Tag Archives: Philanthropy

Kudos to the Non-profit Organizations and Volunteers Who Fight the Fight… to alleviate hunger, poverty and homelessness

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Earth fragile future

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

― Anne Frank

 

I have always viewed volunteer workers and non-profit organizations – such as (but not limited to) The World Food Programme, Feeding America and Action Against Hunger/Action Contre La Faim – with deep and profound respect.

It is a difficult and thankless job.

Ahhh, but many of these dedicated men and women don’t view it as a “job”…  nor do they expect a pat on the back, let alone an actual “Thank You.”

Imagine, for a moment, what it must feel like to see hardship, hunger, poverty and sickness… day in and day out. Yet, these volunteers press on… hoping, no, praying that they are somehow making a difference, making a dent in this world epidemic that is Hunger.

Imagine what it must feel like to try to recruit people to help… to contribute their time and yes, their money, to a problem that – like it or not – affects us all.  So many people (too many) prefer to turn a blind eye.  Until it happens to them. And for those raising their eyebrow: it can happen to them. And to you. And to me.  It is never wise to be complacent. As we’ve seen with disasters like Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina, it can happen in a flash.  Here today, gone tomorrow.

So today marks the last day of my 3½-week Help Fight Hunger book promotion.

To say that I am “disappointed” is a huge understatement, but it will not deter me from continuing to contribute my time and writing to helping others, to raise awareness on important issues that ultimately affect us all, and to hope that someone – anyone – will listen and perhaps even join the effort to help those who need our help.

I’d like to take a moment to thank the family members, friends, and colleagues who have been kindly “spreading the word” on behalf of my Help Fight Hunger campaign. Most importantly, I’d like to express my deep love and gratitude to my husband for putting up with all the intensity. 

I hope that I’ve provided you with some informative, thought-provoking blogs on a subject that is discomfiting, but nevertheless very current and critical. 

Thanks for reading.

― Heather

HFH2

Image (t the very top) via erikarachel.com.

Quid pro quo

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Business transactions have always been based on the principle of “quid pro quo” (something for something). Individuals and organizations barter their goods/services in exchange for other goods/services or for monetary compensation.

When there is a fair and equal exchange of give and take, all parties walk away satisfied and happy. However, when the exchange is uneven and unfair, this will inevitably result in dissention and conflict.

This translates to human interaction and relationships ― between spouses, families, friends, and communities. When the “give and take” is unbalanced, problems ensue.

Taking the concept of “quid pro quo” and placing it in the context of philanthropic work, what do philanthropists, non-profits, and community volunteers receive – in exchange for their good work?

First and perhaps most importantly, they get a sense of well-being from knowing that they have helped ease the suffering of another human being. That is, in my opinion, the highest form of quid pro quo.

Additionally, they receive visibility (for themselves and for their cause), potential business opportunities, and additional funding (to further their cause; to sustain their philanthropic efforts).

By reducing and, ideally, eliminating hunger, homelessness, and poverty, we help to make a nation prosper and thrive ― as a whole. We are stronger (as a nation) when we no longer need to allocate funds for assistance. Imagine a country devoid of poverty and hunger…  what a wonderful triumph that would be!

The flip side to quid pro quo is when organizations offer the poor and hungry an opportunity to pay it forward or to work, in exchange for food and board.

Thus, they finally have access to one of the most basic rights of all: the right to human dignity.

And if that isn’t quid pro quo, I don’t know what is.

HFH2

From Aug 14-Sept 7, purchase a copy of  Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, and for every $20 book purchased directly from me, through my website, I will be donating $5 from the proceeds of each book sale to either: Feeding America (US), Action Against Hunger (Canada), or The World Food Programme (Global). The purchaser chooses one of the three. As I’ve stated before and clearly state on my website, this promotion does not apply to books purchased from third party distributors, such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

 

Image (t the very top) via bubblews.com.

Because I can. More importantly, because I want to

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“I’m not doing my philanthropic work, out of any kind of guilt, or any need to create good public relations. I’m doing it because I can afford to do it, and I believe in it.”

— George Soros

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Photo by dekalegitarist.

Can we make a difference?

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Hungry Children

“The lessons of the nation’s past tell us that liberty and justice cannot be secured for ourselves and kept from others without turning sour. Because we have cherished liberty for others, this country has sacrificed enormously (if not always wisely) in lives and material resources. We have not cherished justice as much. But justice and equality are no less a part of the nation’s ideals, and we build on them by exercising them in our relationship with others. When we are rich and others are hungry or impoverished beyond description, justice calls for ending this imbalance.” 

— Art Simon, Founder – Bread for the World

HFH2

Image (b/w of three children) via blogs.dallasobserver.com.

Book Promotion “Help Fight Hunger” Launches Today

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As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I decided to launch a 3½-week Help Fight Hunger campaign – beginning today (August 14) and ending on Saturday, September 7, 2013, at 5:00 PM (EDT) —  For every $20 book purchased directly from my website, I will be donating $5 from the proceeds of each book sale to either Feeding America or The World Food Programme (the purchaser chooses).

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All too often, we waste food — sometimes without giving a second thought to whether or not the person sitting next to us may be living in a food insecure household.  An alarming number of middle-class families are now, for the first time,  experiencing what it is like to be hungry.  Their stories will break your heart. Their stories will make you want to kneel down, bow your head and say a prayer of thanks for the food on your table, for being spared the suffering, despair, and indignity of being hungry. 

Below is a vignette from my book, Casualties of the (Recession) Depression.  This is a true story.

“Young and Hungry“

“He sat in the coffee shop, his fingers restlessly turning the pages of his textbook.  He had been there for three and a half hours, nursing a cup of coffee.  “Thank God for free refills!” – he thought to himself.  He was trying hard to focus on the words in front of him, willing the gurgling in his empty stomach to go away.  His hands were slightly shaky.  He could smell the toasted ham and cheese sandwich that someone was eating at a nearby table.  Freshly baked bread had just come out of the oven and the lady behind the counter was stacking the loaves on the shelf.  His mouth started to water and he felt dizzy.  He willed himself to block it all out. Two more hours passed by.

It was closing time.  The coffee shop lady was rushing to close up. She grabbed all the leftover loaves of bread (two were left), bagels (all seven of them), and two donuts – and threw them roughly into a big garbage can, which she wheeled into the back room. He swallowed, throat dry.  A tear escaped from the corner of his eye. He was too proud to ask. And the coffee shop lady didn’t see, nor would she probably have given him a second thought if she had. He clenched his jaw and grimly packed his book into his bag. 

He glanced once at the lady behind the counter. Her face was blank when she looked back at him. Oblivious.  She tapped her fingers on the glass, impatient to close the lights.

He left quietly, not looking back.  He wondered whether things would get better after he graduated from college. He wasn’t so sure.”

Casualties of the (Recession) Depression – Copyright © 2013 by Heather Joan Marinos.  All Rights Reserved.

Help Fight Hunger. 

Drop by www.heatherjoanmarinos.com.

HFH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image (of young man) via   abcradionewsonline.com (Jupiterimages/Thinkstock).

New thought-provoking blog “Discourse on Reality” launching soon

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DiscourseOnReality

“The work of an intellectual is not to mould the political will of others; it is, through the analyses that he does in his own field, to re-examine evidence and taglineassumptions, to shake up habitual ways of working and thinking, to dissipate conventional familiarities, to re-evaluate rules and institutions and to participate in the formation of a political will (where he has his role as citizen to play).”  ― Michel Foucault

Discourse on Reality, launching this Wednesday, will focus on current socio-economic, cultural, philosophical and political issues and challenges facing everyday men and women — across the globe.  As the title suggests, it is meant to be a forum for intelligent discourse, where people can share ideas, commentary, and information on subjects that are current, relevant and affect our communities — locally, nationwide, worldwide.  The objective is to learn, engage, raise awareness and, perhaps, become actively involved in the very causes, issues and challenges that we seek to address and remedy.

It is not my desire to write monologues day in and day out.  Dialoguing with oneself becomes tedious after a while.  To that end, I will be extending an invitation to anyone who may be interested in writing a guest blog post — within the scope of the subject matter discussed in the blog.  The invitation is open to writers, scholars, community leaders, and activists — subject to my approval, per  the guest blogging guidelines that will be available for review when Discourse on Reality goes live on Wednesday morning.  Non-fiction authors who post a guest blog will also be invited to highlight their latest work on the “Books” page.

Discourse on Reality embraces diversity.  This means: people from all walks of life, all cultures, all religions, all nationalities and ethnicities,  all political and philosophical leanings, all genders and orientations. 

Discourse on Reality will not provide a forum for hate, bigotry, and profanity.  It’s one thing to be passionate about what you believe in, but it is quite another to spew out hateful commentary.

One blog will be posted by 9 am EDT daily, from Monday to Friday.  Each day will focus on one theme, as follows:

       MONDAYS – Socio-economic Issues  (i.e. hunger, homelessness, health, education, environment and more)

       TUESDAYS – Economic Issues (i.e. the economy, business, technology, and more)

       WEDNESDAYS – Cultural Issues (i.e. civil rights, human rights, and more)

       THURSDAYS – Philosophical & Political Issues (i.e. commentary on current political events/news, ideology, religion)

       FRIDAYS – Philanthropy and Humanitarianism (i.e. role models and visionaries, non-profit organizations, humanitarian efforts and disaster relief,  sustainability, and more)

I hope that those of you who have been tuning in to my heatherfromthegrove (a writer’s musings) blog will also check out Discourse on Reality this Wednesday.  

As always, I welcome your feedback and comments.

Thanks for stopping by!

— Heather

The Soul Kitchen: Bon Jovi Serves Up Some Hope

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soul-kitchen

The Soul Kitchen (Red Bank, New Jersey)

Jon Bon Jovi serves up a heaping plate of soul food and philanthropy, topped up with a whole lot of Hope.

4-25-2013 9-11-07 AM

Livin’ On A Prayer

Once upon a time
Not so long ago

Tommy used to work on the docks
Unions been on strike
He’s down on his luck… it’s tough, so tough
Gina works the diner all day
Working for her man, she brings home her pay
For love – for love

She says we’ve got to hold on to what we’ve got
Cause it doesn’t make a difference
If we make it or not
We’ve got each other and that’s a lot
For love – well give it a shot

Chorus:
Whooah, we’re half way there
Livin’ on a prayer
Take my hand and we’ll make it – I swear
Livin’ on a prayer

Tommy’s got his six string in hock
Now he’s holding in what he used
To make it talk – so tough, it’s tough
Gina dreams of running away
When she cries in the night
Tommy whispers baby it’s okay, someday

We’ve got to hold on to what we’ve got
‘Cause it doesn’t make a difference
If we make it or not
We’ve got each other and that’s a lot
For love – well give it a shot

Chorus:
Whooah, we’re half way there
Livin’ on a prayer
Take my hand and we’ll make it – I swear
Livin’ on a prayer

We’ve got to hold on ready or not
You live for the fight when it’s all that you’ve got

Chorus:
Whooah, we’re half way there
Livin’ on a prayer
Take my hand and we’ll make it – I swear
Livin’ on a prayer

[Songwriters: BON JOVI, JON / CHILD, DESMOND / SAMBORA, RICHARD]

4-25-2013 9-11-07 AM

The concept of “Paying it forward” is something that Jon Bon Jovi knows well.   Singer, musician, actor, businessman and philanthropist ― Bon Jovi  is a New Jersey native who never forgot where he came from.   In 2006, he formed the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help people (one soul at a time) who are experiencing economic hardship. 

Kindness is infectious.  And so, as part of this foundation,  several  JBJ Soul projects have come to fruition:

†♥ JBJ Soul Homes (a joint venture with Project H.O.M.E., in Philadelphia)  ― a four-story, mixed-use development building, scheduled for completion in November 2013.  With retail, offices and 55 apartments to house previously homeless and low-income adults and children, the  residents will have access to basic medical care, employment assistance, education and fitness facilities.

†♥ Rebuilding Together (a joint venture with Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation and Rebuilding Together Philadelphia) ― to rehabilitate nearly 30 homes in the Overbrook neighborhood.

†♥ Northern Children’s Services Merrick Hall (a joint venture with Northern Children’s Services) ― to provide permanent housing for homeless teenage mothers and their babies.

and, a community restaurant that does not have any prices on the menu:

†♥ JBJ Soul Kitchen ― where customers volunteer their services at the restaurant, in lieu of payment.  Soul Kitchen accepts donations from those who can pay.  In the words of Bon Jovi, “At a time when 1 in 5 households are living at or below the poverty level, and at a time when 1 out of 6 Americans are food insecure, this is a restaurant whose time has come. This is a place based on and built on community – by and for the community.” 

And yes, Mr. Bon Jovi, Hope is Delicious.  Your dedication, passion and sense of community is truly inspiring.

For more information, please go to:  http://www.jbjsoulkitchen.org/.

 

Image via nhne-pulse.org.