Making people and ideas findable
Environment
How important is our environment?
Last year, I was doing some volunteer work and had the opportunity to get to know a 5 year old boy named Bill. Bill lived with his mother and grandmother in a small 2 bedroom apartment. Bills’ mother worked 2 jobs to put food on the table, and his father was in jail.
After I completed my project with this family, I remember thinking to myself – “What is going to become of Bill?”
His environment is filled with individuals who have struggled and never achieved a great deal. I concluded that it’s likely that he will end up in a similar situation to his mother or worse, his father.
Then I began to consider what would happen if Bill were provided with the same environment as my son Ian.
Every day Ian is told that he is amazing and can achieve anything that he wants – anything! He is fed a nutritious breakfast every morning by his stay at home mother and greeted every day when he gets off the bus. He wears new clothes to school every year and has more toys than any 6 year old could ever need.
When he enters high school he will be adequately prepared to handle the challenges in front of him and he will be provided with the guidance and support to enter college (if he chooses – if he doesn’t, he better be playing professional basketball).
Once he graduates, he will receive the necessary support to think through difficult career choices. If he chooses to have a family, he will having loving grandparents who will help him to make good decisions.
Ian has a huge advantage over Bill. Huge.
So, this caused me to wonder – “Am I doing enough to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people like Bill?”
Probably not.
Are you?
This week I would like challenge you to reach out to someone who needs it.
Make a difference.
Inspire hope.
Last year, I was doing some volunteer work and had the opportunity to get to know a 5 year old boy named Bill. Bill lived with his mother and grandmother in a small 2 bedroom apartment. Bills’ mother worked 2 jobs to put food on the table, and his father was in jail.
After I completed my project with this family, I remember thinking to myself – “What is going to become of Bill?”
His environment is filled with individuals who have struggled and never achieved a great deal. I concluded that it’s likely that he will end up in a similar situation to his mother or worse, his father.
Then I began to consider what would happen if Bill were provided with the same environment as my son Ian.
Every day Ian is told that he is amazing and can achieve anything that he wants – anything! He is fed a nutritious breakfast every morning by his stay at home mother and greeted every day when he gets off the bus. He wears new clothes to school every year and has more toys than any 6 year old could ever need.
When he enters high school he will be adequately prepared to handle the challenges in front of him and he will be provided with the guidance and support to enter college (if he chooses – if he doesn’t, he better be playing professional basketball).
Once he graduates, he will receive the necessary support to think through difficult career choices. If he chooses to have a family, he will having loving grandparents who will help him to make good decisions.
Ian has a huge advantage over Bill. Huge.
So, this caused me to wonder – “Am I doing enough to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people like Bill?”
Probably not.
Are you?
This week I would like challenge you to reach out to someone who needs it.
Make a difference.
Inspire hope.
Add a Comment
-
Comment by Linda J Ranger on October 15, 2009 at 10:40am -
I think about this a lot especially since joining a great woman's volunteer organization 5 years ago called the Assistance League of Indianapolis. In fact tomorrow I will be devoting my day to helping some deserving children feel good about their appearance once we provide a school wardrobe for them so that they blend in with their peers at school. Below gives you an idea of what we provide. http://www.alindy.org/
The Assistance League of Indianapolis http://www.alindy.org/
are best known for Operation Schoolbell where we provide a complete new
wardrobe (all students are provided school approved uniforms) for about
2800 school age children a year (winter coat, hat & gloves,
2 slacks, skorts or jumpers(combination one of each for the girls),
2 polo shirts, sweatshirt, belt, weeks worth of underwear and socks,
hygiene kits of shampoo , soap, toothpaste and toothbrush, school
supplies and two books of their choice all packed in a large duffel
bag for them to take it home in.
One of the other activities is that we purchase, assemble and deliver
to local hospitals "assault survivor kits". This includes a sweat
suit and underwear for the victims of assault and rape. The police
collect the victims clothes as evidence leaving the victim with only a
hospital gown to wear home...that is where the clothing we provide
gives these women some dignity when they leave the hospital.
We also provide bears for children of trauma and give parties for a
couple of senior centers twice a month.
Of course we are having a difficult time this year making the money
necessary to provide for so many again next year. If you would like
to donate some money to The Assistance League of Indianapolis
that would be greatly appreciated. I am involved with fund raising this year and it
is proving to be a struggle to collect our normal amount of donations. So if you
decide to donate it would be greatly appreciated. We are also doing a fundraiser by wrapping gifts
for Amazon in Whitestown during the Christmas season and any group of 5 people or more designated as ALI volunteers can work a five hour shift and each package wrapped ALI receives .75 from Amazon as a donation to our group. If you or your company are interested in helping us our that way let me know and I will add you to our list of volunteer workers. Email me at LJRanger@comcast.net if you want to help by money, volunteer to gift wrap at Amazon to be put on our schedule (anyone over 18 years old can volunteer) or maybe you would like to join this woman's service organization as a volunteer.
Groups
-
Doing It Downtown
89 members
-
Meridian Institute
45 members
-
Nonprofit Marketing & PR
146 members
-
Blackberry Users
4 members
-
Indiana Small Business...
82 members
Forum
Indiana's Best - Designers 10 Replies
Started by Evan Burke in Design. Last reply by Lorraine Ball 12 hours ago.
SEEKING AN INTERNSHIP IN ADVERTISING/MEDIA 5 Replies
Started by Cameron Cox in Classifieds - Intern Exchange. Last reply by Lorraine Ball 12 hours ago.
Dave Forsell on Finding Beauty Everywhere 3 Replies
Started by Pat Coyle in Events for the creative class. Last reply by Douglas Karr 19 hours ago.
Child Abuse and Neglect
Started by Shirley Caron in Health & Healthcare 1 day ago.
Boobs-N-Business 86 Replies
Started by Annie Sever-Dimitri in Questions and Answers. Last reply by Janet Falkenberg 1 day ago.
What are your favorite Thanksgiving memories? 10 Replies
Started by Pat Coyle in Questions and Answers. Last reply by Ben McCann 1 day ago.
Would you kindly have a great Thanksgiving ..and share what you are thankful for 1 Reply
Started by asa blevins in Arts & Culture. Last reply by Mrs. Cara Dafforn 1 day ago.
"The Housing Boom and Bust"
Started by Steve Stuck in Economics 1 day ago.
Can Rupert Murdoch Really Hurt Google? 11 Replies
Started by Pat Coyle in Media: mass and social. Last reply by Pat Coyle 1 day ago.
Classifieds - Mental Health Industry 5 Replies
Started by Stephanie Daily in Classifieds - Position Wanted. Last reply by Stephanie Daily 1 day ago.
About
Help
A few things to consider before joining Smaller Indiana:
1. Please use your real name (first and last) when you sign up, or we cannot open your account
2. Please do not use logos or commercial images for your profile photo
3. Events should be posted in the events calendar
4. You can post pretty much anything you want on your own personal page (self promotion, etc), and you can change the style of your personal profile page to reflect your corporate identification if you so choose.
5. Please keep all comments civil and polite. It's OK to feel strongly about a subject, and it's OK to be critical of ideas, but please refrain from personal attacks of any kind.
If you witness or experience any issues, please contact admin@smallerindiana.com and we will look into the matter.
6. Smaller Indiana is supported by its members, and by corporate sponsors. If you're interested in learning more about sponsorship, please call Pat Coyle at 317 332 7878.
1. Please use your real name (first and last) when you sign up, or we cannot open your account
2. Please do not use logos or commercial images for your profile photo
3. Events should be posted in the events calendar
4. You can post pretty much anything you want on your own personal page (self promotion, etc), and you can change the style of your personal profile page to reflect your corporate identification if you so choose.
5. Please keep all comments civil and polite. It's OK to feel strongly about a subject, and it's OK to be critical of ideas, but please refrain from personal attacks of any kind.
If you witness or experience any issues, please contact admin@smallerindiana.com and we will look into the matter.
6. Smaller Indiana is supported by its members, and by corporate sponsors. If you're interested in learning more about sponsorship, please call Pat Coyle at 317 332 7878.
© 2009 Created by Pat Coyle
You need to be a member of Smaller Indiana to add comments!
Join this Ning Network