Working for the Greater Good in Day by Day
- July 12, 2017, 10:03 a.m.
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- Public
A busy day looms, so I’ll take a few minutes now. I’m making potato salad for 50 today and chopping the ingredients for a green salad for the same dinner. I’ll put the salad together tomorrow. The brownies are made and I’ll pick up the sandwiches on my way to the meeting tomorrow. I try to keep these dinners simple since the main focus is on the Board meeting (although sometimes I wonder if the food is bribing them! LOL!).
I received two new requests this week, so I need to vet them. It won’t be difficult since we’ve helped both in the past. I’m not sure we’ll be able to do much, since donations are down and there are four requests in front of them (although 2 won’t make it through). I approach each request as if we are going to fund and work my way from there.
It always amazes me when someone takes a combative tone when requesting help. One recent request was denied because it was a third party request (even though we say on the website we do not consider 3rd party requests), he was outside our age parameters (we clearly state the 18 to 35 age range), and unemployed (our goal is to help young working people to greater financial stability).
The last part is what got to me. He said “No, I’m not working. I only work for Jesus Christ AND NO ONE ELSE!” Then he asked us to find him a job in ministry.
Our website is pretty clear. We offer budgeting advice and we help young adults when they hit a tough financial spot. We don’t find jobs. We don’t find housing (but we will pay rent). We are not an emergency fund (discussion, voting, and required budget course must take place first). Why is this so hard? I guess people think its worth a shot anyway but it slows us down.
So I guess I’d best get to my work for the day. What are you doing?
GypsyWynd ⋅ July 12, 2017
Right now, sitting outside with Nougat while we still can, before it gets too hot and sunny on the patio. There's a nice breeze at the moment. It's actually a cool breeze for a change, too.
I hate board meetings. Maybe I'd've liked them better if there had been food. Eh, probably not. I would've ended up with indigestion. (Which I usually did anyway, having to deal with the board)
Why don't ppl read (and follow) directions? He may have thought it was worth a shot, but it wastes everyone's time....even his.
ConnieK GypsyWynd ⋅ July 12, 2017
I make my meetings as fast as possible because I hate Board meetings, too. LOL!
Shattered ⋅ July 12, 2017
A picnic at Hubby's work and after that I'm not sure.
ConnieK Shattered ⋅ July 12, 2017
That sounds fun!
Chic Chat ⋅ July 12, 2017
Is this like a non profit organization you run?
I really need to study for my government final, but true to myself I'm procrastinating and finding everything and anything else to do so I can put it off some more. Wish my girls were here to help with that.
ConnieK Chic Chat ⋅ July 12, 2017
Yes. I started a non-profit for working Millennials who don't have a strong support system to turn to when they hit a roadblock. The hope is to keep them from self-destructive behavior.
Eriu ⋅ July 12, 2017
I don't know why some things are hard for people to understand, especially when explained multiple times and as clearly as possible. Some of our newer elected leaders still don't quite get what I do - and I've been here doing it for 20 years - and now there's a new element of my department that deals with cell towers. We explained that in our reports and the newspaper, but I still had someone ask me if that program could help with tv reception! (That program checks the archaeological surveys, SHPO's report, and our history to determine that no graves or sacred sites are in the proposed cell tower location. That's the Wunderkind's job.) Yeah, if you want people to show up to a meeting, you have to have food! I'm ready to join the Board right now from the food you just described!
ConnieK Eriu ⋅ July 12, 2017
Eriu, if I had you on my Board, there would be no stopping us! However, YOUR work is far more important than mine in that it affects a greater number of people. My work is on a much smaller scale. Both are important, but you are needed right where you are. However...when you retire...I think you should move to Florida. :)
Eriu ConnieK ⋅ July 13, 2017
Sounds good to me! I'll make my day job wrestling alligators! haha (I likely wouldn't last beyond the first day!)
woman in the moon ⋅ July 12, 2017
Sounds like a useful organization. Lunches sound pretty darn good too.
I'm reading Eleanor Roosevelt talking about the letters she received during the early part of the her husband's administration - the Depression years - and how some were scams, and some of course were not.
ConnieK woman in the moon ⋅ July 12, 2017
I've thought often about the Roosevelts and their efforts to relieve the hardships during the Depression and wonder if the Great Recession would have been over much sooner had Obama been allowed the same freedom.
woman in the moon ConnieK ⋅ July 12, 2017
The Roosevelts were special, the times were special, nothing like that ever again = thankfully.
The Whitehouse itself was so much simpler. They had huge numbers of guests - lunches, teas - two sittings, dinners, receptions. 53,000 at the Easter Egg Rolling - which sounds impossible but I guess that's when giants still roamed the earth.
The book is This I Remember. It's pretty lively. Name dropping, the you are there thing, anonymous anecdotes.
Eleanor drove her own car, took trips with other women, walked through miles of military hospital wards, wrote a DAILY newspaper column that's all on line - https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/myday/browsebyyear.cfm What I read - not much - is dry as dust but think of the immediacy.
a mote, floating ⋅ July 12, 2017
Thanks for your good works!
As for the combative guy, all I can say is: Some people...
My day: Calling all my MoCs on net neutrality plus posting on social media, making my call to Rubio on health care (left a voicemail in DC, one of the few times I couldn't get a staffer), doing errands, then pulling a phone bank shift for Planned Parenthood (calling people in Nevada to encourage them to call Heller -- again). I'm caught up for now on freelance work, so am thankful for the flexibility. Will do my workout in about an hour.
ConnieK a mote, floating ⋅ July 12, 2017
I feel like a slacker next to you! LOL!
QueenSuzu ⋅ July 13, 2017
I must make potato salad for about 20 tomorrow night. Right now, I am listening to updated news on the disappearance of four young men last week. Grave has been located and remains of one of the men identified. The "person of interest" has just confessed to murdering all of them since the death penalty was taken off the table.
ConnieK QueenSuzu ⋅ July 13, 2017
That was sad news about the murder of those boys, wasn't it? I have enough leftover potato salad for 20. Come on over! :)
QueenSuzu ConnieK ⋅ July 13, 2017
Lol (about the salad that is). The DA involved with those murders, used to be a DA in my county, kind of neat seeing him again.
ConnieK QueenSuzu ⋅ July 13, 2017
There is more to this story, I think. They honed in on their suspect pretty fast.
QueenSuzu ConnieK ⋅ July 13, 2017
Oh definitely there is more. Jeff says mafia cuz of the names.
ConnieK QueenSuzu ⋅ July 13, 2017
I never paid attention to the names. I figured it was a serial killer (maybe directed at gays) or drug deal retaliation.
QueenSuzu ConnieK ⋅ July 14, 2017
I thought, and it seems to be true, drugs. Jeff just has a thing for Italian culture.
ConnieK QueenSuzu ⋅ July 14, 2017
I saw a headline today that said DiNardo didn't like his latest pot deal with them, so you are right. :)
QueenSuzu ConnieK ⋅ July 14, 2017
Yep! Thought all along it was drugs. Also sounds like it was planned. He lured each of them and then shot them. Horribl, horrible. I know it says he pled guilty but I wouldn't be surprised if it gets changed to guilty but mentally ill because of his mental health issues. We shall see what we shall see.
ConnieK QueenSuzu ⋅ July 14, 2017
You know, I have NO problem with putting someone in a mental hospital, but after they are deemed stable again (like John Hinkley), they should serve a prison sentence. It's supposed to be about justice...for ALL parties, including the grieving families.
Ferret Mom ⋅ July 14, 2017
I have an aunt who does similar work in assisting people through her church. She enjoys it and says most people are nice and grateful, but then they get some people where it's like, "What are you thinking?"
ConnieK Ferret Mom ⋅ July 14, 2017
It's really a shame that negativity has permeated our culture (or it could be just a conscience clearing/justification for not donating...don't know and am too busy to dwell on it). I've had plenty of critics, asking why I'm helping a bunch of spoiled Millennials. They get quiet once I explain that we help young people who are working but have hit hard times (for a variety of reasons) and have no strong support system to turn to.
Some have parents who cannot or will not help (again for a variety of reasons: younger siblings still at home, they are poor, etc). Some have past drug abuse problems (we only help those who have been clean for over a year). Some just need a better paying job!
Each recipient must meet with our budget counselor before funds are disbursed, they must be employed, and they must be able to show how our financial help will put them back on stable ground. They must try every other avenue of help before coming to us.
We believe that when young people lose hope they turn to self-destructive behavior. We're trying to stop that BEFORE it happens by being surrogate parents. Most go into our mentoring program and I have some amazing success stories.
So tell your aunt I salute her and encourage her to ignore the nay-sayers. Helping others is what society is all about. We are only as good as our most neediest citizens and should not take pride in our own success if others are being left behind through no other fault than just not being able to catch a break in a hard, hard world, you know?
ummm...sorry about writing a book! :)