Main Street Philanthropy - Session 1, July 14, 2011

Today was the launch of our maiden voyage of Main Street Philanthropy with McPhatter Middle School in San Diego.  Mission for the day was to get to know the students, give them an overview of the project, teach a bit about philanthropy, and begin identifying personal values and areas of concern the world.  Quite a bit to tackle in two hours!. 

Here's a quick low-down on what we'll be doing for the next six weeks:

• Have students identify their personal values and issues they would like to see resolved in our communities and society
• Assign them into groups of 3 - 5 that share similar concerns
• Identify organizations that share their values and concerns, then contact them to set a time to volunteer for, or interview with leadership of the organization 
• Evaluate the organizations for long term financial stability
• Decide in their groups how to distribute funds from our Main Street Philanthropy Fund - a fund that was made possible though a generous donation from a wonderful family with a heart for service and philanthropy
• Through the sessions, we'll teach and lead exercises about philanthropy, types of organizations, volunteerism, financial awareness, and all sorts of other tidbits.

The entire concept of philanthropy, the word itself, what it means, its impact on society, its origin - all this is relatively unknown or misunderstood.  I've spent a fair number of years working in the space and still picked up quite a bit in preparing for this course.  Going way back; in Plato's will, in 347 BC, he left his farm to a nephew with instructions that the proceeds be used to support faculty and students for the academic institution he founded.  Ever wonder why Harvard University has been so successful with their fundraising?  With over 370 years since John Harvard gave a library and half of his estate to the school in Cambridge, MA, they've had a fair amount of time to develop their model!  In 1860, several women in Hartford, CT felt like boys should have an alternative to roaming the streets after school or work.  The result, the Boys and Girls Club of America!  The Nobel Prize, Julliard School of Music, the Rockefeller Foundation, Al Capone's Soup Kitchen, Andrew Carnegie, the story behind Make-A-Wish Foundation, and more recently Bill and Melinda Gates' contribution of $1 billion to the William H Gates Foundation - amazing stories that have impacted hundreds of thousands of lives! 

So, the history of philanthropy was a good discussion, but there is little more encouraging than speaking with folks, no matter what their age or background, about their personal values and things in the world they would like to see changed.  Getting middle school students to open up in front of peers and a stranger (me) is no easy task, but we eventually made progress.  They expressed an interest in ensuring that everyone has access to food and shelter, and that schools are given proper resources and supplies to make education as effective as possible. They discussed the importance of care for animals with no-kill shelters.  They would like to provide support to families that are facing terminal illness in a family member. 

I'm not completely sure everyone understands the full extent of this program, but it's week one, and we have much ground to cover!  I can say that I'm thrilled to be working with these students; we have a great group - bright students that have all the potential needed to run with this thing.  They are also extremely fortunate to have Mr. K as their teacher.  His passion for helping them truly learn, not just memorizing facts and figures, but how to think, learn, gain wisdom and discernment is a tremendous gift.  He doesn't throw fish; he teaches them how to fish.  His impact, and possibly that of this program may take some time, perhaps decades to be realized, but I do believe it will prove meaningful in the lives of all of those involved - myself included!  Until next week, ~RyP