…exultations

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Of all the traditions inherent to the world of academia – and there are many! – my hands-down-favorite happens around this time each year…

 

 

Congrats to all my friends celebrating their amazing achievements.  I look forward to joining you in 12 short months.

 

Cheers,
Randy

…rounding third

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as we round third in the final inning of another semester, here is a little poetic inspiration to help us bring it on home…

 

To Satch

Sometimes I feel like I will never stop
Just go on forever
‘Til one fine morning
I’ll reach up and grab me a handful of stars
And swing out my long, lean leg
And whip three hot strikes burning down the heavens
And look over at God and say
How about that!

-Samuel Allen

 

let’s do this!

…hunger matters

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Building on my previous post…

The spirit of this thing we call philanthropy is really quite simple.  It boils down to one goal: nourishing what it is to be human.  All humans have basic needs without which we cannot flourish.  Nutritious food is one of these basic needs.

Sadly, millions of our fellow humans are what we call food-insecure; they are hungry.  It is estimated that on any given day in the U.S., 49 million of our friends, neighbors and colleagues wake up with an all-consuming thought…Where will my next meal come from?

Sadder still, at one point we were on track to eliminate hunger in the U.S. almost entirely.


The good news: we know its possible to solve this issue – we almost did once and we can certainly do it again.  Remember that philanthropy isn’t an exclusive club reserved for the mega-rich.  It’s as simple as lending your voice to those unable to speak for themselves… in doing so, you will send a clear message… everyone matters. 

It matters to me that 49 million individuals are going to bed hungry tonight.  If ever there was a cause to rally around, surely it is this one.

Live generously,
Randy

…we all matter

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Recently a friend asked me “so, what is this thing you are studying? Explain it to me in five words or less.”  Whoa… what a challenge!  I’ve spent the better part of a decade working in and learning about philanthropy and now I find myself tasked with summing it all up in a sentence.

After thinking for a few moments I rambled off something that wasn’t very eloquent and certainly didn’t answer her question.  Then, I walked away upset with my failure.

Philosophy teaches us that the simplest answer is usually best.  The problems being tackled by philanthropists are anything but simple (e.g., hunger, education reform, child abuse, homelessness, etc.)  When I use the term philanthropists I’m referring not just to the individuals who write generous checks to fund this work but also to the amazing men and women who spend time in the trenches, pouring their souls into solving the issues at hand.

At the risk of oversimplifying this complex work and minimizing the heroic dedication of so many philanthropists, I now have an answer for my friend…

At its most basic level, philanthropy is about reminding people that everyone matters.

The hungry person standing on the street corner matters. The student striving for a better education matters. The child housed at the local shelter after being removed from an abusive situation certainly matters. You, dear readers, matter. I matter.  Everyone matters.

Why?  As humans cohabiting planet Earth, our individual well-being is wrapped up in that of all of mankind.

Ubuntu.  I am because you are. 

Now, I can’t take credit for articulating this fundamental truth.  Oprah has been teaching this for years.  As policy makers and foundation professionals make decisions that impact society, we must remember that philanthropy is about people – not faceless statistics on a report but actual individuals striving for the very thing we all want – the best life possible.  As my fellow scholars continue to investigate the art and science of philanthropy, I think it is important for us to keep these basics in mind… and I’m grateful to my friend for reminding me of the bigger picture with her one simple question.

Live generously,
Randy