SH4010 Heroing in the Community--Assignment 2

[Erika]

Give of yourself: Donate something. Anything. Money can be tight, but donations don’t have to be big. It can mean putting some change into a collection box at a register. Contribute to a food drive, or donate old clothes, toys or books. You could also donate online to a charitable organization, support an artist whose work you enjoy, or contribute to a kickstarter. Post a picture or screenshot.

This is an activity/picture assignment.

[Twitch]

*Sigh* Dean, you really know how to put the screws to a student.

In the Bible there's a proverb about charity, "let not your left hand know what your right hand does." My religion - and my randomness in giving - make it hard to document the actual event. However, I will share one of my better ideas. How to give money to people on the streets.
 

When someone is ...well, I can't find another term, begging, there's a lot of unknowns. When you become logical, world-wise adult, you ask yourself. Are the telling the truth on that cardboard sign? Are they in trouble, but will spend the money on drugs? I've worked my brain backwards and forwards with the problem and one day I found a solution right near the place one lady was standing. Wal-Mart gift cards.

Wal-Mart has everything - food, clothes, hygiene items, bedding, toys, even gasoline. A twenty to forty dollar gift card can go a long way to a careful spender. Yes, they could buy tobacco or liquor or stuff to make hard drugs, but there is way less chance for the money to be handed to some back-street dealer. It's not a perfect way, but I did this because just offering to buy lunch or taking the person shopping seems...off.

Now, I've only done this once. However, I plan to do it again, and I hope that telling this story will inspire copycats. No, this way won't fix poverty and can't pay that person's bills or rent; but it does help him/her right then and prevents me from excusing myself by saying, 'I don't carry cash.' 

I'm not saying to go load up a hundred dollars and patrol the street giving out cards. Just please, remember this for when you need it.

Grade: Excellent. Yeah, we want to SEE the giving, but it would be pretty silly for us to say we'd prefer you to drop a nickel in the spinny thing at taco bell to take a picture rather than give someone something that will have an impact on their life. Maybe the next time the opportunity arises, there will be something appropriate to photograph.

[Twitch]

Aug 7, 2014 21:14:12 GMT -5 Twitch said:

Grade: Excellent. Yeah, we want to SEE the giving, but it would be pretty silly for us to say we'd prefer you to drop a nickel in the spinny thing at taco bell to take a picture rather than give someone something that will have an impact on their life. Maybe the next time the opportunity arises, there will be something appropriate to photograph.

 Yeah,  the Taco Bell thing will never happen. That food...disagrees with me.

[rypperd0c]

Lots of little things add up. I give when I can, and have faith that it will be of help in some way.

[Kashiro]

This is the wall of badges, which is where I put up all the badges I pick up from either groups I participate in or charities I help out. I also give to any homeless people I see, but I don't take pictures of that because, well, that's probably a breach of privacy, and it turns the whole "giving" part of it into some stupid grandstanding gesture of superiority and smugness.