 16,285 individuals. 16,285 ones.
At what point will issues matter to us? Truth be told, the first young lady was right. It'll matter to us when it hits close to home.
But it matters to those that are suffering that you care now. I'll tell you one of their stories tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Blogging, Take 729,218
Hi, everyone.
What am I doing here...again? Good question.
I have had blogs with thousands of readers each day, and I have had private blogs that only have contained the thoughts running around in my head. I'm going to give this another shot. Not particularly because I have anything to say, but because people that I talk to on a daily basis do, and they don't have the platform for their voice to be heard. So you'll get much of what I'm learning from them, things that are happening around Just Food, and a few other random thoughts & stories. As we begin, let's get a few things straight.
1. The thoughts of myself don't necessarily reflect the thoughts of my organization. (I did that without them asking. You're welcome.)
2. I am not an English Major. I will try to not misspell words or use bad grammar, but I am notorious for being obsessed with ... commas. Sorry in advance.
3. I may not write everyday. I may not write every week. But then again I may. Whattya say?
4. What makes this fun is interaction. I want to hear from you. I want to have a conversation. And I'm tired of talking to myself, which is why I'm using this forum.
Alright chums, let's do this.
What am I doing here...again? Good question.
I have had blogs with thousands of readers each day, and I have had private blogs that only have contained the thoughts running around in my head. I'm going to give this another shot. Not particularly because I have anything to say, but because people that I talk to on a daily basis do, and they don't have the platform for their voice to be heard. So you'll get much of what I'm learning from them, things that are happening around Just Food, and a few other random thoughts & stories. As we begin, let's get a few things straight.
1. The thoughts of myself don't necessarily reflect the thoughts of my organization. (I did that without them asking. You're welcome.)
2. I am not an English Major. I will try to not misspell words or use bad grammar, but I am notorious for being obsessed with ... commas. Sorry in advance.
3. I may not write everyday. I may not write every week. But then again I may. Whattya say?
4. What makes this fun is interaction. I want to hear from you. I want to have a conversation. And I'm tired of talking to myself, which is why I'm using this forum.
Alright chums, let's do this.
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