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| Re: When I Forgot the Meaning of Philanthropy
Posted by Julie Rodda   on 12/22/2011, 12:08 pm, in reply to "When I Forgot the Meaning of Philanthropy"
VIP Poster
Tony,
This article touched my heart deeply. I have been guilty of the same. In fact, I found myself arguing alongside you in your example; 'Of course you need benchmarks!, Of course you should see progress!'. And these are good arguments. Yet Philanthropy is more than that, and we forget in the midst of our grantwriting, brochures and reports that the human side of need is often just that -- human need.
My eyes were similarly opened just last evening, and although again off typical topic for the board, still highly reflective of true philanthropy.
I led a Holiday Caroling party through local neighborhoods where my husband pastors a church. We have several families from a nearby homeless shelter who take part in services with us, and were very excited to come along. Admittedly, many of these families have issues with addictions and poor life choices which contributed to their homeless situation. So in determining who best to knock on doors to alert homeowners our hay-ride of carolers was approaching, my first inclination was to assign that task to more stable parishioners. Yet one gentleman was adamant that he wanted to be a door-knocker. And so he was.
The story that enfolded was truly beautiful, and would have been missed had my singularly focused parameters of participation been followed.
At the third door he knocked upon, an elderly gentleman opened the door, heard the song we were singing, and began to cry. It was his wife's favorite Christmas Carol. She had died just 2 days earlier! He asked that our emissary pray for him. When this simple exchange was completed, the elderly man thanked him profusely, telling our homeless friend that he had made his Christmas complete.
The value of that exchange on both parties was measureless, its impact far reaching in both lives. Our homeless friend told us that he had never been asked to give anything to anyone, and the only time he had knocked on strangers doors was to ask for money. He was allowed opportunity for a truly Philanthropic moment--giving of himself simply for the sake of meeting someones need. And both the giver and the receiver were blessed.
May we all enjoy many philanthropic moments this season!
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Julie Rodda
http://www.roddaconsulting.com/Solutions for Non Profit Organizations
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